《Apocalypse Rebirth: Beauties Surround Me》


 Chapter 1: Rebirth

    <h4>Chapter 1: Rebirth</h4>


    "Boom!"


    The violent explosion reverberated around, shaking the buildings, and the ss emitted a mournful sound.


    Elijah suddenly woke up, sitting up from the bed. He subconsciously touched his body, intact, and then looked around.


    The familiar roomyout, simple and clean, except for the refrigerator, wardrobe, table, and the bed he was in, there were no other clutter.


    "Darn... was it a dream?"


    "Or... have I been reborn?"


    Elijah remembered clearly that just a moment ago he was surrounded by a group of zombies, tearing at him, his flesh torn apart piece by piece, the stiff corpse ws stirring his entrails, the intense pain making him lose consciousness instantly.


    But upon waking up again, he found himself back in the rented house!


    Elijah immediately grabbed the phone next to him and looked at it, his eyes widening at the time disyed.


    "A year ago... did I really reincarnate?!"


    Then he slid off the bed and ran to the window.


    Not far away from him, amercial building was emitting billowing smoke, with the wreckage of an airne hanging on it.


    That was the source of the explosion just now!


    "ne crash... exactly the same, I... really reincarnated!"


    Although incredulous, Elijah breathed a sigh of relief. Anyway, being alive was the greatest luck.


    But soon, he frowned again.


    From the timing, today was the first day of the zombie virus outbreak, and the exploding ne was the signal.


    He suspected that the pilot was infected with the zombie virus, leading to the ne crash.


    And on this day...


    Before Elijah could think further, a voice of extreme panic suddenly rang out!


    "Help! Help me!"


    Elijah looked down following the sound and saw a woman running frantically, shouting as she ran.


    And behind her, three figures chased after her like mad dogs.


    One of them Elijah recognized, his downstairs neighbor, a stooped olddy.


    Normally panting after a few steps, but now she was more agile than an athlete.


    The woman exerted all her strength to try to shake off the three behind her, but suddenly a figure nted from the side and tackled her to the ground.


    This figure opened its mouth wide and bit the woman''s neck fiercely.


    Blood gushed instantly, staining the person''s face with a ghastly appearance.


    "Ah~" The woman''s miserable scream echoed through the building.


    At this moment, the three figures chasing behind also arrived instantly, pouncing on the woman and tearing at her like wild beasts.


    "Ugh... Ah..."


    The woman''s screams gradually faded, and her body soon stopped struggling.


    Only a pool of blood slowly overflowed from under the four figures.


    "The neighborhood has started too..."


    Elijah sighed, muttering to himself.


    It would have been better if he had reincarnated a bit earlier, so he could also go and buy some supplies.


    For now, he could only hide at home. Otherwise, if he got involved because of some idiot, it would be too much of a loss.


    But speaking of idiots...


    "Bang! Bang! Bang!"


    A knock on the door interrupted Elijah''s thoughts.


    "...Elijah, are you there?"


    A somewhat anxious female voice came through.


    Immediately, an image of a figure wearing shorts and a short-sleeved shirt, revealing slender white legs, popped into Elijah''s mind¡ªBe!


    Be is the wife of a couple who shares the apartment with Elijah. She and her husband just arrived in the city to make a living. To save on rent, Elijah rented the master bedroom to the couple through a referral.


    Here shees!


    Elijah''s heart skipped a beat, knowing he was about to face a crisis. But it wasn''t this woman, it was her idiot husband.


    Elijah remainedposed as he opened the bedroom door, and sure enough, Be was standing outside.


    Her face was adorned with delicate makeup, wearing a light green short-sleeved shirt that was slightly translucent, revealing a glimpse of the white bra inside.


    Below was a ck waist-cinching skirt, exposing her smooth legs, slender and well-proportioned.


    One foot was d in slippers, while the other wore a white low-heeled t shoe.


    It was evident from her attire that she was about to go out, in the midst of changing shoes when the sudden situation interrupted her.


    "...Elijah, did you see them too? Those monsters..."


    At this moment, she looked anxious, slightly frightened, and somewhat lost.


    "Yes, I saw them too. The ones downstairs are zombies!"


    "Yes, yes, they are zombies, just like in the movies..."


    Be found a way to vent her fear.


    "What''s going on? What should we do?"


    "I don''t know! But we can''t go out now. The zombies outside are too dangerous."


    Thinking of the zombies downstairs and the woman''s tragic situation, Be''s face turned pale, but the next moment she became anxious again.


    "My husband just went out, he won''t be in danger, right? No, I have to call him!"


    She hurriedly walked to the living room, took out her phone from her bag, but the next moment she froze in ce.


    "No signal? How is there no signal?"


    Ignoring her astonishment, Elijah shifted his gaze away from her slender legs and started staring at the anti-theft door outside the foyer.


    Just then, "Bang!" The sound of the anti-theft door being forcefully pulled open, hitting the wall and rebounding, startled Be!


    But Elijah had anticipated it and calmly watched as the man at the door, breathing heavily, mmed the door shut.


    "Honey, you''re back, that''s great! Are you okay?"


    Be ran up and supported her husband.


    "I''m fine, Be, you''re fine too, that''s great!"


    Alexander hugged Be excitedly.


    "I was just leaving the neighborhood when I got stuck on the road. I saw many people turning into zombies, so I hurried back..."


    "That''s too dangerous, but fortunately you''re back safely!"


    Be''s face was filled with fear after the fact.


    Elijah closed the door, ignoring the couple, and began to search for things, preparing himself.


    Everything that had happened up to now was exactly the same as in his previous life.


    If nothing had changed, then that idiot Alexander must have been bitten by the zombies already.


    In his previous life, Be discovered the bite marks on Alexander while he was changing clothes and came to Elijah in fear to confirm if he would turn into a zombie because of it.


    What followed was Alexander''s sudden attack on them. Although Elijah eventually killed Alexander, both he and Be were subsequently scratched and bitten.


    In despair and rage, Elijah vented his anger on Be, only to find outter that he managed to resist the transformation and even awakened superpowers by chance.


    However, Be unfortunately turned into a zombie and was controlled by his superpowers.


    Thinking of superpowers, Elijah subconsciously urged them, and a familiar energy immediately flowed through his body.


    "Huh?!"


    Elijah''s face lit up with joy.


    "My superpowers have awakened ahead of time?!"

 Chapter 2: Seed of Consciousness

    <h4>Chapter 2: Seed of Consciousness</h4>


    Elijah''s awakened superpower is called the "Seed of Consciousness"!


    Its function is to parasitize other organisms through a medium and forcibly control them.


    This ability sounds very powerful, akin to the puppeteers in the anime Naruto or the Devil Fruit power of Domingo in One Piece.


    If he were to imnt the "Seed of Consciousness" into the body of a stranger, wouldn''t he be able to do as he pleased?


    The ideal is lofty, but reality is harsh!


    In fact, until his death in his previous life, Elijah could only control zombies.


    The reason is that his control ability is achieved through suggestion andmand using the "Seed of Consciousness".


    Zombies themselvesck consciousness, so he can fully control them.


    However, animals and humans cannot be controlled as they possess their own independent consciousness, especially humans.


    His "Seed of Consciousness" cannot overpower the consciousness of living beings, which leads to control failure. But it''s not entirely ineffective.


    He can subconsciously suggest or hypnotize those imnted with the "Seed of Consciousness", making them harbor goodwill, affection, or even loyalty towards him.


    Moreover, if someone imnted with the "Seed of Consciousness" suddenly turns into a zombie, they will immediately fallpletely under his control.


    This is what Elijah values most. The reason is simple!


    The zombie virus is constantly mutating.


    Humans are the best breeding ground for the virus!


    The zombie virus spreads, evolves, and mutates within the human poption, almost changing every day.


    The more densely popted an area is, the faster the virus mutates.


    This also means that even if you survive one wave of the zombie virus, you may not be able to survive the next wave of mutations unless you be an awakened individual like Elijah.


    People who have awakened superpowers have unusually high resistance to the virus in the air and are almost never infected again after death.


    The only exception is the virus inside zombies.


    If an awakened individual is scratched or bitten by a zombie and the virus spreads through the blood, they still face a life-threatening situation.


    These reasons make it impossible for humans to gather inrge numbers anymore.


    Because no one can guarantee that a brother fighting back-to-back one moment won''t suddenly take a bite the next.


    Elijah''s abilitypletely solves this problem.


    People imnted with the "Seed of Consciousness", even if they can''t resist the mutating zombie virus and suddenly turn, will immediately fallpletely under his control and cannot rise up to harm others.


    Therefore, in the apocalypse, he can freely recruit talents, ensure obedience among his subordinates through subconscious suggestion, and ultimately build his own power, dominating the area.


    It''s just a pity that he had just started to act when he was betrayed during a process seeking advancement in his abilities...


    Thinking of the person who led him to death amidst the horde of zombies, a cold light shed in Elijah''s eyes!


    He must make those who have wronged him taste the despair of being torn apart by others. But for now... thinking about these things is useless.


    The most urgent thing now is to ovee the current difficulties and ensure his own survival. A trace of hostility shed across Elijah''s face.


    That was the countless times of life and death hovering in the apocalypse for a year, forging Elijah''s determination to kill!


    Now that his abilities had awakened and there were no worries holding him back, then... Screw it!


    First, Elijah changed his clothes, swapping into jeans and abat jacket to prevent scratches and bites from zombies.


    Then, he wrapped several magazines around his forearms with tape.


    Though the magazines weren''t thick,bined with the taped clothing, they could serve as makeshift shields to block zombie bites.


    Elijah absolutely didn''t want to be injured by zombies again if it wasn''t necessary. In his previous life, he might have survived a zombie bite and awakened, but this time it wasn''t certain.


    Heter learned that the probability of awakening after being bitten by a zombie was less than one in ten million.


    Now that he had awakened his abilities, he didn''t want to gamble on that slim chance again.


    Once he was properly dressed, Elijah grabbed a long-handled umbre and strapped a medium-sized warhammer to his waist.


    Just then, Be cautiously pushed open the door and walked in.


    Her face carried a sense of urgency but also fear of making noise. However, as soon as she saw Elijah''s attire, she froze in ce at the door. ???


    Before she could even think further, she saw Elijah thrusting the umbre in his right hand towards her like a sword, aiming straight at her.


    "Ah~!"


    The metal tip of the umbre came at her at lightning speed, startling Be into an instinctive scream. In the next moment, "Crack!"


    The umbre pierced through flesh, something burst! Without the expected pain, Be copsed to the ground.


    She subconsciously looked up and saw the ck umbre passing through her body, piercing straight into her husband''s eye.


    His broken eyeball squeezed out, mixing murky liquid with crimson blood flowing continuously from his eye socket.


    But her husband didn''t show any sign of pain, only continuously gnashing his mouth like a hunting beast, emitting low growls, wanting to tear apart his prey in front of him.


    This gruesome scene frightened Be into kicking her legs in panic, supporting herself with her hands as she moved away.


    Elijah was very satisfied with his move. He pushed the umbre forcefully, sinking the tip deeper into Alexander''s head.


    Slowly, Alexander stopped moving and copsed to the ground weakly.


    Elijah then pulled the umbre out of Alexander''s head, sttering a mix of red and white fluid.


    He didn''t stop there but picked up the warhammer and smashed it onto the back of Alexander''s head.


    "Thud! Thud! Thud!"


    The hammer struck flesh, spraying a mixture of blood and brain matter, looking particrly terrifying.


    Be widened her eyes, mouth agape, already petrified!


    However, Elijah soon stopped his actions, a smile appearing on his face.


    He threw away the warhammer, not minding the disgust, and reached into the pulpy mess of Alexander''s flesh with one hand, then pulled out a crystal-like object resembling a diamond.


    Wiping the blood and sma off his hand with tissue, Elijah examined the crystal closely.


    It was a rhomboid crystal formed by numerous nes, slightly smaller than a fingernail, translucent white, shimmering with a crystal-clear gloss under the sunlight.


    There was no doubt that this was something that couldn''t exist in a human brain!


    It was a corpse core formed with a small probability by some zombies.


    "Lucky!"


    Elijah happily pocketed it. This thing would be very useful for him.


    Of course, not for him to consume. Though humans could eat it, most people who did turned into zombies.


    Only a tiny fraction, by sheer luck, might awaken abilities or advance them.


    But that probability... was smaller than the chance of surviving a zombie bite directly.


    Elijah wasn''t a gambler; he didn''t want to bet on that tiny chance.


    He had a more reliable way... A year after the apocalypse, many things were no longer secret.


    But now, only he knew.


    He could take advantage of this to quickly strengthen himself and build his own power.


    But before that... Elijah looked at Be, her eyes empty, sitting on the ground with her legs spread apart.


    "Tsk!"

 Chapter 3: So why not start with Bella?

    <h4>Chapter 3: So why not start with Be?</h4>


    In Elijah''s previous life, after being bitten by Alexander, it was witnessing scenes like this, coupled with the great terror between life and death, that made him, in his rage, rape Be!


    As a result, he survived the zombie transformation, while Be unfortunately turned into a zombie.


    But it was also this incident that made him discover his awakened superpower.


    As for how he managed to imnt the "Seed of Consciousness" into Be''s body... This brings us to the medium of the "Seed of Consciousness".


    Currently, Elijah could only confirm two mediums: semen... and blood!


    The "Seed of Consciousness" could reside in them for a period of time.


    If it couldn''t find a host in time, it would disappear along with the coagtion of the blood. Elijah sighed and shook his head.


    Naturally, he wouldn''t force it anymore. That was too low-level, unnecessary!


    In the apocalypse, strength was paramount.


    With strength, one could have food, and some people, for the sake of a meal, could apany you for a day ande up with various ways to entertain you.


    However, Elijah soon made a new discovery.


    Was there water where Be had fallen? Uh, was she scared? Was what he did just now that scary? He thought back... It seemed quite scary!


    After all, the apocalypse had just begun, and ordinary people might not be ustomed to his somewhat unconventional way of dealing with corpses.


    Thinking of corpses, Elijah scratched his head.


    He definitely couldn''t just leave them like this; they needed to be dealt with, or they would spoil sooner orter.


    It was summer now, without the virus driving them, corpses would decay quickly, and he was nning to stay here for a while.


    Elijah sighed and forcefully lifted Alexander''s corpse, leaving a bright red bloodstain on the ground as he dragged it.


    Be finally regained her senses and, watching this horrifying scene, couldn''t help but shiver, her voice trembling as she asked, "What... what are you going to do?"


    "Of course, throw it away. Do you want to keep it for him to bury?" Be hesitated, unable to speak.


    "It''s no use thinking about it. It''s too hot now, and currently, everyone is struggling to survive. Look outside, there are so many corpses..."


    Elijah hadn''t finished speaking when a sudden scream came from the building opposite.


    "Help! Zombies are eating people..."


    Be happened to be facing the window and saw a woman pressed against the ss, with a zombie firmly biting her neck from behind.


    Blood spurted out, staining the ss red.


    The woman kept pounding the ss with her hands, leaving bloody handprints.


    Soon, the woman''s screams gradually subsided, no longer audible, and her body stopped struggling, slowly sliding down below the ss.


    Only the blood-red ss remained, telling the story of the tragedy just now.


    Be''s face turned pale, thinking that if it weren''t for Elijah just now, she might have ended up like that too.


    So, seeing Elijah drag Alexander''s body to the window and then push it out with effort, she didn''t say anything more.


    With a "bang," the bodynded heavily outside the building, the loud noise alerting the nearby zombies, who immediately swarmed towards the body.


    When they got closer and found that it was a corpse of the same kind, the zombies gradually dispersed! Damn!


    Elijah was a bit annoyed. His body was too weak; he was exhausted just moving a corpse.


    Now, if he went out, he might not be able to handle even a few ordinary zombies. It looked like he needed to step up his training!


    Elijah immediately felt the urgency of time. Awakened individuals had greatly enhanced physical abilities, far surpassing ordinary people.


    However, this wasn''t an immediate change; it required slow umtion over time.


    In addition, the only way to enhance it is through targeted training.


    Increasing abilities only raises the body''s limit; whether one can reach it depends on oneself.


    Although Elijah''s superpower had awakened, his physical fitness was still that of an ordinary person.


    He needed some time to train and strengthen his body. This was also the main reason why he wanted to hide here for a while.


    "Elijah..." Be trembled as she stood up, about to ask something, but her body suddenly froze.


    "What?" Elijah turned to look at her, noticing a blush on her pale face.


    "N-nothing, I''ll go back first!" Be lowered her head, unable to look at him, and awkwardly returned to her bedroom.


    Elijah first nced at her skirt, then at the spot where she had fallen earlier... She was really scared!


    Shaking his head, Elijah started cleaning up the floor, clearing away the bloodstains while considering how to deal with Be.


    Killing her definitely wasn''t appropriate; it would be a waste.


    Not to mention her appearance!


    In the apocalypse, every living person was... well, let''s talk about her appearance!


    Especially those legs! Long, straight, white, and slender!


    They left a deep impression on Elijah!


    Mainly because she liked to wear shorts and wander around the house.


    Elijah couldn''t help but look.


    If it weren''t for the fact that she had a husband...


    Thinking of this, Elijah nced at the window with the remaining bloodstains.


    Oh, they were gone now!


    Damn!


    It had to be said, everyone hates perverts!


    But everyone wants to be one too! Elijah didn''t mind this at all.


    If he did, he wouldn''t find many women in the apocalypse!


    They''ve all been passed around a few times! For the sake of survival, they didn''t care!


    But in this life, he had strength and power.


    Naturally, he wouldn''t let his women suffer.


    And having multiple women... was quite normal.


    So why not start with Be?


    Elijah made up his mind.


    But in these matters, using force is not fun.


    It has to be that the woman is willing. Only then can there be mutual understanding! Elijah wasn''t in a hurry.


    Being alone together in a room, waiting for her to realize the reality, things would naturally fall into ce.


    But for now, the priority was to imnt the "Seed of Consciousness" in her!


    Otherwise, if she suddenly turned into a zombie and attacked, even if Elijah could handle it, he couldn''t guarantee that he wouldn''t get hurt.


    As the saying goes, a gentleman does not stand under a dangerous wall... Elijah was deep in thought.


    Be finally emerged from her room.


    She seemed to have just taken a shower, with a misty aura enveloping her body, making her skin look even more moist.


    She was still wearing a short-sleeved shirt on her upper body, but she had changed into hot pants on the lower half, her long legs standing together.


    Her face, now devoid of makeup, lost a bit of delicacy but gained a hint ofziness, and her semi-dry hair was casually scattered, giving her a charming and refreshing appearance.


    Elijah nced at her fair long legs and continued to wipe the floor with a mop.


    Be saw that the puddle on the floor had already been washed away and felt relieved.


    She had struggled in her room just now.


    She didn''t know how to face Elijah. She felt grateful to Elijah for saving her, but she also feared his ruthless methods and worried that he would notice her embarrassment from being scared.


    But she had too many questions in her mind, and she was also anxious and confused about the future, so she could onlye to find Elijah.


    "Elijah!"


    Be nced at the reddened puddle on the floor and cautiously approached.


    "What''s going on outside? Do you know?"


    She carefully chose her words, not directly asking him about his outfit.


    Wearing jeans and a windbreaker on such a hot day was very unusual.


    "I have a guess. It''s probably the outbreak of the zombie virus, like a moviee to life!"

 Chapter 4: This beam of light was Elijah’s spiritual line

    <h4>Chapter 4: This beam of light was Elijah''s spiritual line</h4>


    The secret of Elijah''s rebirth was something he naturally wouldn''t share with anyone, but he also knew that his actions were somewhat unusual.


    "You''re wondering how I knew your husband would turn into a zombie, right? And why I was prepared in advance!"


    "Yes... yes!"


    "To be honest, I was just being cautious. When I saw your husband, I thought of the woman being chased downstairs."


    Be was led by Elijah''s words, thinking of the woman''s tragic situation, and her face turned a few shades paler.


    "ording to the time your husband entered, he should have been before the woman. This made me suspect, did he also get chased by zombies? Maybe even got scratched or bitten?"


    "So when I closed the door, I immediately changed my clothes..."


    Following Elijah''s train of thought, Be quickly understood, amazed at his meticulous thinking.


    "Yes, so when I saw your husband about to attack you, I acted without hesitation. You won''t me me for killing your husband, will you?"


    "No... no, he had already turned into a monster, and I haven''t thanked you for saving me!"


    Be forced a smile.


    "But why did you use a hammer to hit Alexander afterward..."


    She struggled to continue. Remembering that scene, she couldn''t help but shiver.


    "I was afraid he wasn''t dead enough, so I just made sure!"


    Elijah gave a reason, not wanting to reveal anything about the corpse core.


    But you''re too skilled! Be couldn''t help but curse inwardly.


    "So what should we do next?"


    Be was a bit nervous.


    "I don''t know if you''ve noticed, but the power is out now!"


    Elijah didn''t answer directly but brought up another matter.


    "Just found out when I was showering, the bathroom light wasn''t on, and the hairdryer didn''t work!"


    "With the current danger outside, I seriously doubt the power wille back on. If it''s short-term, it''s fine, but if it''s long-term, water and gas will also stop. So, we should clean out the refrigerator, check our food supplies, stock up on water, ensure survival. As for the future... we''ll have to take it one step at a time!"


    Seeing Elijah calm and methodical, Be''s heart settled a bit.


    "So... should I go clean out the fridge now?"


    "Sure, you can start with mine. It''s just the two of us here, and we don''t need to separate things between us. We''ll get through this together!"


    "Okay!"


    With that, the two of them began to act separately.


    Elijah quickly cleaned the floor and filled all the containers in the house with water.


    Be collected the food from both refrigerators and sorted it out, distinguishing between items with longer shelf lives and those that needed to be eaten soon.


    "Here, have a drink. It''s still cold, perfect for this hot weather!"


    After a busy moment, both of them were sweating, and Elijah handed Be a bottle of Coke from the fridge. Although it had melted, it was still very cold.


    "Thank you!"


    Be took it, took a small sip, feeling the refreshing coldness, and then continued drinking.


    "You have a lot of vegetables at home, unlike me, all I have is instant noodles!"


    Elijah looked at the neatly categorized food and praised Be!


    Most of the longersting items were Elijah''s food, including instant noodles, canned goods, sausages, pickled vegetables, and other ready-to-eat or pre-made products. He rarely cooked at home and usually ate out or ordered takeout. asionally, he would stock up on these foods at home.


    Be''s house was more normal, with rice, flour, oil, potatoes, tomatoes, celery, eggs, meat, and other staples.


    "But now it''s be a problem. Without electricity, it''s difficult to store food. If even the gas is cut off, these foods..."


    Be frowned slightly.


    "When there''s a will, there''s a way. It''s already noon; you should cook first and eat what''s not easily preserved!"


    Elijah had a smile on his face, in his vision, a beam of light connected him and Be, a connection only he could see.


    This represented that the seed of consciousness had sessfully been nted within Be''s body.


    This beam of light was Elijah''s spiritual line.


    If the other party was a zombie, he could control the zombie with it.


    If the other party was a human, he could also use it to send suggestivemands, gradually achieving the effect of subconscious hypnosis over time.


    Currently, Elijah''s suggestion was to make Be feel that he was a trustworthy person!


    Subconscious hypnosis needed to be gradual; suggestions like falling in love with me directly wouldn''t work and would make the other party suspicious.


    In his past life, Elijah also underwent long tests to find the right bnce and started building a team of explorers loyal to him, but unfortunately...


    Elijah''s expression darkened slightly, but he quickly regained hisposure.


    Putting the blood containing the seed of consciousness into c really worked like a charm!


    With no more worries, it was time to start exercising!


    Meanwhile, Be, with her fair long legs, walked into the kitchen to start cooking.


    While Be was cooking, Elijah stood in the empty space of the living room and began practicing martial arts.


    The set of punches he practiced was called the Golden Elephant Body Forging Technique.


    Although the name sounded low, like a martial art from a second-rate martial arts novel, the effect was indeed remarkable.


    He spent a considerable amount of money learning it in his past life.


    It''s said that it was created by an awakened esper who possessed perception-based superpowers, collecting ssic martial arts from several masters,bining them with modern scientific training methods, sensing the dynamics of his own muscles and bones, experimenting and summarizing, refining it to perfection.


    It was an extremely powerful body forging technique that could push the body of an awakened individual to its limit in the shortest amount of time.


    Half of Elijah''s physique in his past life was umted through time, and the other half was improved by this set of martial arts.


    In the living room, Elijah adjusted his breath first, then slowly assumed his stance, practicing each move methodically.


    He didn''t execute each move quickly; each action was apanied by corresponding breathing.


    If observed closely, it would be noticed that between motion and stillness, the muscles, tendons, and bones in different parts of his body would tighten, contract, and rx with each movement and breath.


    At the same time, a warm stream flowed through Elijah''s body with his movements, giving him a tingling sensation, temporarily forgetting his fatigue!


    Afterpleting the set of punches, Elijah''s body was slightly sweaty, feeling a bit tired, and his hunger noticeably increased.


    Just then, Be finished cooking and called him to eat.


    Elijah looked at the table, where there were two dishes: celery stir-fried with meat, stir-fried seasonal vegetables, and steamed rice as the main dish.


    They sat down, Elijah tasted the food, surprisingly delicious, and he couldn''t help but praise her.


    Even just cooking, she proved to be worth keeping around!


    Be smiled slightly and curiously asked, "Were you exercising just now?"

 Chapter 5: I’m just a little concerned...

    <h4>Chapter 5: I''m just a little concerned...</h4>


    "Yes, indeed. Given the current situation, it''s unclear, so we can only strive to strengthen ourselves for self-preservation."


    "When resources be scarce in the future, we''ll have the ability to go out and replenish them!" Elijah spoke earnestly.


    Be hesitated before saying, "But won''t exercising consume a lot of food? Shouldn''t we save food and wait for rescue?"


    "Normally, that would be the case. But haven''t you noticed? There''s no cell phone signal at all now..."


    Elijah took a bite of his food before continuing, "Withmunication and power outages, if water and gas are cut off as well, it means the municipal government haspletely copsed. "


    "Relying on the government for rescue... Although I believe the military, with its immense strength, should be able to deal with these zombies, when will theye to our rescue?"


    " In 5 days? 10 days? Or 20 days?"


    " If we keep waiting for rescue and then skimp on food, it will lead to nutritional deficiencies and weakness."


    " When we eventually run out of water and food, we''ll be even less capable of dealing with the zombies! Instead of relying on the unknown, I believe in ourselves!"


    Looking at Elijah''s confident and determined eyes, Be couldn''t help but feel a slight surge of spirit.


    "If you''re worried about me consuming too much food, we can split it up!"


    "No, there''s no need!" Be quickly refused. "I''m just a little concerned..."


    "Rest assured, unless I''m certain, I won''t act recklessly. After all, nobody wants to die. And if my guess is right, water and gas might be cut off tonight..."


    With the recent outbreak of the zombie virus, many people were still hopeful for rescue.


    Elijah understood; in his past life, he had waited until thest bullet and grain were depleted before venturing out for survival.


    But now, since he was reborn, he naturally cherished every day and took each step carefully!


    The two fell silent, focusing on finishing their meal.


    Every grain of food couldn''t be wasted.


    After finishing their meal, Be cleaned up the dishes while Elijah found a long-handled umbre, preparing for precise stabbing.


    The weak point of zombies was their heads, but the human skull was the hardest part.


    To eliminate zombies, one had to crush their heads with blunt objects or pierce through their brains with sharp objects, such as poking through the eyes, ears, nose, or mouth.


    As for cutting off the head with a sword, it was possible but risky.


    Firstly, swords were short-ranged, making one susceptible to being grabbed by the zombies.


    Secondly, sword des were prone to breaking without proper maintenance tools, leading to more trouble than benefit.


    The best weapon was a firearm, but the noise it produced could easily attract more zombies.


    So, most people in the apocalypse used steel rods or simr substitutes.


    Strong individuals could swing them, instantly smashing a zombie''s head, while weaker individuals could stab from a distance, although it required more uracy.


    Steel rods were also handy for prying open doors and locks, making them essential tools for survivors.


    Currently, Elijah didn''t have a steel rod, so a long-handled umbre was a decent choice.


    Its tip was made of metal, not very sharp but sufficient for stabbing zombies.


    In theory, he had abundant experience, but he couldn''t fully inherit it into his current body.


    Elijah walked to the balcony and hung several bottle caps on the clothesline, about one meter and sixty centimeters above the ground, representing the eyes and mouth/nose of a person respectively.


    He gently moved the rope to make the bottle caps sway, then took a stance with the umbre, ready to strike.


    When the timing was right, he tightened his thighs, exerted force from his waist and abdomen, and struck with the umbre!


    "ng!" The bottle cap made a slight noise as it was hit and swung backward.


    Elijah nodded in satisfaction.


    Although there were significant differences between his current body''s functions and those of his body a year into the apocalypse, his timing and proficiency remained unchanged.


    He continued practicing for a while, regaining some of his feel, feeling that his hunger had subsided.


    Then, he assumed his stance again and continued practicing the Golden Elephant Body Forging Technique.


    The Golden Elephant Body Forging Technique consisted of four sets of movements, each with eight forms.


    In the morning, he mainly familiarized himself with the movements and corresponding breathing techniques without exerting full force.


    This time, Elijah put all his effort into each move, trying to mobilize all the bones, tendons, and muscles in his body to move together, coordinating with his breathing¡ªsometimes short, sometimes long¡ªconstantly tightening, contracting, and rxing...


    Afterpleting a set of movements, he was drenched in sweat, and his body was shaking slightly.


    Elijah didn''t stop there but continued to practice for a second time.


    Be quickly finished washing the dishes; she didn''t dare to stay alone in the house. asionally, there were one or two human screams in the neighborhood, filling her heart with fear.


    Only when she saw Elijah, could Be feel slightly relieved. After all, this man... was not afraid of zombies!


    She sat on the dining room chair, watching Elijah exercise.


    Although she didn''t know what he was practicing, she could sense from Elijah''s drenched clothes and constant rolling sweat that it seemed to be very strenuous.


    Afterpleting the set of movements, Elijah was already having trouble standing.


    He didn''t dare to push himself to continue practicing and sat on the nearby sofa to rest.


    He wiped the sweat off his body with a towel and drank mineral water to replenish the lost fluids.


    "You''re sweating so much. Just drinking water isn''t enough; you need to replenish your salt intake in time!" Be suddenly spoke up.


    "I overlooked that. Could you get me some salt? I''m feeling a bit drained now," Elijah replied.


    Be turned around and fetched the salt from the kitchen, adding a spoonful to his water. Elijah swirled the water and took a few sips.


    Although the taste wasn''t great, he could still tolerate it.


    "You practiced so hard just now; you''ll definitely be sore tomorrow and won''t be able to get up!" Be said casually as she sat beside him.


    "Well, since I have nothing else to do, getting a bit stronger is better. That way, I can deal with zombies more effectively!"


    Elijah replied, changing his posture and stretching his major muscles, grimacing slightly.


    Seeing this, Be blurted out instinctively, "How about... I give you a massage?"


    As soon as the words left her mouth, Be regretted it!


    Today''s sudden turn of events made her subconsciously rely on the man in front of her and want to do something to bring them closer.


    But a massage... was clearly inappropriate!


    But it was toote to take back her words because Elijah promptly said, "That would be great, thank you!"


    He then flipped over andy downfortably.


    Be pursed her lips, hesitated for a moment, and finally approached, reaching out her hand to start massaging his leg muscles.


    Surprisingly, it felt quitefortable!


    "Your technique is really good!" Elijah felt his muscles gradually loosen, no longer stiff, and his blood cirction improved, couldn''t help but sigh.


    "My grandmother was bedridden when she was sick, and I took care of her. I learned from instructional videos specifically for that!" Be replied.


    Since she had already started massaging, Be decided to rx, and the two began chatting casually.


    After massaging his legs, Be started massaging his waist and back. Because it was sofortable, Elijah gradually fell asleep!

 Chapter 6: Bella became even more eager!

    <h4>Chapter 6: Be became even more eager!</h4>


    Be quietly left at this sight andy down on the small sofa on the other side, lost in thought.


    Over half an hourter, Elijah woke up, stretchedzily, and immediately felt refreshed and energized. He could also distinctly feel a slight enhancement in his body.


    "I really want to meet the person who created this set of bodybuilding techniques; the effect is too strong," Elijah muttered to himself.


    In his past life, he had never experienced enhancement this fast and this noticeable.


    "Maybe my physique was just too weak, so the effects of this technique seem too good?"


    "You''re awake? How do you feel?" Be rubbed her eyes.


    She had just taken a short nap herself, but her sleep was light, and she woke up immediately at any movement or sound.


    Elijah saw her fair legs curled up on the sofa, forming a beautiful curve, and couldn''t help but swallow. "Thank you again; there''s no soreness in my body anymore," Elijah said, his gaze burning hot as he looked at her.


    The alluringziness of the beautiful woman when she first woke up was particrly charming.


    In his past life, he had encountered many beautiful women, but few couldpare to Be.


    Especially after enduring the baptism of the apocalypse, most people had rough, dark skin, nothing like her skin, which seemed as if it could squeeze out water.


    "Really? I''m d I could help!" Be subconsciously hugged a cushion to her chest and shifted her posture slightly, covering up most of her beauty.


    "I''ll probably need your help more in the future; I hope you don''t mind," Elijah said, moving his gaze away from her, a smile ying on his lips.


    "No... no problem, there''s really nothing else to do..." Be replied slightly unnaturally, having noticed Elijah''s slightly heated gaze earlier.


    "I''m a bit hungry; let''s wash some fruit to eat, or we won''t be able tost much longer!" Elijah patted his stomach.


    He had just finished lunch not long ago, but he already felt empty inside.


    "Okay!"


    Be got up, her fair legs carrying her into the kitchen, where she took out half a watermelon and some other fruits.


    "These fruits will spoil quickly without a fridge, so we might as well eat them all!"


    Elijah didn''t hesitate, grabbing a spoon and starting to dig in. "You should eat too!" he said, noticing that Be was just watching.


    "I''m not hungry; you go ahead!" Be smiled faintly.


    Elijah didn''t press her further, focusing on eating the watermelon seriously. He needed to replenish his energy urgently.


    After finishing half a watermelon and feeling slightly full, Elijah went to the balcony to practice his spear technique and get a feel for it.


    Feeling that the food in his stomach had been slightly digested, Elijah resumed practicing the body forging technique.


    The greatest motivation for persistence in any endeavor lies in the most tangible rewards.


    The enhancement of his body filled Elijah with determination; this time he practiced three times and began to feel a slight tremor in his body.


    It was much stronger than at noon!


    After gulping down some water and eating some fruit, Elijah rested for a dozen minutes before gritting his teeth and continuing his training.


    He went through the Golden Elephant Body Forging Technique three more times.


    By the third time, he distinctly felt that his body couldn''t even maintain its breath, and thest few movements nearly became distorted.


    Unable to endure the soreness any longer, Elijah copsed onto the sofa, drenched in sweat, his muscles sore and weak.


    Be, who had been busy in the kitchen, came out with arge bowl of noodles. Elijah, famished, immediately epted it and started eating heartily.


    "It''s delicious!" he praised after a few bites!


    The soup was made with eggs, tomatoes, and cucumbers, the noodles were soft and springy, cooked just right, and sprinkled with some spring onions and sesame oil.


    The aroma was rich, the saltiness just right, replenishing his lost fluids and hunger perfectly.


    After finishing therge bowl of noodles, Elijah finally felt relieved. He handed the bowl and chopsticks to Be andy on the sofa, not moving anymore.


    "Let me give you a massage again!" Be, having washed the dishes, stepped forward voluntarily. Since they''d already done it once, a second time didn''t matter.


    "Thank you!"


    Elijah smiled awkwardly.


    This time, she started with his front. Elijah squinted his eyes, feeling a fragrance wafting into his nose. He stared openly at Be.


    Bent over as she was, the Earth''s gravity made her upper body particrly eye-catching.


    Be seemed to sense something, her body tensing slightly, but she continued massaging soon after.


    If Elijah hadn''t been observant, he almost wouldn''t have noticed.


    Could there be something here?


    Soon, Be finished the front massage and had Elijah turn over for the back.


    After about ten minutes like this, Elijah felt as if his body had been revived. Standing up, he nced around, his gaze finally settling on the coffee table.


    The coffee table was made of solid wood with a zed stone b on top, quite heavy. Before, he could barely lift it a bit.


    Grasping the narrow end, he exerted force, and the entire coffee table immediately lifted off the ground, nearly perpendicr to the floor!


    Be was startled. When they had moved the coffee table before, both her husband and Elijah had struggled to lift and move it.


    Yet Elijah had just lifted it nearly vertically by himself.


    Clearly, carrying the corpse this morning had been so difficult...


    Feeling the explosive strength in his body, Elijah slowly returned the coffee table to its ce. Fortunately, there was nothing on it; otherwise, it would have been smashed to pieces just now.


    With his current physique, he should be able to catch up with the average athlete, right? Elijah thought to himself.


    And these changes had all urred in less than a day.


    However, as time goes on, the increase in physique will be smaller, eventually reaching the limit of an awakened individual.


    "What are you practicing? Your strength has increased so quickly!"


    Be looked at him with some curiosity.


    It wasn''t just strength; his recovery speed had also noticeably increased. In such a short time, he had gone from being as lethargic as a salted fish to full of life.


    "Do you want to learn? I can teach you!" Be''s eyes lit up.


    "Can I?"


    "Of course! This body forging technique not only strengthens the body but also helps maintain a good figure. No matter how much you eat, you won''t get fat because its only drawback is that it requires a lot of energy to practice!" Elijah smiled warmly, but inwardly he thought some of the movements were quiteplex and would need close guidance!


    Be became even more eager!


    "Let me demonstrate the first set of movements, and then you can practice along with me." Be pursed her lips and began to carefully observe Elijah''s movements.


    In truth, she didn''t have a strong desire to learn; she just wanted something to keep herself busy.


    The sudden change today had left her on edge since morning.


    Only when she was busy could she briefly forget the screams of the zombies outside and the scenes of tragedy.


    But there''s always an end to things. ustomed to the fast-paced urban life, suddenly slowing down left her at a loss.


    Especially now without electricity, most modern forms of entertainment were gone.


    She had to find something to do to distract herself.


    Soon, Elijah finished the first set of eight movements, his face not flushed, and no sign of breathlessness.


    "Now it''s your turn to try!" Elijah looked at Be.


    Be recalled the movements, then slowly stepped forward with her slender legs, squatting slightly, her hands making circr motions in the air as she began to practice each move.


    Elijah watched eagerly. This woman had a different charm when she performed; each movement exuded a unique beauty, especially between the bends and leg lifts...

 Chapter 7: Is there really no rescue coming?

    <h4>Chapter 7: Is there really no rescueing?</h4>


    After Be finished the first set of movements, her face was slightly flushed, not from exhaustion but from feeling Elijah''s intense gaze.


    "How...how was it? Was it okay?" Be tried to suppress her embarrassment.


    "Not bad. Your basic movements are almost there, but there are some subtle differences and gaps," Elijah approached and asked Be to demonstrate the first movement.


    "For example, here, while bending, you need to take a deep breath, adjust your center of gravity, and focus on engaging your thigh muscles," Elijah gently adjusted Be''s thighs with his hands and pointed out the muscles that should be engaged.


    Be''s face turned even redder. But seeing Elijah''s serious expression, she bit her lip and made the corrections as he instructed.


    "Mm, very good!" Elijah stood aside, observing the corrected movements, and instinctively rubbed his thumb and index finger together.


    He couldn''t help but sigh inwardly. It was like peeling a boiled egg...


    "The key to the previous movements is to focus on breathing and coordinate with the leg strength. Now, let''s move on to transitioning to the second movement!"


    Elijah instructed Be to continue, and whenever she made a mistake, he immediately stepped in to correct her and point out the proper breathing technique.


    Afterpleting all eight movements, Be was slightly sweaty. Elijah nced outside; the sun had disappeared, and the sky was starting to darken.


    "Alright, let''s stop here for today. It''s getting dark outside.


    You can practice this first set of movements for the next couple of days until you''ve mastered them, and then I''ll teach you the rest.


    Now, let''s go cook dinner; otherwise, we won''t be able to see soon!" Be wasn''t physically tired, but she felt hungry, so she went to the kitchen to cook.


    While she cooked, Elijah stretched his body. Feeling optimistic, he practiced the movements two more times.


    "Not bad. The body strengthening is progressing quickly. At this rate, maybe the day after tomorrow I can go out, or at least clean the corridor..." Elijah thought to himself.


    Though he felt he could go out tomorrow, for safety''s sake, he decided to practice another day.


    For dinner, Be made braised pork with potatoes.


    Knowing Elijah wouldn''t be able to resist the meat, she decided to stew it all together, letting him enjoy it to the fullest.


    Be, too, umonly ate two small bowls. Usually, she ate very little carbohydrate for dinner to maintain her figure.


    By the time they finished dinner, it waspletely dark outside.


    Without the colorful neon lights and light pollution, the surroundings seemed particrly dark.


    "I remember there''s a candle in the TV cab. Let me light it up. While there''s still water, you can go wash up," Elijah said.


    He rummaged through the TV cab in the dark.


    Fortunately, the change in lighting wasn''t abrupt, and his eyes had already adapted to the darkness, allowing him to see the rough outlines.


    Soon, a small me flickered in the living room, illuminating the room.


    "I''ll wash the dishes first!"


    Be remembered Elijah mentioning that there might be a water stoppage at night, so she washed the dishes first before returning to her room to freshen up.


    Elijah nced outside; the sounds of the zombies had increased significantly. Compared to daytime, the night was the zombies'' yground, and they became more restless.


    The human cries and wails were also more frequent.


    "We need to hurry with the training!"


    Elijah felt a sense of urgency and clenched his fists, continuing his training in the darkness!


    Be finished freshening up quickly.


    Seeing Elijah so focused on training, she didn''t disturb him.


    She ced the candle in the living room and slowly returned to her room.


    The candlelight illuminated Elijah, casting a long shadow. Time passed, and at some point, the candle extinguished.


    Elijah lost track of how many times he had practiced; all he knew was that his body was sore and weak, unable to exert any more strength, so he had to stop.


    Checking the time, it was almost 11 o''clock, and with his exhausted body, he made his way into the bathroom.


    After a night of practice, not only was his body sore and weak, but he was also covered in sweat.


    While there was still water, he needed to wash up quickly.


    Supporting himself, Elijah finished washing, changed his clothes, dried his hair, and finally crawled into bed, exhausted, quickly falling asleep.


    He slept soundly that night, not even dreaming for a second, a luxury in the past year of the apocalypse.


    When Elijah woke up again, the daylight was already bright.


    ncing at the time, it was just past seven o''clock.


    Feeling refreshed, Elijah stretchedzily, hearing a cacophony of cracking joints.


    His muscles were no longer sore, but instead, he felt an indescribable lightness. It was as if there was endless strength within his body.


    Reaching out to the bedside table, Elijah effortlessly lifted the weight of the cluttered cab, which weighed nearly fifty or sixty pounds.


    This lifted his spirits immensely! Before, he couldn''t say he was weak, but he was only at the level of an average person.


    But now, he felt that his strength rivaled that of a weightlifter or boxing champion.


    Elijah''s current physical fitness was almost at the limit achievable by normal humans. Continuing to train would push him into the realm of non-human strength, enhanced by the virus.


    "Gurgle, gurgle, gurgle..." Suddenly, his stomach rumbled like a drumbeat.


    Elijah''s mood immediately soured as every cell in his body roared with hunger.


    Getting stronger came with a price... But it was a price he was willing to pay.


    Walking into the living room, Be''s door was still closed, indicating she hadn''t woken up yet.


    Elijah had to make breakfast himself, so he went into the kitchen and heated up two packs of instant noodles.


    As for why he didn''t cook... If things hadn''t changed in the future, there would already be a water and gas shortage by now!


    After a simple breakfast, Elijah resumed his training.


    Today, he was determined to push beyond human limits! But as he started warming up, he saw a pale figure run into the kitchen.


    He couldn''t help but stop his training, sighing inwardly as he watched.


    This woman... she''s getting bolder and bolder.


    Does she really think I''m not a man?


    Be didn''t sleep wellst night. Fear and confusion about the future kept her tossing and turning, with the asional roar of zombies and the screams of humans in the darkness causing her to have continuous nightmares, often waking her up.


    It wasn''t until early morning that she fell into a daze and slept again.


    When she woke up again, the sun was already high in the sky.


    It was quiet all around.


    If it weren''t for the emptiness and the red bloodstains on the ss of the opposite building, she would have thought that everything from yesterday was just a nightmare.


    "I almost forgot,st night I closed the windows to block out the noise from outside. No wonder it''s so hot!"


    Be gradually woke up, feeling ufortable with the sweaty dampness on her body due to the stuffy environment inside.


    She struggled to get up and opened the window, feeling the warm air rush in.


    Outside, the sun was shining brightly, but the neighborhood was empty, devoid of any signs of life.


    There were no more loud car horns, no bustling square dancing, no sounds of children ying... Everything seemed so harmonious and quiet.


    Be suddenly had a feeling as if she were the only one left in this world.


    Fear and panic surged in her heart...


    Fortunately, at that moment, there was a sudden "ding" from the neighboring living room.


    Be instantly thought of one name¡ªElijah!


    A sense of joy surged in her heart, like a traveler in the desert finding an oasis. He was exercising!


    Be felt a little relieved. She walked into the bathroom to prepare for a shower. But the next moment, she froze in ce.


    "The... water''s stopped?"


    She suddenly remembered what Elijah had said.


    "I don''t know when there will be rescue... With the power outage now, I guess the water and gas will soon be gone too..."


    Be immediately rushed to the kitchen, turned on the gas stove, but heard only the constant clicking of the ignition, with no gasing out.


    "The gas... has stopped too!"


    A sharp question popped up involuntarily in her mind: Is there really no rescueing?


    "What''s wrong?"


    Elijah stopped his workout and stared straight at Be, unable to help but mutter inwardly, "This woman is getting bolder and bolder. Does she really think I''m not a man?"

 Chapter 8: I’ll wait for you to come back

    <h4>Chapter 8: I''ll wait for you toe back</h4>


    "Water and gas are both out!" Be pursed her lips, feeling her throat extremely dry.


    Luckily, she had prepared some water yesterday... It''s all thanks to this man that I was prepared in advance!


    Be nced at Elijah and noticed his gaze was slightly strange, as if he was staring straight at her.


    Be lowered her head slightly and realized her attire was inappropriate.


    Last night was too hot, so she changed her short-sleeved shirt to a silk camisole, without wearing a bra...


    Be''s face flushed suddenly, and she immediately ran back to her room.


    Elijah watched the waves and mes in his heart, took a big gulp of water to suppress his impulse.


    Be closed her room door and leaned against it, feeling a bit relieved. Just a bit too revealing!


    Be looked at herself, a trace of shyness shing across her face.


    But then she thought to herself, what''s the big deal?


    It''s not like I''m wearing a swimsuit... Screw it!


    She sat on the edge of the bed, took a sip of water, trying tofort herself, but Elijah''s burning gaze kept shing through her mind.


    She had noticed before that Elijah would stare at her legs, but his gaze had been rather subtle then, unlike these past few days where he seemedpletely unrestrained.


    With the arrival of the apocalypse, he seemed like a different person. Of course, it could also be because she didn''t know him well enough before.


    Be took a deep breath, walked into the bathroom, and used some of the water she had prepared yesterday to quickly clean herself up.


    After finishing her morning routine, Be hesitated for a moment, then changed into a slightly loose pair of sweatpants, tidied herself up, and walked out of the room.


    Elijah was still exercising. Be couldn''t help but feel a bit self-conscious. Does he not like my outfit?


    Be subconsciously thought to herself, feeling a hint of secret joy in her heart!


    "Have you had breakfast?" Be asked him.


    "I have. With the gas out, we can''t cook anymore. Just have something light," Elijah said, finishing a set of Golden Elephant Body Forging Technique exercises and taking a short break.


    "What aboutter? The preserved food won''tst forever!" Be looked worried.


    "I''ll go out tomorrow and see if I can collect anything useful," Elijah said.


    "We still have plenty to eat. There''s no need to go out so soon!" Be tried to dissuade him. What if he doesn''te back?


    "I know, but we need more than just food. Right now, what weck the most is water," Elijah paused and continued


    "Although we''ve stocked up some, I train every day, sweating a lot, and need a lot of water. "


    "The water we have at home won''tst long for the both of us. Plus, I''m not acting recklessly."


    " I n to clean up the hallway first and lock the doors to the units downstairs. That way, at least this building will be safe."


    "We can make a fire in the hallwayter for cooking, which is safer than in the apartment and won''t risk setting anything on fire!"


    Without gas and electricity, there''s always the most primitive method of chopping wood and making fire.


    But there are too many mmable materials in the room, and a little carelessness could cause a disaster.


    Elijah had seen entire buildings burned down due to indoor fires in his past life. It''s much safer in the hallway, with iron stair railings and nothing mmable.


    Be pursed her lips, her worried expression not diminishing, but she didn''t say anything more.


    "Also, don''t just pour the water from washing down the drain in the future. Keep it for flushing the toilet," Elijah added.


    Apartment buildings have this downside. Once the water and power are cut off, the hardest part is using the toilet.


    If it can''t be cleaned in time and the toilet gets blocked, the room will soon be uninhabitable.


    That''s why most of the survivors gathered in areas near water sources, such as vis, low-rise buildings, or bungalows.


    In areas with towering skyscrapers, it became a paradise for zombies. Elijah had made ns early on.


    As long as he survived the viral outbreak period, he could go to the ce he had already scoped out.


    There was water, electricity, and many rooms. As long as he controlled that ce, he could quickly recruit people and expand his influence.


    Be went to the kitchen to make herself some food, while Elijah continued his training.


    When Be finished eating, she started practicing the movements she had learned yesterday.


    Elijah would also give pointers when he took breaks, but he couldn''t help but feel a bit less motivated without seeing Be''s white, shapely thighs.


    Be quickly grasped the tricks and performed the movements with finesse, but because she wasn''t an awakened body, the effects weren''t as pronounced.


    On the other hand, Elijah, after intense training, became even more powerful.


    Furniture like tables, chairs, coffee tables, and washing machines in the house were moved around by him as if he were ying.


    A whole day passed quietly in the continuous cycle of training and rest.


    Although Be had to take breaks twice to prepare meals for Elijah, which meant she didn''t train for too long, she still felt incredibly tired.


    After dinner, she simply wiped herself down and quickly fell asleep in her room.


    The next morning, Be woke up feeling more refreshed than ever before.


    "Seems like it really works, at least I slept well!"


    Be felt joyful, but thinking about Elijah going out today made her feel a bit flustered and worried.


    As she left her room, she hesitated for a moment. In the end, she didn''t wear sweatpants but instead opted for the mostfortable shorts she had.


    In the living room, Elijah''s eyes lit up when he saw Being out. Under the sunlight, her slender legs were dazzling. Huh? Shorts...


    On the third day of the apocalypse, Elijah still woke up early.


    Today he didn''t rush to exercise, but instead had a hearty meal and began preparing to go out.


    He was still dressed in abat jacket and jeans, with the magazines wrapped around his arms still intact.


    The long-handled umbre was no longer suitable for him; it was too lightweight.


    But there were no better weapons avable, so he had to make do with it.


    The sheep''s horn hammer at his waist had been cleaned, and besides that, he also packed some other things that mighte in handy.


    Things like ropes, fruit knives, and so on.


    Finally, he slung arge empty backpack on his back, so if he could collect any supplies, he would have something to carry them in.


    Once he was fully dressed, Be came out of her room.


    "Are you... getting ready to go out?" Be''s eyes were initially evasive, but when she saw Elijah''s attire, she immediately became concerned.


    "Yes!" Elijah nced at her shorts and smiled brightly. "You look very nice today!"


    Be blushed slightly and dared not look at him, stuttering, "Um... take care, I''ll... I''ll wait for you toe back!"


    "Don''t worry, for your sake, I''ll make sure toe back safely too!" Elijah said, then walked to the entrance door.


    He didn''t rush to open the door but instead looked through the peephole first.


    Alexander had caused quite a stir that day, and since he had run all the way back, it was difficult to say if there weren''t any zombies following him.


    The peephole had limited visibility, but he could roughly see if there were any figures nearby the door.


    Once he confirmed there were no zombies outside, Elijah cautiously opened the door.


    Be nervously watched his every move, relieved only when she saw there were no zombies outside.


    Instead of immediately closing the door, Elijah looked around first, ready to retreat if something seemed off.


    They were in a multi-story building, with six floors in total and no elevator. Each floor had two units, and they were on the fifth floor.

 Chapter 9: Zombie grass

    <h4>Chapter 9: Zombie grass</h4>


    The opposite door was tightly closed, and the fifth floor seemed temporarily safe.


    Elijah peered into the staircase, scanning up and down.


    There were no signs of anyone on the fourth floor, and there was no activity on the sixth floor either. He closed the door behind him to ensure the safety of their retreat route.


    Instead of heading downstairs, Elijah took the long-handled umbre and slowly ascended the stairs, step by step, pointing upwards.


    The hallway was narrow, barely allowing for two people to pass side by side.


    If there were zombies upstairs, it would be difficult for ordinary people to evade them.


    Halfway up, Elijah leaned to check. Luckily, both units on the upper floor had their doors closed, and the hallway was empty except for a shoe rack.


    Elijah reached the sixth floor, confirmed there were no oversights, and then turned to descend.


    Descending was much safer. From his vantage point, Elijah could easily poke zombies with the long-handled umbre. The fourth floor was safe, with both units'' doors tightly shut.


    As he reached the third floor, Elijah''s expression hardened.


    A figure stood silently on the tform between the second and first floors. A zombie? Elijah squinted, tapping the staircase railing lightly with the long-handled umbre.


    "Bang!"


    The sudden noise broke the silence of the hallway.


    The zombie turned, seeing Elijah, and staggered towards him.


    Elijah stood still, watching as the zombie climbed halfway up the stairs before he suddenly exerted force.


    The umbre de shed towards the zombie''s head.


    "St!"


    The sound of bursting eyeballs resonated as the umbre tip urately pierced through the zombie''s eye socket into its brain.


    Unfortunately, the umbre wasn''t powerful enough to prate deeper.


    If Elijah had a crowbar, he was confident he could have pierced the zombie''s brain with a single blow.


    Nevertheless, the zombie, which had just been roaring and charging, immediately copsed lifelessly.


    Without hesitation, Elijah ran to the unit door.


    The recentmotion might have attracted more zombies.


    However, it was toote; a zombie lunged at him.


    Elijah remained resolute, gauging the distance, thrusting the umbre with his right hand.


    The zombie snapped its jaws, causing the umbre to skew, piercing into its mouth.


    Despite the umbre piercing through its body, the zombie didn''t die; it continued to struggle, reaching out for Elijah.


    Elijah remained unfazed, swiftly stepping back two paces, withdrawing the umbre, and wielding the sheep''s horn hammer in his left hand.


    He smashed it down on the zombie''s head as it lunged forward due to inertia.


    "St!"


    The powerful blow drove the sheep''s horn hammer deep into the zombie''s skull, sttering ck-red blood and white-grey brain matter.


    The zombiey motionless on the ground, itsst twitches fading away.


    However, the crisis wasn''t over.


    Following closely behind this zombie, two more zombies charged towards Elijah like rabid dogs.


    "Why are there so many zombies at the door?"


    Elijah didn''t have time to think.


    He immediately ran back to the ground floor.


    The ground floor was four steps higher than the ground, creating some distance, allowing Elijah to have the upper hand.


    Without looking back, he relied on his skill, legs, and waist, swiftly turning around.


    The umbre, like ance, thrust towards the zombies following behind him.


    "St!"


    Sessfully hitting the zombie''s eye once again, it froze in ce.


    But the other zombie didn''t stop; it darted through the gap beside the immobilized one.


    Elijah lifted his foot and kicked, striking the zombie squarely in the chest, knocking it back and causing it to fall along with the one he had just killed.


    Elijah took two quick steps forward, holding the umbre in his right hand.


    Seizing the opportunity while thest zombie was still struggling, he thrust the umbre towards its head.


    "St!"


    The umbre prated deep into its brain, and the zombie on the ground ceased struggling.


    Having dispatched four zombies in quick session, even Elijah''s enhanced body felt slightly winded.


    But it wasn''t time to rest yet.


    Elijah looked towards the unit door, but this time, no zombies emerged. He briskly walked over, and there were no zombies directly in front of the door.


    After scanning left and right, he was startled.


    To the right of the unit door, adjacent to the ground floor balcony, two zombies were lingering there.


    "Did they not hear the noise just now? Or..."


    Suddenly, his expression hardened, then his face was filled with disbelief.


    "That''s..."


    Below Elijah''s building, the ground floor balcony had originally beenndscaped with a green belt, but it had been modified by an elderlydy living on the first floor, who fenced it off and nted vegetables.


    Amidst the lush lettuce, one nt stood out conspicuously.


    It was only about a foot tall, with three broad leaves bearing pale veins on their vibrant green surface, seemingly emitting a faint glow, giving it an eerie appearance. The two wandering zombies were gazing at this nt across the fence.


    "No wonder there are so many zombies at the door, and now those two zombies don''t want to leave either... Zombie grass, it truly appears when least expected..."


    "Zombie grass"


    was a newly discovered miraculous nt in the post-apocalyptic world.


    Its function was simple: it had a certain probability of awakening superpowers in ordinary people without turning them into zombies.


    Mature zombie grass could even advance the abilities of those who awakened.


    Fortunately, Elijah happened to know the method to mature zombie grass!


    Elijah stared at the zombie grass, his eyes shining brighter than ever before!


    In the first year of the apocalypse, as humanity struggled to survive, a group of awakened individuals emerged, each possessing incredible abilities.


    They were no longer afraid of the viral mutations in the air. As long as they avoided being bitten by zombies, they could rely on their enhanced bodies and unique abilities to thrive in the apocalypse and gradually be leaders and elites among the survivors.


    Some people began investigating how to awaken superpowers.


    Soon, it was discovered that besides natural awakening and the rare few who survived being bitten by zombies, there were also a select few who awakened their abilities by consuming certain nts.


    Natural awakening was uncontroble, and surviving a zombie bite was a slim chance at best. In contrast, the method of consuming these nts was much safer, and survivors fervently sought out these miraculous nts.


    Zombie grass was one of them!


    "Zombie grass generally grows in areas where the stench of corpses gathers, how could it be here?"


    Elijah was puzzled, but it didn''t diminish the eagerness in his eyes, which shone brighter than when he saw Be''s smooth legs.


    "I need to find a way to lure those two zombies over!"


    Elijah didn''t want to create too much noise, fearing it might attract more zombies and disrupt his harvesting of the zombie grass.


    He took out a coin from his pocket and lightly tossed it towards the two zombies.


    "Ding!"


    The crisp sound attracted the attention of the two zombies. When they saw Elijah, they immediately roared and lunged at him like mad dogs.


    Elijah stepped back two paces, retreating into the unit door, listening intently to themotion outside, preparing himself.


    When the first zombie stuck its head through the door, Elijah thrust the umbre precisely.


    "St!"


    The umbre tip pierced straight into the zombie''s brain. With the doorway being narrow, the second zombie also arrived but was blocked outside.


    Elijah pulled out the umbre and thrust it again, hitting the zombie behind.


    Quickly dealing with the two zombies, Elijah dragged them into the building to prevent them from blocking the door.


    Then he cautiously stepped out of the building''s entrance. It was silent outside, with no more signs of zombie activity.


    Bending down, Elijah approached beneath the ground floor balcony.


    The balcony was a little over a meter above the ground, creating a small shadow where the zombie grass was growing.


    Elijah dug the soil with a knife, preparing to take the zombie grass with its roots. Meanwhile, he observed his surroundings.


    Outside the fencey a corpse, unmistakably Alexander, the one Elijah had thrown down earlier.


    Alexander''s body had begun to dpose, emitting a peculiar stench. A faint yellowish stain flowed from his body into the soil of the green belt.


    "So that''s it..."


    Elijah suddenly realized! He understood why the zombie grass was growing here; it was influenced by Alexander''s corpse.


    "This Alexander is truly my lucky star. Not only did he give me a corpse core, but he also nurtured a zombie grass for me..."


    Elijah clicked his tongue.


    Although zombie grass often grew near corpses, it was usually found in ces where corpses umted, not near individual bodies, making it quite rare.


    "Thank you for your gift. I won''t hold a grudge about what happened before, and I''ll take good care of your wife from now on!"

 Chapter 10: This task was like opening a box

    <h4>Chapter 10: This task was like opening a box</h4>


    Elijah really wanted to say, "I''ll take care of your wife for you, so don''t worry!"


    But considering they didn''t have any children, he let it go.


    After all, there wasn''t any major conflict between him and Alexander; they just found each other a bit irritating at times.


    Elijah heard from friends that Alexander''s family was quite well-off; he had several properties and shops in his hometown, which was probably why he married Be.


    After all, Be was considered a local beauty, and even in a metropolis like Neoville, she could make people say "wow"!


    However, both of them had lofty ambitions and didn''t want to stay in a small town, so they came to Neoville City to try their luck.


    Later, they moved into Elijah''s ce through a friend''s introduction.


    As they spent time together, Elijah found Alexander to be rather arrogant and self-righteous, always giving orders and thinking highly of himself.


    Moreover, he looked down on Elijah''s smallpany''s sales and had an attitude tinged with arrogance.


    Naturally, Elijah wasn''t going to kiss up to him, so their rtionship gradually became strained. If there was anything, Elijah would onlymunicate with Be.


    Now that Alexander was dead and the debts settled, there wasn''t much lingering conflict in Elijah''s mind. Moreover, Alexander had given him so many gifts in death, so he could only take better care of Be.


    Elijah emptied a nearby flowerpot and buried the dug-up zombie grass in it before returning to the hallway and locking the unit door.


    Finally, Elijah could breathe a sigh of relief. He nced at the six corpses strewn haphazardly in the hallway, set the zombie grass aside, and took out the hammer and knife to begin opening their skulls.


    This task was like opening a box; even the survivors a year after the apocalypse hadn''t figured out which zombies had corpse cores.


    However, they had roughly deduced a rule: zombies that turned after awakening superpowers definitely had corpse cores, and they were of high quality.


    Byparing, it was highly likely that zombies with corpse cores, if they hadn''t died initially, would have awakened superpowers.


    Therefore, some daring individuals tried eating corpse cores to awaken abilities, but without exception, they turned into zombies.


    Therefore, although people had discovered corpse cores early on, they hadn''t paid much attention until the research on miraculous nts progressed...


    Elijah went through the skulls of all six corpses, and sure enough, he found a corpse core.


    Then, he took out the one he had extracted from Alexander''s brain earlier and buried them together in the flowerpot with the zombie grass.


    The zombie grass, which had been a bit withered due to transntation, quickly perked up.


    The veins on its leaves became brighter, as if emitting light, and the density of the veins visibly increased.


    Yes, these miraculous nts, called "spirit nts" in the apocalypse, could grow rapidly by absorbing corpse cores.


    This discovery had been made by ident after various modern fertilization methods failed. Before Elijah''s rebirth, it had just started to be popr.


    Originally, the unpopr corpse cores had suddenly be valuable.


    This time, only Elijah knew about these things, and it would be his trump card for self-improvement.


    Elijah threw the bodies of the six zombies out of the unit building, joining Alexander.


    When he was just reborn and didn''t know he had already awakened, he had nned to clean up this building while piling up the corpses of the killed zombies in a shady spot of the building to see if there was a chance to nurture zombie grass and awaken his abilities through it.


    Now, not only was he spared the trouble of these operations, but he might also harvest a mature zombie grass.


    Elijah took onest look at Alexander beforepletely locking the unit door.


    "I''ll take good care of your wife for you!"


    Thinking of Be, Elijah felt a surge of warmth in his heart.


    She had changed back into hot pants today, perhaps... Elijah hurried back with the zombie grass, feeling a bit impatient!


    Elijah paused when he reached the third floor, looking at the bloodstains on the floor.


    "It''s unclear if there are people in the other units of this building. It''s not a good idea to directly break in and gather supplies. But this unit is definitely empty..."


    "Why not collect some supplies first? Otherwise, going out empty-handed anding back would be a waste..."


    Elijah hesitated for a moment but soon sprang into action. He set the zombie grass aside and took out a piece of wire from his pocket.


    Then proceed to the house with the door closed, and shove the iron wire into the keyhole.


    Elijah''s lockpicking skills were learned from a cheap "master" in his previous life who specialized in lockpicking.


    In the apocalypse, lockpicking was a valuable skill as brute force could easily attract zombies.


    Unfortunately, he wasn''t very proficient, especially since he wasn''t using professional tools.


    Nevertheless, after fiddling for a while, he managed to open the lock.


    Instead of immediately entering, Elijah observed the surroundings. The living room was empty, devoid of any signs of life.


    He deliberately tapped the door frame with the umbre''s tip, creating a sound.


    "Bang! Bang!"


    Faint zombie noises could be heard, not from this floor but more likely from upstairs. Elijah waited for a moment, but no zombies emerged, so he entered the house.


    Rather than rushing to collect supplies, Elijah first checked every room inside and out to confirm the absence of zombies.


    Many exploration teams in his previous life had met their demise because they didn''t notice concealed zombies in room corners.


    Elijah had learned from his mistakes. Once he confirmed the safety of the house, he closed the door and began searching for useful items.


    Theyout of this unit was identical to Elijah''s house.


    He searched the two bedrooms first, not expecting much but stumbled upon some outdoor equipment on the master bedroom balcony.


    "A backpack? Hiking poles? And a portable camping stove..."


    Elijah opened the backpack and found a bundle of nylon rope inside.


    There were also some emergency medication for inmmation and diarrhea, a sr power bank, a shlight, binocrs, and more.


    Next, he picked up the hiking poles and tested them. They felt better than the umbre, with sturdy shafts and metal bottoms.


    With a bit of polishing, they would make good self-defense weapons.


    Lastly, he took the portable camping stove, which looked like a mini gas stove with an additionalpartment for installing gas canisters.


    He had seen others use it before but had never tried it himself.


    However, the operation seemed simple, not much different from a household gas stove.


    "Now, this will solve my urgent needs! I''ll take it!"


    Elijah happily packed these items into the backpack, then headed to the kitchen.


    He was pleasantly surprised to find that this unit not only had rice and noodles but also a string of preserved meat, two packets of instant noodles, and some dried fungus, mushrooms, and ear mushrooms.


    As for the contents of the refrigerator, most of the fruits and vegetables were starting to rot, except for a bag of potatoes and some eggs.


    Elijah salvaged the items in good condition, along with other condiments, filling up anotherrge bag.


    In the dining room, there were also some beverages, beer, white wine, dried fruits, and snacks, which Elijah didn''t hesitate to collect.


    After filling his own bag and the hiking backpack, Elijah returned with bags of rice, noodles, oil, and half a bucket of water.


    Of course, he didn''t forget the zombie grass.


    Carrying everything, totaling around seventy to eighty pounds, Elijah didn''t find it difficult at all. With a few brisk steps, he ran back to the front door of the fifth-floor apartment.


    ...


    Meanwhile, Be had been feeling increasingly anxious since Elijah left. Especially after hearing themotion downstairs and the sounds of zombies.


    She stood on the balcony, trying to observe, but due to the angle, she couldn''t see what was happening downstairs or know how Elijah was doing.


    Soon, it quieted down outside, making Be even more restless. She kept her eyes on the door, listening intently for any possible movement.


    But Elijah still hadn''t returned.


    "He''ll be fine, surely he''ll be fine!" She said silently. If something really happened to Elijah, she couldn''t imagine how she would cope alone.


    Be paced nervously in the living room. It was hard to tell how much time had passed when suddenly she heard footstepsing up the stairs.


    "Thud! Thud! Thud!"


    The heavy, powerful sound echoed until it reached the fifth floor, where it stopped.

 Chapter 11: This made her feel absurd

    <h4>Chapter 11: This made her feel absurd</h4>


    Be nervously stared at the door, and with a creak, it opened, revealing Elijah carrying various items on his shoulders and in his hands.


    Upon seeing Elijah unharmed, Be''s face immediately lit up with delight.


    "Did you encounter any zombies?"


    Be asked with concern, noticing the faint bloodstains on him, as she stepped forward to help him with the items.


    "Yeah, encountered a few at the door, but I took care of them," Elijah replied, handing her the backpack.


    As Be reached for it, she was surprised by its weight.


    "So heavy..." she eximed.


    Elijah chuckled and ced another backpack on the ground, then turned to bring in the items left outside the door.


    "So many things!"


    Be eximed joyfully as she opened the backpack, her eyes squinting with happiness.


    "Potatoes, eggs, apples, tomatoes, celery, eggnts, lotus roots..." She muttered happily as she pulled out each item, unable to contain her excitement.


    Meanwhile, Elijah ced the "zombie grass" in the corner and watered it.


    "What''s this nt? It seems to be glowing?" Be, too, was intrigued by the peculiar appearance of the zombie grass and asked curiously.


    "I call it zombie grass. Found it at the entrance of the unit, and the zombies were all around it, so I brought it back," Elijah exined casually.


    "By the way, there''s a portable outdoor gas stove and four gas canisters in the other backpack, enough for us for a while!"


    Be hadn''t seen it before, and upon opening the backpack, she discovered a small gas stove, instantly beaming with joy.


    "We can have a good meal for lunch. Let me think about what to cook..." She looked at the array of ingredients on the floor and found herself somewhat puzzled.


    This made her feel absurd.


    One moment she was worrying about the future, and the next she was troubled about what to eat for lunch. Is this really the apocalypse?


    But then she thought again, zombies were wandering outside, people were being eaten constantly... And yet here she was,fortable and provided for, all thanks to the man in front of her.


    With him around, maybe the future wouldn''t be so bad after all...


    "What are you thinking?" Elijah''s voice snapped Be out of her reverie.


    She lightly bit her lip, her face slightly flushed, and muttered, "Nothing... nothing at all..."


    "Help me take off this shirt!" Elijah extended his sleeves towards Be.


    Due to the magazine tape wrapped around them, it was ufortable to take off.


    "Sure... sure thing!" Be grabbed the cuffs and helped Elijah take off his shirt.


    He didn''t put on another shirt under the tactical vest, revealing his muscr body, which made her heart flutter.


    When did he get in such good shape?


    Despite the intense heat of summer, wearing a tactical vest and engaging in strenuous activity had covered Elijah in sweat.


    He tilted his head back and drank a bottle of water to alleviate the heat in his body slightly.


    "Do you want to take a break and let me give you a massage?"


    Be picked up the two backpacks, just one of which made her feel exhausted carrying up and down the stairs.


    She noticed Elijah was carrying two, along with bags of rice, flour, and buckets of water, which must have made him quite tired.


    "It''s no trouble," Elijah replied, not feeling tired, just ufortable from the heat.


    But the heat was something he was already used to after a year of exercising in the apocalypse.


    However, since the beautiful girl was willing to help, why refuse?


    Elijahy on the couch, and Be began to massage him, starting from his legs.


    Compared to the previous days, her hands had noticeably gained more strength, making Elijah feel even morefortable, causing him to close his eyes and enjoy the sensation.


    "Turn over," Be instructed after she finished with his back. Elijah obediently turned over, continuing to enjoy the massage.


    As Be finished massaging his legs, Elijah felt her body move closer to him.


    He faintly smelled a familiar fragrance, and as he opened his eyes, he saw Be standing next to the couch with her legs straight.


    He remembered how she had reacted when she changed back into shorts. Elijah''s heart began to race with anticipation.


    He couldn''t be certain, but that didn''t stop him from trying.


    Slowly, Elijah lifted his right hand and reached out towards her. He felt Be''s body stiffen for a moment.


    But before he could explore further, Be suddenly said, "You... take a rest. I''ll go cook!"


    Her face slightly flushed, and she seemed slightly flustered as she turned and left his side.


    ...


    "Good, not too strong of a reaction!"


    Elijah silently chuckled, then nced at the "zombie grass" in the corner.


    It had already grown its fourth leaf, and when the fifth leaf grew, it could be harvested and eaten.


    By then, he had a chance to elevate his superpower level, something he hadn''t achieved even in his previous life.


    In the first two months of the apocalypse, he had stayed holed up in this rental house waiting for rescue. Only when the food ran out did he venture out.


    Back then, the zombies outside were much more formidable than they are now.


    Although his body had undergone natural strengthening, it was still precarious, nearly dying several times.


    Relying on his ability to control zombies, he hid and evaded for a month before venturing out of the urban area and reaching the outskirts where there were fewer zombies.


    It was there that he began to interact with other survivors...


    Information transmission after the apocalypse was slow, and it wasn''t until over half a yearter that they figured out how superpowers awakened.


    Learning how to level up superpowers came eventer, just before his reincarnation...


    "Zombie grass needs at least one more corpse core to mature. Looks like I''ll have to sweep the other units in this building. There should be zombies on the fourth floor too..."


    Elijah thought, recalling the sounds he heard on the third floor, formting his next n.


    On the other hand, Be walked into the kitchen with a flustered expression.


    The moment Elijah touched her leg, she panicked. Especially seeing Elijah''s unrestrained gaze, she understood the intense heat concealed within it.


    "Should I change back into pants..."


    Be bit her lip, but ultimately didn''t move. Since the moment her husband passed away, she had been feeling something faintly.


    Alone together, trapped in the building, with no rescue in sight... The friction of dry wood, when would it ignite, depended only on how long both sides could hold out!


    Lunch was quickly prepared¡ªpotato stew with beef and cold lotus root sd¡ªlong-awaited stir-fried dishes that whetted their appetites.


    Elijah ate while observing Be, noticing her eyes avoiding his gaze. A slight stir in his heart prompted him to brazenly survey her up and down.


    Today, Be wore a tight pink and white short-sleeved top, entuating her fine figure.


    Beneath the cotton shorts, which were about the length of a hand, were legs as straight as chopsticks, fair and slender, with a hint of rosy hue, perfectly proportioned, neither too fat nor too thin, like a masterpiece of craftsmanship, a natural work of art.


    It made people unable to resist wanting to hold it in their hands, to appreciate it thoroughly.


    Be seemed to sense something, her cheeks blushing slightly as she ate, and her ears tinged with a hint of red.


    One ate while watching, the other only knew to lower their head and eat, an inexplicable atmosphere lingering between them.


    Soon, the food on the tes was devoured by the two of them.


    "I''ll clean up the dishes!" Be swiftly moved, fleeing from her seat.


    Elijah patted his stomach andzily sat in his chair, not bothering to move. Watching the graceful figure bustling in the kitchen, he couldn''t help but feel a stirring.


    Elijah stood up and walked into the kitchen. Be''s body tensed for a moment, afraid of what he might do. What if he made improper advances towards her?

 Chapter 12: Is it just my imagination?

    <h4>Chapter 12: Is it just my imagination?</h4>


    Be hesitated, but Elijah just went into the kitchen to fetch the sharpening stone. This unconsciously relieved Be, and her body rxed.


    Elijah observed her closely, finding Be''s state quite amusing. As he was about to leave, he lightly patted her on the back with his right hand!


    "Ah!" Be eximed, turning her head to see Elijah walking away as if nothing had happened, unable to help but grumble, "You annoying guy..."


    Elijah faintly heard Be''s muttering and felt a sense of joy in his heart. It seems it might work out...


    Perhaps something good will happen tonight?


    With a peculiar sense of joy, Elijah took the sharpening stone to the bathroom and carefully began sharpening the tip of the trekking pole.


    After a while, Be also finished cleaning up the dishes.


    Seeing Elijah busy, she organized the materials collected in the morning.


    Seeing the sr charger, she felt very happy and quickly ced it in a sunny spot to charge her phone.


    With this, there would finally be some light at night.


    After finishing all these tasks, Be realized she didn''t feel tired at all.


    "Is the effect of martial arts training this good?"


    she muttered to herself, unable to resist starting to practice in the living room.


    In the living room bathroom, Elijah was still sharpening, and the tip of the trekking pole was beginning to take shape.


    Seeing Be''s graceful and charming posture in the living room, he couldn''t help but feel a little itchy in his heart.


    Maybe it''s time to teach her the second set of movements? Some of the moves inside are quite difficult, and detailed guidance is necessary!


    After Be finished the first set of exercises, Elijah walked out of the bathroom and said, "You''re already very proficient in this set of movements. Let me teach you the second set!"


    Be''s cheeks were slightly flushed from the recent exercise, and a few drops of sweat glistened on her nose.


    She remembered the physical contact when Elijah taught her the movementsst time, and the inexplicable atmosphere between them during lunch.


    Her heart trembled!


    "I... I''m a bit tired, maybe next time!" She dared not.


    Even though she had mentally prepared herself, she still hesitated, afraid to take that step.


    "Your own training is more important. Don''t let me affect you. After all, you''re in more danger outside. Every bit of training adds to your safety!"


    Be gently approached Elijah and took the trekking pole from his hand.


    "I''ll take a break and help you sharpen it. You make the most of your time to train!"


    Be''s consideration for him made Elijah feel somewhat guilty.


    He had to focus all his energy and firepower on training, leaving himpletely exhausted.


    Be came over again to help him rx his muscles, this time consciously maintaining a distance.


    After finishing, she immediately went back to sharpening the trekking pole, without any hesitation or procrastination.


    The day passed in the strange behavior and atmosphere between the two.


    ...


    The fourth day of the apocalypse.


    Elijah still woke up early, and to his surprise, Be was also up early today.


    The meal was already set on the table.


    "Just the porridge is left. You can start eating!"


    Be shouted from the kitchen.


    She still looked beautiful today, although the atmosphere between them was somewhat strange yesterday.


    But today, she was still wearing short shorts, with a sleeveless T-shirt on top, exposing her snow-white arms andplementing her long, beautiful legs.


    "Are you going out today?"


    Be brought the porridge over and sat next to Elijah, unlike before when there was always some distance between them.


    "Yeah, we gathered a lot of food yesterday, but not much water, so I need to go out and find some!" They chatted while eating.


    If someone unaware saw this scene, they would probably think they were a married couple living together.


    Breakfast was quickly finished. After a short rest, under Be''s attentive service, Elijah got dressed and prepared to go out again with the trekking pole Be had sharpened yesterday.


    "Be careful, I''ll be waiting for you at home!"


    Be said, like a wife advising her husband before he leaves.


    A warm feeling surged in Elijah''s heart, feeling quite gratified. The feeling of someone caring and waiting for him to return home didn''t seem so bad after all?!


    With a gentle demeanor, he set off, his heart seemingly drawn towards warmth yet entangled in heroic ambitions.


    He shut the door behind him, shaking his head. His eyes regained rity, filled with determination.


    He went straight to the fourth floor, where he vaguely heard themotion of zombies from this unit yesterday.


    He didn''t immediately unlock the door; instead, Elijah lightly knocked on it.


    If someone was inside, he could politely retreat, and if there were zombies, he might not startle them.


    "Ah... groan..." Indeed, the sound of zombies came from inside, although it wasn''t very clear through the door.


    "Judging from the sound... it''s a bit distant, probably trapped in the bedroom!" Elijah didn''t rush to conclusions.


    If this person was sleeping in the bedroom before turning into a zombie and didn''t have the intelligence to open the door afterward, they might still be trapped inside.


    Conversely, if it were a zombie, it would have likely approached the door upon hearing the noise, and he would have heard it clearly.


    After waiting for a moment, Elijah knocked on the door again, and the same noise came from inside.


    Confirming that no one was there, he began to tamper with the door lock.


    With a "click," the lock opened. Elijah clenched the trekking pole in his right hand and cautiously opened the door.


    Theyout of the room was the same as upstairs, and no one was in the living room.


    The door to the side room made a banging sound when hit, and the sound of a zombie could be heard from inside.


    "As expected..." Elijah entered the room.


    It was obviously a girl''s room, with predominantly pink decorations.


    There were many plush toys, and several pieces of women''s underwear were hanging on the balcony, all made of scanty fabric.


    Despite this, he didn''t let his guard down.


    He briefly checked a few rooms to confirm no one was inside before approaching the closed bedroom door.


    "This is a good opportunity to control this zombie!"


    Elijah''s most useful ability was to control zombies for his own use, but the premise was to inject the seed of consciousness into the zombie''s body.


    He had missed the chance during the previous encounter in the hallway due to the urgency.


    Now, with the environment on his side, he could control the zombie well.


    Returning to the living room, Elijah blocked the bedroom door with a sofa and chairs to prevent the zombie from rushing out when the door opened.


    He also tied a rope to the door handle from his backpack.


    Since the bedroom door opened inward, he could control the size of the gap with the rope.


    Everything was ready, but Elijah felt uneasy.


    He had a feeling that someone was watching him, but when he checked the room again while moving things, he found no ce where someone could hide.


    "Is it just my imagination?"


    Elijah shook his head, not thinking much about it and slowly turning the door handle.


    When the door opened slightly, a hideous-looking woman stretched her head out.


    Veins bulged on her face, her eyes were ck and red, her pupils gray, devoid of any vitality.


    Blood residue remained at the corner of her mouth, which unconsciously opened and closed like a beast, emitting terrifying growls.


    Her body kept trying to squeeze out through the gap, intending to bite Elijah.


    Using the rope, Elijah firmly held the door handle with one hand to prevent the door from fully opening.


    Then, he pricked his finger and flicked the fresh blood into the zombie woman''s mouth. This set of actions was done smoothly and skillfully.


    With the blood containing the seed of consciousness entering the zombie woman''s body, an invisible bond immediately formed between her and Elijah.


    The raging zombie woman immediately quieted down. Elijah controlled her to move away from the door, fully opening it and peering inside the room.


    There was no one else inside. At this moment, the zombie woman''s figure was fully revealed.


    She wore only a pink camisole on her upper body, exposingrge areas of fair skin.


    Her lower body was d in extremely short shorts, with her long legs standing straight and slender.

 Chapter 13: Why don’t you be my boyfriend?

    <h4>Chapter 13: Why don''t you be my boyfriend?</h4>


    "Tsk, are girls nowadays so casual at home?"


    Be was the same, wandering around in shorts all day, giving him an eyeful.


    Elijah sighed twice, moved the sofa aside, and entered the room.


    The predominantly pink bedroom suited a young girl''s taste, but there was nothing else noteworthy.


    "Speaking of which, this girl seems familiar..." Elijah carefully observed the zombie woman.


    At this moment, her face was peaceful, devoid of the terrifying appearance with bulging veins, and she returned to her original appearance.


    Except for her eyes, which remained zombie-like, she looked almost no different from a normal person at first nce.


    "It seems like her name was Abigail?"


    Abigail still looked quite pretty overall, with a good figure, and she lived upstairs or downstairs.


    Although Elijah''s memory was fuzzy after experiencing a year of the apocalypse, looking at the person in front of him, he recalled it.


    "Something feels off!"


    Elijah pondered, unable to figure it out, so he let Abigail walk to the living room while he began to search for useful items.


    "This kitchen... cleaner than my face!"


    Upon entering the kitchen, Elijah found that the stove hadn''t been used.


    He looked around two bedrooms, but apart from finding some potato chips in Abigail''s bedroom, there was no food or drink anywhere!


    "That''s not right..."


    Elijah''s sense of unease grew stronger.


    Suddenly, a thought struck him, and he knew what was wrong.


    The zombie woman had blood at the corner of her mouth, which couldn''t have been self-inflicted.


    She was wearing little clothing, and there were no corresponding marks on her body... This indicated that there was probably another person in this room when she turned into a zombie...


    The food and water in the room were too clean...


    There were opened snack wrappers in the trash can...


    Zombie Abigail had blood at the corner of her mouth...


    Countless pieces of information were pieced together, and Elijah could only make one assumption.


    What if there was another person in the room!


    And this person was bitten by zombie Abigail, hence the blood at Abigail''s mouth.


    This person was lucky, just like him, didn''t turn into a zombie or die.


    Instead, they were alive and well, having eaten all the snacks in the room and drank all the water.


    If this person hadn''t gone out due to shortages of supplies...


    He wouldn''t have seen it!


    Then he must have awakened some kind of superpower like him?


    Invisibility? Disguise? Phasing through walls?


    No wonder I always feel like someone is watching me...


    Elijah quickly figured it out, continuing to pretend to search for things without a sound, his body fully focused on sensing every bit of anomaly around him.


    This direction...


    Although not a irvoyant, his enhanced physique made him more alert, quickly noticing the unusual direction.


    Elijah didn''t turn directly, but changed his angle, ncing at it with his peripheral vision.


    He didn''t miss any trace, quickly noticing a blurry figure in the shadow of the corner.


    This figurepletely blended into the shadow, only slightly dissonant at the edge contours.


    If it was just a casual nce, it wouldn''t be noticed at all.


    Even if it were a bit darker, Elijah would have overlooked it.


    "Interesting ability..."


    Elijah gripped his hiking stick tightly and thrust it towards the figure.


    "Ah! Don''t..."


    A female voice eximed, and the previously empty corner of the wall immediately revealed a stunning girl.


    The girl was probably around 1.7 meters tall, with a round face, chubby cheeks like a child, with a bit of cuteness, but at the same time, her facial contours were quite distinct, blending softness with modern beauty.


    She wore a pink camisole simr to the one worn by the female zombie Abigail, revealing a little cleavage, particrly enticing.


    Below, she wore a pair of white hot pants, showing off her snow-white long legs, looking no less attractive than Be.


    She had on a simple pair of t sandals, her chubby little feet seeming to curl up nervously due to tension.


    At this moment, the girl frowned, her watery eyes showing a bit of timidity, nervously looking at Elijah.


    "Daisy?"


    Seeing her appearance, Elijah immediately remembered the name.


    After all, as neighbors living on different floors, who wouldn''t notice two girls with such sweet faces and figures?


    Elijah once thought about pursuing her, but just as they had met not long ago, the zombie outbreak urred.


    "Elijah..."


    Daisy looked pitifully at Elijah, but her next words almost made him burst intoughter.


    "Do you have any food..."


    Elijah put away his hiking stick, and said unkindly, "You recognized me a long time ago, why didn''t you say hello, now suddenly you want food..."


    "I didn''t know it was you at first, but then I saw you dealing with Abigail, I forgot..."


    Daisy pouted, then immediately became excited again.


    "Elijah, have you awakened abilities too? How did you make Abigail obedient?"


    "You''ll know if you lick it!"


    Elijah extended his finger, the wound not yet healed, and squeezed out a drop of blood.


    Without hesitation, Daisy really stretched out her tongue curiously and licked it.


    This girl...


    Elijah shook his head, she really had guts!


    Hmm, big chest!


    Elijah couldn''t help but touch his nose as he watched her body''s vigorous movements.


    "It''s nothing, really," Daisy wrinkled her nose, not fond of the taste of blood.


    "It doesn''t have much effect on people, but it can make zombies obedient!"


    Elijah observed the invisible spiritual connection forming between them and casually took out a bottle of water and a bag of biscuits from his backpack.


    "I didn''t bring anything else out, so you''ll have to make do with this for now. By the way, care to exin what''s going on?"


    Taking the water and biscuits, Daisy didn''t care about her image as she gobbled them down.


    While eating, she exined, "On the night the outbreak happened, Abigail was scared, so I slept with her."


    "Then, in the middle of the night, Abigail suddenly had a high fever, and then she bit me. I got scared, so I ran out and locked her in the room."


    "Actually, I knew Abigail had turned into a zombie. After she bit me, my head started spinning, my body felt hot."


    "I thought I was done for, going to turn into a zombie like Abigail. But then I thought, well, at least I could go eat others, better than being eaten."


    Elijah was almost dumbfounded by her peculiar thoughts. Was this what they called "big-chested and brainless"?


    Encountering such things and not being afraid at all.


    "When I woke up again, I found out I was fine, but my arm was indeed bitten. Look, there''s still a mark!"


    Daisy extended her pale arm, showing clear bite marks on the smooth skin, though they had scabbed over.


    "Then I felt very hungry and started looking for something to eat in the house!"


    Daisy puffed her cheeks, somewhat annoyed.


    "Normally, we don''t cook much at home, so besides some snacks, there wasn''t much to eat. And there''s not much water either. I haven''t eaten for a day, I''m starving!"


    The self-reliance of modern girls...


    Elijah couldn''t help but sigh. Suddenly, he felt that girls like Be, who were capable in both social situations and the kitchen, were really good!


    "What ability did you just use? Why couldn''t I see you?" Daisy''s excitement returned at the mention of it!


    "I also watch anime, dramas, and read novels, so I thought, in the face of danger, maybe I would gain magical powers. So I tried it out myself when I had nothing else to do, and I really sensed a mysterious energy within me."


    "It allows me to blend into the shadows, especially at night. It''s like being invisible. Even Abigail couldn''t find me!"


    Daisy proudly demonstrated, walking to the corner where they were just standing, fading away in front of Elijah''s eyes, blending into the shadows.


    If it weren''t daytime now, with weaker shadows, her blurry silhouette would be barely visible, making it difficult to spot her.


    Elijah had just ignored it now. What if it were at night?


    It would be a killer technique!


    If he had this ability, many things would be easier to do, and he wouldn''t be stuck here...


    But having this ability under his control, nurturing it properly, would be quite sharp!


    Suddenly, Elijah felt his own abilities were quite strong again, capable of controlling other strong individuals...


    But how to convince Daisy?


    Elijah thought of many things in an instant, just as he was about to invite Daisy to join him, she suddenly said something.


    "Elijah, why don''t you be my boyfriend?"


    Huh?


    Elijah was instantly dumbfounded!

 Chapter 14: can Abigail still wake up

    <h4>Chapter 14: can Abigail still wake up </h4>


    "So I''ll always have something to eat..." Daisy nodded contentedly as she ate her cookies, silently praising her own cleverness!


    Elijah looked utterly bewildered.


    "Would being your girlfriend mean I wouldn''t have anything to eat?" Daisy looked at Elijah''s puzzled expression, feeling a bit confused herself.


    "Naturally, there would be something to eat..." After all, he had another one at home!


    "Then you''re not willing?"


    Daisy found it odd, unconsciously puffing out her chest and muttering to herself,


    "Strange, I''m so pretty, with such a good figure, lots of guys like me... And Elijah, weren''t you just staring at my chest a moment ago... Abigail even said you liked me, wanted to pursue me? Is she lying to me?"


    With things having gone this far, he naturally had no reason to refuse.


    "Of course, I''m willing! But why would you think being with me means you''ll have something to eat? Being my girlfriend isn''t a free meal ticket..."


    Elijah hinted, but before he could finish, Daisy leaned in and kissed him, leaving crumbs of cookies all over his face.


    Elijah was left somewhat speechless!


    Why did it feel like every move she made was... He sighed inwardly.


    He was only about four or five years older than her, but why did it feel like there was a bigger generation gap between them than the gap between her breasts?


    Wiping his face clean, Elijah watched Daisy walk away with light steps, feeling the urge to make her taste his cane technique.


    Unseen by Elijah, Daisy''s lips curled up, revealing a sly smile that quickly disappeared.


    "Abigail always says I''m stupid, but I''m actually quite smart!"


    She hummed lightly to herself. In her mind, she recalled the previous evening, sneaking out quietly using her abilities while the sky was dark, to see the pile of zombie bodies at the entrance of the building.


    At that time, she didn''t know it was Elijah''s doing, she just thought this person was really impressive. But she had her suspicions.


    After all, she knew all twelve residents of this building.


    When she saw Elijah breaking in today, efficiently dealing with Abigail and gathering supplies, she immediately understood and had the idea of sucking up to him.


    As for being his girlfriend... that was also a brilliant idea that shed through her mind!


    She used to hear Abigailin that Elijah upstairs seemed to like her. Every time they met, he greeted her and ignored Abigail, making Abigail doubt her own charm!


    She had long wanted to try dating. Her family used to be strict, never giving her a chance.


    Now that she''s finally in college, with her good friend Abigail''s support, she still hadn''t seeded in finding a boyfriend after almost a year in college.


    Now, it''s the end of the world!


    There may not be many survivors left.


    Daisy didn''t dislike Elijah, on the contrary, because he was her neighbor who went up and down the stairs, asionally bothering him for things, she even had some affection for him.


    Elijah was also kind of handsome, and quite capable... Finding a backer wasn''t something she could ask for more!


    And being a girlfriend just meant kissing, right?


    At most, letting him hug her... That''s pretty much how most university couples are anyway!


    Daisy shook her head, her thoughts swirling.


    But soon, she felt a pang of disappointment as she looked at Abigail''s lifeless eyes, then turned, her eyes hopeful, to Elijah.


    "Elijah, can Abigail still wake up?"


    "I don''t know, but since both of us can awaken abilities, maybe one day Abigail can too. Who knows for sure?"


    Elijah couldn''t be certain.


    In his past life, he had seen many powerful zombies, some even had a certain level of intelligence.


    He had never encountered a zombie retaining memories, but perhaps his experiences were limited?


    "Yeah, maybe someone''s ability is to awaken memories!"


    Daisy suddenly brightened up.


    Then she nced at Abigail''s clothes and wrinkled her nose.


    One of Abigail''s straps had slipped off, exposing almost half of her chest...


    "Abigail, you''ve beenpletely seen by Elijah?"


    Daisy muttered to herself as she helped fix Abigail''s clothes.


    "It''s still early, I''ll go check out the other units. If I find food, I''ll save some for you!"


    Seeing that there was nothing else for her to do here, Elijah prepared to continue searching for zombies.


    This morning, the fourth leaf of the zombie grass had grown, and the fifth leaf was emerging.


    But to mature, they still needed a corpse core. This was currently their top priority!


    "I''lle with you. I know which units have more food stored!" Daisy was eager to try.


    "Oh? How do you know?" Elijah didn''t object; sooner orter, he would have to train team members.


    "Daisy exined as they walked. "


    The two households on the ground floor are elderly.


    The older generation likes to stock up on food! I used to live here when I was a kid, then moved away.


    Now that I''m in college, I live nearby, so I moved back here.


    Besides the rented units like Elijah''s, I know all the other households.


    Even for the rented ones, I often hear the grandma on the ground floor gossiping, so I know quite a bit."


    "In that case, let''s start from the ground floor, knock on the doors, and see if there are people or zombies inside."


    Elijah decided to follow Daisy''s n.


    "The ground floor... probably has no one left!"


    Daisy paused, then said somewhat sadly,


    "I saw the grandma on the ground floor turning into a zombie outside, and the grandpa in the other household has bad legs, he sits in a wheelchair, but he usually has the habit of going out for a walk in the morning..."


    Elijah remembered, he had indeed seen the olddy on the ground floor turning into a zombie and chasing after a woman when he was first reborn.


    The two quickly arrived on the ground floor and knocked on the door, but there was no response.


    Elijah unlocked the door and went inside to take a look around, confirming that it was safe before letting Daisy in.


    In the kitchen, Elijah was surprised to find a lot of food.


    Not to mention rice, flour, and oil, there were various dried vegetables, cured meats, and many snacks and supplements that were probably bought by the younger generation for the elderly.


    Elijah let Daisy handle the supplies and went to the other unit on the ground floor.


    There was also no response inside, but there seemed to be some movement of zombies, although it didn''t quite sound like it.


    When Elijah opened the door and saw the scene inside, his heart couldn''t help but chill.


    The once tidy living room was now a mess, with dirty bloodstains everywhere.


    And not far from the entrance, a wheelchair sat quietly, with a person sitting on it.


    No, it couldn''t be called a person anymore, not even a zombie, as it was reduced to a half-eaten skeleton.


    At the same time, a short figure quietly emerged from the bedroom and slowly approached Elijah.


    If Elijah hadn''t been alert, he might not have noticed it.


    "Zombie dog..."

 Chapter 15: Zombie Dog

    <h4>Chapter 15: Zombie Dog</h4>


    Elijah focused intently on the zombie dog in front of him, slowly closing the previously opened anti-theft door.


    No one understood these things better than him; in his past life, he had controlled two of them.


    Regr human zombies, if not inrge numbers, weren''t very threatening.


    Many people were just too frightened to effectively deal with them.


    Oveing fear and possessing skilled techniques made dealing with human zombies a breeze.


    But animal zombies were different! Especially the mostmon zombie dogs in the city, each one was extremely tricky, following animal hunting instincts!


    As the door was about to close, the zombie dog exerted all its strength, its reddened muscles bulging as it lunged towards him.


    Elijah firmly held the door handle, not fully closing it, leaving only a fist-sized gap.


    It could be quite difficult to deal with a zombie dog in a confined space, but now there was a door!


    Elijah wasn''t afraid of it!


    "Bam!"


    The zombie dog crashed into the door, but it didn''t budge.


    Soon, a fierce mouth full of sharp teeth protruded through the gap in the door.


    Because the gap was too small, the zombie dog''s mouth, covered in reddish muscles and ck twisted tendons, could only open slightly, attempting to bite Elijah.


    With one hand controlling the door, Elijah flicked a drop of blood into the zombie dog''s mouth.


    With the ability activated, the zombie dog quickly stopped its actions and became calm.


    "What''s going on?" Daisy, who had heard themotion, walked over.


    "I''ve tamed a little thing!" Elijah slightly opened the door, letting the zombie dog out, which startled Daisy.


    "So ugly!"


    ...


    "So you just find it ugly, and you''re not scared?" Elijah was somewhat immune to her straightforward nerves but still found it unbelievable.


    "Ugly is scary enough! I''ve never been able to stand the sight of hairless animals like this..."


    After getting over her initial difort, Daisy squatted down to observe it.


    "Even animals can turn into zombies... Did it eat people?"


    A girl who looked sweet and lovely, cute and adorable, squatting beside a terrifying zombie dog with reddish muscles, ck tendons, and not a single hair on its body, saying it ate people. No matter how you looked at it, it was bizarre.


    At that moment, Elijah even doubted who between the two of them had experienced a year in the post-apocalyptic world and returned with enlightenment.


    But thinking of the people in his past life who were bitten by zombies and awakened superpowers, none of them were normal, so he felt reassured.


    Maybe, influenced by the virus, they had long ceased to be human?


    "Yes, the person from the other unit on the ground floor was eaten by it!"


    Elijah opened the door and let Daisy see the scene inside.


    He was confident now that Daisy could handle this scene.


    It was an essential exercise for navigating the post-apocalyptic world.


    "Poor old man... Elijah, hurry up and perform a craniotomy!"


    ???


    This unexpected suggestion almost made Elijah''s waist twist.


    "How did you know..."


    Daisy realized she had misspoken, stuck out her tongue, and chuckled, "Yesterday I heard some noise outside, so I sneaked out to take a look when it got dark."


    "Then I found that the zombie bodies outside the unit entrance all had their skulls opened..."


    "Is Elijah looking for something inside their heads?"


    Daisy looked curious!


    Quite observant!


    Elijah was somewhat surprised!


    It seemed that although Daisy was easygoing, she wasn''t careless or negligent.


    In the apocalypse, this was crucial; careless people wouldn''t survive for long.


    "I''m looking for a crystal. If I find itter, you''ll know!"


    Elijah let the zombie dog enter the house to scout, making a lot of noise.


    Since no other zombies came out, they walked into the rooms and quickly searched through them.


    In the master bedroom, they found another corpse, the entire room covered in blood, extremely unsettling.


    Despite Daisy''sid-back demeanor, she didn''t seem as indifferent as she appeared. She just stayed outside the door without any intention ofing in.


    Elijah searched both dead zombies but found no corpse core.


    He then gathered usable supplies from the house into the hallway before locking the door again.


    There was no need to linger in such a terrifying and oppressive room!


    "There''s so much stuff, enough tost me a long time!"


    Daisy also brought the supplies from the ground floor grandma''s house into the hallway, stacking them up.


    "But there''s still too little water!" Elijah sighed; neither household had much bottled water or beverages, only buckets of water.


    "Let''s leave these things here for now and continue searching other units. Which one do you think might still have people?"


    "The second floor should be empty. 201 just moved out to take care of their grandson, and 202 is a family of three. Their child is in high school and doesn''te home, and both parents should be at work!" Daisy counted on her fingers.


    "301''s door was open, and I saw that everything inside had been taken, probably by you, Elijah!"


    "302 is rented out to a couple, but they''re probably not at home. However, they have a dog..."


    Soon, Daisy introduced every unit in the building.


    Except for one vacant unit on the sixth floor, all others were upied, although most were likely empty.


    Elijah thought carefully, most people would have left for work or school during the peak hours of the zombie outbreak.


    Elijah explored the entire building, just as Daisy had said.


    Besides finding a nearly starved little dog in 302, they encountered no one else or any more zombies.


    Daisy followed along, busy collecting all the supplies into the hallway.


    They had collected a considerable amount of food and water.


    There was no need to worry about it for the time being!


    Standing in the hallway on the sixth floor, Elijah breathed a sigh of relief but then felt a little anxious.


    Thest corpse core hadn''t been found yet.


    "Do we have to go out and look for zombies?"


    Looking at the time, it was already past one o''clock.


    They had been too hungry at 11 o''clock and had eaten some pastries.


    Now, their stomachs were growling again. With their current state, they needed to eat and then organize the supplies downstairs.


    Elijah''s gaze shifted to the zombie dog.


    "This dog has eaten two corpses. Could it possibly have a corpse core?"

 Chapter 16: Aren’t I already being taken care of...

    <h4>Chapter 16: Aren''t I already being taken care of...</h4>


    Under normal circumstances, zombies wouldn''t be interested in the corpses of their own kind. However, there are exceptions.


    ording toter studies, zombies are essentially living bodies devoid of reason.


    A virus controls the human body, keeping it at a minimum energy expenditure to maintain activity.


    They also need external energy supplements.


    So, zombies have a deep-seated craving for blood and flesh, showing aggression towards living beings.


    In cramped and enclosed environments where there are no other creatures, some zombies might resort to devouring their own kind.


    These zombies that cannibalize each other be anomalies within the zombie poption, with most of them turning into mutated zombies.


    Not only are they more aggressive, but they might even awaken certain superpowers simr to humans.


    And where there are superpowers, there''s bound to be a corpse core!


    The zombie dog in front of us certainly hasn''t reached that stage yet, but the likelihood of having a corpse core has greatly increased.


    "Although zombie dogs are useful, we can find another er! Plus, we just rescued a puppy downstairs, which can serve as a backup... Besides, as useful as they are, they''re not as good as humans..."


    This was also the experience summarized from past lives.


    After all, zombiesck consciousness, relying solely on their own control, with limited flexibility and inevitable oversights.


    Humans, on the other hand, especially those with abilities...


    Thinking of this, Elijah looked at Daisy, who was sweating as she moved things, her strength even greater than his before he started exercising.


    Sweat soaked her clothes, her graceful figure appearing now and then.


    "What''s wrong, Elijah?"


    Daisy put down what she was carrying and wiped the sweat from her forehead.


    "Nothing! You take the stuff to the fifth floor, then let''s eat first, and we''ll move the remaining stuff in the afternoon!"


    "Okay!"


    Upon hearing that they could eat, Daisy immediately became enthusiastic again, carrying the things downstairs.


    "Compared to Be, she''s really a capable one!"


    Be was good at housework and cooking.


    Daisy, on the other hand, had great strength and wasn''t afraid of zombies.


    She could be cultivated slowly, and in the future, she could go out with her.


    With her abilities, Elijah could already think of many things to do in advance, without having to stay cooped up here.


    "I need to improve my strength too!"


    Elijah made up his mind and took the zombie dog into the vacant house on the sixth floor.


    "Let''s see if this zombie dog has a corpse core. If not, then we''ll consider going out to hunt zombies!"


    With no resistance from the zombie dog, Elijah directly smashed its head.


    "Lucky!"


    Elijah dug out a corpse core from the zombie dog''s head!


    Today''s mission was sessfullypleted!


    After Elijah collected the corpse core, he and Daisy moved the supplies from the sixth floor downstairs before opening the door to their own apartment.


    Be was already waiting at the door.


    In fact, she had heard themotion outside long ago and knew Elijah was safe, even catching a glimpse of Daisy through the peephole.


    The reason she hadn''t opened the door was that she remembered Elijah''s instructions: he had his own key, and she shouldn''t open the door for anyone or go out on her own initiative.


    "You must be Daisy from downstairs? Let me help you carry things!" Be stepped aside to let Elijah in, immediately noticing Daisy behind him.


    Finally seeing another survivor, Be was delighted and hurried forward to help.


    "Be, you''re okay too, that''s great!" Daisy greeted happily, having heard Elijah mention another person in the house.


    Soon, with the coordination of the three of them, all the supplies at the door were brought inside.


    "I''m starving, let''s eat!"


    Elijah saw three sets of tableware already set on the dining table, even the amount of food was enough for three people, silently nodding in approval.


    Be immediately stepped forward to help Elijah take off his tactical vest, which pleased Elijah greatly.


    While collecting supplies from another apartment on the fifth floor earlier, he could have asked Be to help.


    But he refrained, wanting to see how well Be followed his orders.


    She clearly understood his instructions and even realized to make food for one more person.


    Now, as soon as he asked, she immediately helped him take off his clothes.


    So obedient, thoughtful, and capable, what more could he ask for?


    Hmm... if only she could be this capable in bed too!


    On the other hand, Daisy looked around the room curiously, like an eager child.


    Then she watched Be serve Elijah like a little wife, her face suddenly showing a hint of strangeness.


    Didn''t Be have a husband?


    But never mind, as long as there''s food!


    Daisy quickly dismissed the thought and sat eagerly at the table, waiting for the meal. She hadn''t had a hot meal in days, not to mention porridge...


    Once everyone was seated, Daisy immediately started devouring the food.


    "So delicious!"


    Daisy praised Be as she ate.


    "Elijah is lucky to have you cooking for him every day..."


    "It''s not that exaggerated, just ordinary food!"


    Be was very happy to have more people in the house, feeling a surge of vitality that momentarily made her forget about the apocalypse.


    Elijah also quickly joined in eating, afraid that Daisy, with her voracious appetite, would devour everything.


    Although Be had prepared food for three people, she obviously hadn''t expected Daisy to also be an awakened individual with such a big appetite.


    "Hey! Hey! Elijah, I''m your girlfriend after all, can''t you let me have a bit more?"


    The two of them were scrambling for food, and seeing that there wasn''t much left, Daisyined.


    "Girlfriend?"


    Be wasn''t very hungry.


    After eating a little, she looked at the two of them vigorously fighting over the food, feeling an unprecedented peace in her heart.


    Suddenly hearing Daisy''s words, her expression froze for a moment.


    "Oh, this girl has no food, so she wants to be my girlfriend and let me take care of her!" Elijah exined lightly.


    "I see..."


    Be bit her lip, carefully examining Daisy.


    This girl, in terms of clothing, appearance, and figure, was in no way inferior to her, and even surpassed some.


    Moreover, she possessed youth, beauty, and liveliness, having never stepped into society as a college student, her thoughts might be more pure, maybe even a virgin...


    She and Elijah are together...


    Where should she go from here?


    If she opposes living with Elijah...


    Be suddenly felt a sense of crisis.


    What should she do?


    Should she go with the flow or...


    And Elijah just mentioned being his girlfriend, and he could take care of her...


    Aren''t I already being taken care of...


    No, this is a partnership!


    And I shouldn''t underestimate myself!


    I''m not inferior...


    "Hmph! You agreed to it earlier, so let me eat the rest first!"


    Daisy and Elijah didn''t realize that a single sentence had made Be ponder a lot.


    They were still arguing over the food, and in the end, Elijah was amused by Daisy''s protective behavior and simply gave in to her.


    "We ate a lot at lunch, so let''s work harder in the afternoon!"


    Elijah left his seat to check on the zombie grass.


    "Just do what you need to do, hmph!"


    With victory in hand, Daisy continued eating happily.

 Chapter 17: She seemed a little embarrassed

    <h4>Chapter 17: She seemed a little embarrassed</h4>


    Elijah buried the corpse core of the zombie dog in the pot where the zombie grass was nted.


    The emerald green leaves swayed gently, as if expressing joy.


    "What kind of nt is this? It''s glowing, so amazing!"


    Daisy finally noticed the zombie grass, curious as she held her utensils, eating and asking.


    "It''s zombie grass. As for its use, you''ll find outter!"


    Elijah ced the zombie grass properly and said to Be, "I''ve eliminated all the dangers in this building. As long as we stay inside, it''s safe."


    "After Daisy finishes eating, take a break, and then in the afternoon, we''ll move all the useful supplies back together!"


    "Daisy... would you like to move up here with us or continue staying on the fourth floor?"


    Daisy didn''t hesitate and replied, "I''ll stay on the fourth floor by myself!"


    "Aren''t you afraid to be alone?"


    For some reason, hearing this question, Be felt a strange sense of joy.


    But she also admired Daisy''s courage to live alone.


    "Not afraid! I have Abigail with me, oh, and also Little Yellow!"


    Daisy patted her chest, causing her chest to tremble slightly, which made Elijah couldn''t help but nce at her a few more times.


    "Abigail? Little Yellow?"


    "They are my roommates. Although they''ve turned into zombies, Elijah has already controlled them. Little Yellow is a small dog we found on the third floor..."


    Daisy chattered on about what happened downstairs, revealing the awakening abilities of both of them.


    "Awakening abilities..." Be was both surprised and envious. At the same time, a certain persistence in her heart began to waver!


    ...


    Around 3 PM in the afternoon, the three rested and then started moving things upstairs.


    Be, not being an awakened individual, was much weaker in strength and endurance.


    After a few trips, she was panting heavily, but she didn''t say anything and gritted her teeth to persevere!


    Elijah simply let her continue searching through the rooms they had already searched with Daisy, looking for anything they might have missed!


    Surprisingly, they found quite a few good things.


    Of course, some of them were things Elijah didn''t need at all, but were crucial for women, like sanitary pads...


    During the move on the third floor, a skinny little dog caught Be''s attention.


    When it saw Daisy, it immediately staggered over, its tail wagging like a windmill, rubbing against Daisy.


    "Wow! Little Yellow is okay!" Daisy happily picked it up.


    This little dog belonged to the upants of this apartment on the third floor.


    Since they were not around, the little dog had gone hungry for several days.


    After Daisy found it, she fed it some milk, and now it had recovered.


    "It didn''t eat much just now, probably hungry again! Give it some liquid food, but don''t let it eat too much at once!"


    Elijah nted a seed of consciousness for it while he was at it.


    If Daisy wanted to keep it, she had to guard against the possibility of it turning into a zombie.


    If it did be a zombie, then they would have another zombie dog!


    Elijah chuckled, scaring the little dog into burying itself in Daisy''s arms, making Elijah quite envious. Not afraid of suffocating either!


    Elijah muttered a sentence to himself.


    Busy until 5 PM, they finally moved everything. After a short rest, Be began to organize the supplies and categorize them.


    Most of the pile was stacked in the dining room and kitchen, such as rice, flour, oil, some dried vegetables, and vegetables.


    A small portion was ced in Elijah''s bedroom, like alcohol, drinks, snacks, and instant food.


    Once she roughly sorted everything, she started cooking some perishable food.


    On the other side, Elijah and Daisy didn''t idle either.


    Elijah began to teach Daisy the Golden Elephant Body Forging Technique.


    "Golden Elephant Body Forging Technique? What''s that?" Daisy, eager for dinner, didn''t want to move at all.


    "It''s a set of body forging techniques that can quickly enhance the physical qualities of awakened individuals. It''s effective for ordinary people too, just not as noticeable."


    Be, who was choosing ingredients, faintly heard and immediately understood why Elijah''s strength had grown so fast.


    "Can it make me as strong as Elijah?" Daisy''s eyes sparkled.


    "Even more so... Here, let me demonstrate the first two sets of movements for you to see!"


    Elijah walked to the central space in the living room and performed two sets of movements with agility.


    Daisy watched attentively, asionally mimicking the movements beside him.


    After Elijah finished, Daisy was still not satisfied and was trying to recall the movements.


    "Daisy, try practicing on your own first, and I''ll point out any mistakes."


    "Sure thing, Elijah!" Daisy stood where Elijah had been and began to recall the movements. Soon, she started moving.


    Elijah was immediately astonished! It wasn''t that Daisy didn''t do well, but she did it too well!


    Her gestures, twists, and turns were almost wless, with only slight deviations in breathing and some angles of exertion.


    "Very impressive, Daisy! You learned this much just by watching once!" Elijah felt a twinge of jealousy!


    "It''s nothing, really. When we learn dancing, we often memorize movements, so I have some experience!" Daisy giggled.


    "You learned dancing? No wonder..." Elijah nodded in understanding.


    "Alright, practice the movements again, and I''ll point out any problem areas!"


    Since she was his girlfriend, Elijah didn''t hold back. He touched wherever he needed to touch and sometimes sighed inwardly!


    "Indeed, she learned dancing... Her body''s flexibility... if it were in bed..." Daisy didn''t mind and earnestly corrected her movements.


    Once the first two sets of movements were mastered, Be had finished cooking the meal.


    "Why do I feel like I''m getting hungry so quickly practicing this?" Daisy immediately lost interest in practicing when she saw the food.


    "You! You''re just a foodie!"


    "No choice, I''m just hungry!"


    The two of them joked as they sat down at the dining table.


    As the sun set, another day passed. Taking advantage of the remaining light, the three of them enjoyed their dinner happily.


    "Mmm... I''m so full!" Daisy leaned back in her chair, stretching luxuriously.


    With her movement, her chest became particrly prominent, catching Elijah''s eyes.


    "Today I treated her to three meals. Shouldn''t Daisy fulfill her girlfriend''s duty?" He cleared his throat and was about to say, "Daisy, tonight..."


    Before Elijah could finish, Daisy suddenly clenched one hand and pounded it on the other.


    "Oh! I forgot Little Yellow hasn''t eaten yet! Elijah, I''ll go home and feed Little Yellow first, I''lle back tomorrow!" With lightning speed, Daisy dashed downstairs.


    "Ha-ha!"


    Be couldn''t help butugh! A smile so charming, it lit up the entire room! Elijah''s eyes sparkled!


    Looking at the radiant smile so close to him, Elijah jokingly said, "Be, now that you''ve eaten and rested well, how about I teach you the second set of movements for the Golden Elephant Body Forging Technique?"


    Elijah just wanted to retaliate against her earlierughter and didn''t really expect her to agree.


    But to his surprise, Be only hesitated for a moment before immediately replying, "Sure!"


    "Hmm?" Elijah nced at the darkening sky outside.


    Although it wasn''tpletely dark inside the house, it was dim enough that objects far away couldn''t be clearly seen.


    This level of brightness was simply inadequate for teaching, as Elijah understood, and Be naturally understood as well. Yet she still agreed!


    Could it be...?


    Elijah stared closely at Be and noticed her lips lightly nibbling, her eyes watery, unable to meet Elijah''s gaze directly.


    She seemed a little embarrassed, yet also seemed to be hinting at something...

 Chapter 18: Good Things Come in Pairs

    <h4>Chapter 18: Good Things Come in Pairs</h4>


    The fifth day of the apocalypse.


    Elijah still woke up early as usual, with the sky just starting to brighten outside.


    But this time was different from before.


    He wasn''t alone. In his armsy a beautiful woman as fair as jade, quietly resting.


    Her eyshes fluttered as if on the verge of waking.


    Elijah recalled the scenes fromst night. It felt refreshing, like eating ice cream on a hot summer day.


    Absolutely rejuvenating! And now, looking at her charming appearance again, he couldn''t help but wonder, should he indulge once more?


    ...


    "Bang! Bang! Bang!"


    After what seemed like a while, knocking sounded at the door.


    "Elijah, open up! I''m here for breakfast!"


    Daisy''s clear voice faintly came through.


    Inside the bedroom:


    "Hurry up and get up! I''ll open the door when Ie back to the room!"


    Be scolded Elijah reproachfully.


    Feeling helpless, Elijah grabbed some clothes and called out, "Coming!" to the outside.


    Be gathered her scattered clothes, wrapped them in a bedsheet, and carefully carried them back to her room.


    "That glutton Daisy, I''ll teach her a lesson sooner orter!" Elijah thought angrily as he watched Be''s graceful figure disappear.


    Then he went to open the door.


    "Elijah, why are you so slow to open the door!"


    Daisy rubbed her belly and stepped inside, followed by a small yellow dog wagging its tail and barking twice in greeting to Elijah.


    "I''m starving!" Daisy eximed, looking around the room.


    "Don''t bother looking, Be hasn''t gotten up yet!"


    Daisy had changed her outfit today, wearing a short white T-shirt that reached just above her navel.


    Below, she wore shorts, revealing her long legs, tempting anyone to reach out and touch.


    Elijah''s eyes lit up at the sight.


    This girl took the initiative to be my girlfriend, so since I missed out on my chance earlier, maybe a touch now would bepensation?


    Elijah''s fingers twitched with the urge to act.


    Seemingly noticing Elijah''s gaze, Daisy wrinkled her cute nose, then leaned close to him.


    Before he could react, she nted a kiss on his cheek.


    "That''s today''s girlfriend benefit!" Daisy grinned mischievously, then frowned, "Elijah, haven''t you washed your face? It''s salty..."


    Cheeky!


    Elijah wiped the saliva from his face and casually replied, "I did some warm-up exercises this morning and sweated a lot!"


    "Elijah, you still have energy for warm-up exercises? I''m starving; I don''t want to move at all..." Daisy sat down on a chair, adopting azy posture.


    "After awakening my abilities, I get hungry quickly!" Elijah exined.


    "Strengthes with a price, and this is it!"


    At this moment, Elijah remembered the zombie grass.


    He walked over to where the flowerpot was ced and found that the fifth leaf of the zombie grass had also grown.


    The gray-white patterns on the leaves were dense, and the whole nt seemed to be emitting light, faintly spreading a fragrant aroma.


    "It''s finally ready!"


    Elijah grinned, ready to prepare it for consumption.


    At this moment, Be, dressed in her clothes, finally emerged from the room.


    Her new outfit remained refreshing, with a white blouse on top and a pleated JK skirt below, just covering her legs enough to leave much to the imagination as she walked.


    Daisy happily greeted Be as soon as she saw her. "Good morning."


    "Feeling hungry? I''ll cook!" Be offered.


    "Sure, sure!"


    "Be, make a little extra breakfast today, save some for me as backup!" Elijah interjected at this moment.


    "Okay!" Be responded, shooting Elijah a reproachful nce before heading to the kitchen.


    Today, the zombie grass had matured, and making extra food was preparation for advancing their abilities, as they would need a lot of energy replenishmentter.


    After experiencing further developments in their rtionshipst night, Elijah found that his subconscious suggestions to Be had reached a new level.


    It wasn''t guaranteed loyalty, as human hearts areplex, but betrayal wouldn''te easily either.


    The same went for Daisy, although her case was peculiar.


    From the beginning, when Elijah began imnting suggestions in her mind, he hadn''t encountered any obvious resistance.


    As he gradually increased the intensity, he surprisingly reinforced it smoothly to the point of trust.


    Elijah couldn''t understand it entirely and could only assume that this broad-minded girl perhaps didn''t know what betrayal meant.


    So, he didn''t mind disclosing some things to both of them.


    Breakfast was quickly prepared, and the three of them sat around the table, eating to their hearts'' content, with plenty of leftovers.


    "Elijah, what are you going to do with the leftovers?"


    Daisy asked, curious as always.


    "Naturally, we''ll eat themter! Just wait!" Elijah replied.


    He brought the zombie grass over and ced it on the table.


    Then he took out scissors and cut off the exposed roots.


    "Snap!"


    The zombie grass snapped, and Elijah firmly held the upper part.


    Immediately, milky white liquid oozed from the wound, dripping into the soil.


    Thest corpse core wasn''t entirely used up; there was still a residue left, hoping it would grow another zombie grass!


    Intentionally not pulling it out entirely by the roots, Elijah left some stems in the soil, filled with anticipation.


    This method had asionally worked in his past life, but mostly it had failed.


    It was inevitable; zombie grass didn''t flower or fruit, and its method of reproduction was unclear.


    Leaving some stems behind asionally allowed one to grow.


    Otherwise, if zombie grass could be nted on arge scale, awakened superhumans would be everywhere.


    He wouldn''t have been ambushed while searching for second-stage advanced nts in his past life!


    "Elijah, why did you cut it? Are you going to use it?" Daisy asked.


    "Yes!" With both girls watching, Elijah chewed on the whole zombie grass like chewing cud, swallowing it down in big bites.


    Zombie grass wasn''t tasty; it was bitter at first and then turned icy cold after chewing for a while, like mint.


    But soon, the bitterness intensified, as if it couldn''t be dissipated, like drinking bitter melon juice mixed with mint.


    Elijah''s face wrinkled from the bitterness, but he endured it and swallowed.


    The coldness traveled down his throat to his stomach, instantly turning into warmth, merging with his body to form a warm current that continuously circted.


    The energy of controlling the seed of consciousness also wandered within the warm current in his body, constantly growing.


    Wherever it passed, the bones and muscles of his body seemed to roar, an invisible devouring force attracting the energy within Elijah''s body.


    Just after stuffing himself with food, Elijah immediately felt hungry again. He picked up his chopsticks and started eating voraciously.


    Soon, to the astonishment of both girls, the remaining food on the table disappeared in no time.


    At that moment, Elijah finally felt the bizarre devouring force within him dissipate.


    Elijah rxed in relief. "It''s done!"

 Chapter 19: What happened to my ability...

    <h4>Chapter 19: What happened to my ability...</h4>


    Excitedly waving his hand, Elijah identally hit the dining table, causing a loud


    "thud."


    The table, unable to bear the weight, emitted a "creak," and a crack appeared in the middle, threatening to splitpletely.


    "Oops!"


    Be eximed in shock. Fortunately, Elijah quickly realized and held up the table with both hands, preventing the dishes and utensils from falling.


    "Sorry, my abilities were just enhanced, and I haven''t adjusted yet..."


    "Wow! Amazing, Elijah, I want that too!" Daisy was thrilled, kissing Elijah on the cheek and bouncing around him.


    After the initial shock, Be''s thoughts turned to more practical matters, her eyes filled with a soft charm as if about to overflow.


    Finally, with the cooperation of both girls, the tableware was quickly cleaned up.


    The table was beyond repair, so Elijah threw it aside, intending to get a new one from another floor.


    Meanwhile, he carefully felt the changes in his abilities.


    Physically, his strength had almost doubledpared to before, which was noticeable.


    Speed, endurance, and recovery had all improved, but the exact extent needed further testing.


    However, he could clearly feel that his body was much lighter, almost reaching the level before his rebirth.


    That was the peak physical fitness of a first-stage superpower, achieved after half a year of natural growth and another half year of continuous training.


    Now, after just a few days of exercise and advancement in superpowers, he was already on par with his previous state.


    More importantly, he still had great potential to explore.


    In addition, Elijah noticed a revolutionary change in the seed of consciousness.


    Previously, he could only transmit information unterally through the seed of consciousness to control zombies and suggest to humans.


    But now, his brain was constantly receiving information from Be, Daisy, Abigail, and the little yellow dog.


    Theseplex messages didn''t affect his thinking. Like seeing things with his eyes, his brain filtered and retained important information to feed back to him.


    For example, he could sense Be''s distance, breathing rate, and heartbeat intensity. With Daisy, he could sense the flow of energy within her body...


    Wait!


    Elijah''s spirit shook. Just now, when he felt the flow of energy within Daisy''s body, the energy of the seed of consciousness in his body subconsciously imitated it.


    In an instant, Elijah felt a strange affinity for the shadows. Could it be...


    Daisy and Be, who had just finished tidying up the tableware, were about to ask Elijah some questions. They had many questions, especially Daisy!


    But then they saw Elijah closing the curtains, and the room immediately darkened.


    At the same time, Elijah''s body seemed to sway in the shadow of the curtains like a drop of water falling into a river, slowly disappearing!


    "Huh? What happened to my ability..."


    Daisy was extremely surprised, instinctively disying her ability as well.


    In Be''s view, Daisy also disappeared like a fish entering the water.


    "Is this invisibility?" Be covered her mouth, amazed at how magical it was, despite hearing about it from Daisy before.


    Her eyes showed envy and desire!


    Meanwhile, Elijah, integrated with the shadows, was extremely excited.


    The advanced ability had indeed given him a big surprise! He could actually mimic abilities!


    With this ability, as long as there were enough individuals with seeds of consciousness nted by him, wouldn''t he be an all-powerful individual?


    "Elijah, what''s going on with your ability?"


    Daisy, now also merged into the shadow, couldn''t be seen from outside, but the two of them who were also in the shadow could see each other.


    Elijah dispelled the ability, and his figure immediately reappeared in the room.


    He exined to the two women, "My ability has advanced! My second-stage ability is the ability to mimic others'' abilities, but of course, this mimicry isn''t without limitations!"


    He calmed down a bit. Through the recent experimentation, he had also discovered some drawbacks.


    "Firstly, I can only mimic the abilities of those with whom I''ve made a conscious contract, like Daisy!"


    Conscious contract was the name he had previously given to Daisy for the ability, which allowed him to control unconscious zombies but was ineffective against conscious humans and animals.


    Naturally, he also informed them that he used conscious contracts on them to prevent them from suddenly bing zombies and attacking.


    "Secondly, I can only use one ability at a time. If, Be, you also awaken an ability, I can only choose to mimic either yours or Daisy''s ability, not both simultaneously!"


    "Finally, there''s a distance limitation to this mimicry. If Daisy is too far away from me, I won''t be able to mimic her ability. The specific distance is still unclear."


    "That''s still amazing! I wonder what my ability will be like after advancing!"


    Daisy pped happily, slightly fantasizing with anticipation.


    "Is it because you ate that zombie grass just now?"


    Be''s focus was different, and she looked at Elijah with slight anticipation.


    "Exactly! I found that zombie grass among a group of zombies. They were all surrounding it, as if they wanted to eat it!"


    "Both Daisy''s and my abilities were awakened because of the zombie virus. Since nts that can attract the attention of zombies also look strange, I wondered if they could benefit us as well."


    "Now I know, these miraculous nts can enhance our abilities, and it''s not impossible for ordinary people to awaken abilities too..."


    With Elijah''s confirmation, Be''s heart immediately pounded with excitement.


    She even forgave Elijah for the two times he had caused her to escape back to her room early in the morning!


    "What are we waiting for then? Elijah, let''s go out and find some. Let''s awaken Be''s ability first, so that all three of us are awakened!" Daisy was eager to try.


    "No need to rush. We don''t even know where to find them. I intentionally left some roots in the flowerpot. Let''s see if they can grow first!"


    "That''s true!" Daisy dashed excitedly to the flowerpot.


    "How can we make it grow faster? Do we need to water it?" Daisy stared at the small section of roots exposed.


    "No need. It only needs the corpse core from the zombie''s brain. But I don''t have any now. We''ll try nting it in the soilter when we find one!"


    "So that''s how corpse cores are used!" Daisy suddenly realized.


    Be also remembered the scene that had scared her before.


    Obviously, when Elijah was pounding her husband''s head, it wasn''t just for vengeance, but to find the corpse core!


    That was right after the zombie virus had just broken out...


    Be pursed her lips and didn''t dwell on it further. As long as Elijah treated her well, she didn''t care!


    Elijah wasn''t worried about what they might think.


    Right now, he had more confidence in his abilities. After advancing to the second stage, not only did he gain new abilities, but his original abilities also became stronger.


    For example, his ability to control zombies.


    Initially, he felt like he was controlling marites, slow and prone to mistakes.


    Now it was much smoother, more like controlling characters in a game.


    asionally, he could even receive images seen by the zombies he controlled. Just like with Abigail...


    Huh? What is Abigail looking at?

 Chapter 20: Azure Isle

    <h4>Chapter 20: Azure Isle</h4>


    The scene Abigail sent back was of an open wardrobe, filled with an array of colorful clothes, most of which were character costumes from various cartoons.


    Some of the outfits were quite bold and revealing, with very little fabric!


    "So, whose clothes are these? Daisy''s or Abigail''s? Is Daisy treating Abigail like a Barbie doll to dress up?"


    Elijah clicked his tongue twice, thinking he should definitely get Daisy to try some of them on when he had the chance.


    Then his attention shifted back to his own abilities.


    Elijah realized that besides the enhanced abilities mentioned earlier, his influence over people had also strengthened.


    Now he could imnt deep suggestions in people''s minds instantly, even reaching levels of trust and loyalty directly.


    This confirmed his spection that with time, his abilities could further enhance to the extent of deciding others'' life and death with just a thought.


    Moreover, the limit of consciousness seeds he could nt had doubled from 10 to 20. In the post-apocalyptic world, a group of more than 10 people could already be considered a small gathering.


    After all, the more people, the greater the consumption, the more difficult the management, and the exponentially increasing danger.


    The ever-mutating zombie virus weighed on everyone''s mind, making them constantly wary of those around them.


    Therefore, most groups in the post-apocalyptic world wereposed of three to five individuals, forming clusters that shared resources without a specific leader.


    Initially, Elijah nned to assemble a survival team, but now he could strive for the goal of forming a gathering ce.


    However, due to the additional second-order abilities, Elijah decided to pursue a route focused on elite forces.


    In the future, priority in recruitment would be given to those with abilities, followed by... beauties.


    After all, women were both pleasing to the eye and easier to control!


    Men had too many desires and ambitions.


    Even if Elijah could limit them with his abilities, he wasn''t nning to recruit many.


    Unless the person or ability was exceptionally unique!


    But all this was contingent on having a suitable base to ensure safety and amodate personnel.


    It was time to start preparing for the next step!


    "Alright, we''ll discuss the zombie grasster. I have something else to say," Elijah said, his expression serious, prompting Be and Daisy to adopt attentive postures immediately.


    "It''s been five days since the outbreak of the zombie virus, and this world is bing less and less like the one we knew. Awakening abilities, zombies everywhere, miraculous nts... who knows what else the future holds! And right now,munication, electricity, gas... everything is cut off. I don''t know about you, but I don''t think there will be any rescuers in the future. We can only save ourselves! You both know our situation here. We have enough food for now, but sooner orter, it''ll run out. We have limited gas, and we don''t know how long it''llst. We can only rely on going out to collect water. Without rescue, this ce isn''t suitable for long-term living. So I''m nning to leave here in a few days, find a new ce, a ce suitable for long-term survival. What about you? Do you n to stay here and wait for rescue, or join me?"


    Elijah finished speaking in one breath.


    "Of course, I''ll be with you. I''m already yours now, so don''t even think about leaving me behind!" To Elijah''s surprise, Be''s response was decisive, giving him a reproachful nce at the same time.


    "I feel like I heard something quite remarkable," Daisy stared at the two of them with a strange look.


    "I''ve found my first boyfriend, and he turned out to be a scumbag. What should I do? Waiting online, it''s quite urgent!"


    Be''s face turned slightly red as she looked to the side, while Elijah felt a twinge of headache.


    Women were not easy to handle.


    Be''s words just now might have been heartfelt, but they might also imply she intended to have a heart-to-heart with Daisy.


    After all, nominally, Daisy was his girlfriend.


    Although they had only officially be a couple yesterday.


    In practice, Be was the one he had rtions with.


    Although that was justst night...


    Elijah took a deep breath, about to break the awkward silence when Daisy suddenly interjected, "Then can you still guarantee I''ll have food to eat?"


    "Of course..." Elijah replied uncertainly.


    "In that case, no problem!" Daisy huffed twice, smoothly shifting the conversation.


    "Have you decided where to go, Elijah? If not, I have a suggestion, although it''s a bit far," Daisy asked, catching Elijah off guard.


    "Oh? Where?" Elijah''s expression changed slightly. Could it be that coincidental?


    "Have you heard of Seabreeze Terrace?" Daisy continued.


    "The row of vis near the coast? With the sr water heaters and power systems?"


    Elijah pondered briefly, immediately recalling the ce. It was a well-known gathering spot even before his rebirth.


    "That''s right. It not only has water but also a river running through themunity, with a lower poption density and rtively fewer zombies nearby. So many people in the vicinity have fled there to live. But that''s not my final destination. However,pared to my final destination, the two are not far apart. It''s only a few kilometers along the coastal road," Elijah exined.


    "Daisy seems quite familiar with the ce!" Be, unfamiliar, listened to the description, which sounded promising.


    "In fact... my parents live there!" Daisy, rarely showing a worried expression, admitted.


    "I want to go back... Can we, Elijah?" Daisy looked at him with pleading eyes.


    Seeing Daisy''s pitiful gaze, Elijah''s voice was firm. "Of course we can!"


    "That''s great!" Daisy eximed excitedly. "When do we leave?"


    "No need to rush. We still need to make some preparations. And..." Elijah took out his phone, opened the offline map, and found the Seabreeze Terrace Daisy mentioned... a ce not far from there.


    "This is where we''re going!" Elijah said as Daisy leaned over to carefully examine the map, then eximed in surprise.


    "I know this ce... Isn''t it still under development?"


    Be, too, scrutinized the map and realized Elijah was pointing to an ind not far from the coastline.


    "What''s that?" She had never heard of it, given her short time in Neoville City.


    "Azure Isle, also known as Azure Ind Resort!"


    Elijah recollected, continuing, "It should have just beenpleted and hasn''t started operating yet. It''s said to be a private ind resort specifically for wealthy individuals."


    "The ind not only has an independent power system and seawater purification system but also features ten standalone sea-view vis and a luxury resort hotel..."


    "Most importantly, apart from water routes, there''s only one road leading to the outside world on the ind. Once sealed off, there''s no need to worry about zombie attacks, ensuring absolute safety."


    Elijah briefly described the ind''s facilities and environment, immediately igniting the interest of the two.


    "With water, electricity, and a beach... I''m decided. Let''s go there!"


    Daisy was enthusiastic, especially since it wasn''t far from her parents'' home, giving her a chance to visit them.


    Be felt a twinge of envy. Her hometown was too far north, and she might never be able to return in this lifetime...


    Thinking about it made her slightly mncholic. She usually tried not to dwell on such thoughts because she understood that even if they were to reunite, it might not be the oue she hoped for.


    "Alright, now that the destination is set, the next step is to make specific arrangements..."

 Chapter 21: Cosplay

    <h4>Chapter 21: Cosy</h4>


    "Our current location is the old town center of Neoville City, about 30 kilometers away from our destination. We''ll need to cross through half of the old town and most of the coastal area. Normally, it might not seem far, just half an hour''s drive, but it''s different now. Not to mention how many zombies are outside, the virus outbreak urred during rush hour, so the road conditions definitely won''t be ideal," Elijah exined in the living room, pulling out a map he got from the backpack on the third floor to show Daisy and Be.


    "So, we need to explore where we can go, where we can''t, and where there are more zombies... We need to n out a suitable route in advance," Elijah paused, looking at Be.


    Be pursed her lips, already guessing what he was going to say.


    "Because of Daisy''s ability, this n can be implemented. My idea is that Daisy and I will set out in the evening, using her ability to conceal ourselves and avoid zombies while exploring the roads. Once we''ve mapped out the route, we''lle back, find a vehicle, load up supplies, and head straight there."


    "Doesn''t that mean leaving Be alone at home?"


    "Yes, the journey is too dangerous for her alone. Only after we''ve mapped out the route can we ensure maximum safety," Elijah replied.


    Be listened, her gaze toward Elijah filled with tenderness and gratitude.


    She understood that if it weren''t for her holding them back, Elijah and Daisy could have explored all the way without returning.


    Now, to make another round trip for her sake added a lot of danger.


    "It''s okay, go ahead. I''ll wait for you toe back!" Be said.


    "Be..."


    "Woof woof!"


    "You two don''t need to be like this, we''re not leaving right away!" Elijah said helplessly as even the dog joined in the melodrama.


    "So when do you n to set off?"


    "The day after tomorrow night..." Elijah thought for a moment. "Before setting off for exploration, we still need to make some preparations!"


    "First, Daisy needs to learn the Golden Elephant Body Forging Technique to enhance her strength. Second, I also need to look around nearby for some suitable weapons."


    "What are we waiting for then? Teach me quickly!"


    Daisy couldn''t wait.


    "You go over the first two sets of movements again. I''ll go change the dining table!" Elijah said.


    "Alright! Be, let''s practice together!"


    ...


    Elijah threw the broken dining table into an empty room on the fourth floor, then went to Daisy''s room to check on the zombie Abigail.


    He was curious about what outfit Daisy had dressed her in.


    As he entered Daisy''s room, he was immediately stunned by Abigail''s appearance!


    Her originally glossy ck hair had been transformed into short white hair, with a ck headband in the center.


    She wore a set of ck gothic-style dress, with hollow patterns at the corbone, revealing some snow-white skin.


    A portion of the fabric was cut out at the lower part of the corbone, exposing a small part of her chest.


    Further down, the skirt was divided into several pieces, and through the gaps, one could vaguely see her fair thighs.


    She wore a pair of ck knee-high leather boots on her feet, with a small section of ck stockings peeking out from under the hem of the dress.


    "Is this... the protagonist''s outfit from NieR: Automata?"


    Elijah hadn''t yed the game himself but had watched some videos.


    If she wore an eyepatch on her face and held a long knife in her hand... it would be even more perfect!


    Elijah dared to say that this was definitely the best cosy he had ever seen!


    Walking closer, Elijah noticed that even her back was well replicated, exposing arge area of skin.


    However, he wondered about the lower part... Elijah thought of the content he had seen in videos and couldn''t help but lift a section of the skirt.


    The result...


    It was a pair of flesh-colored safety shorts!


    "Disappointing!" Elijah eximed, then began to sort through the cosy costumes in the wardrobe.


    These clothes were all different, making him dizzy.


    In the end, Elijah only recognized a small portion of them.


    "If Be wears these clothes and then... hehe..."


    Elijah couldn''t help but swallow his saliva.


    There would be plenty of opportunities in the future!


    These clothes were treasures, and they had to be taken!


    Elijah made up his mind, then went to another floor to find a roughly suitable dining table and brought it back.


    In the living room, the two girls were still practicing diligently.


    Elijah ced the table down and watched their movements, feeling a sparkle in his eyes.


    Especially Be, her JK skirt was too short. And because they had already had intimate contact, she didn''t avoid anything.


    Between bending and lifting her legs, she exposed endless charm.


    "Let me teach you the next few sets of movements!" Elijah wasn''t satisfied with just watching. He quickly stepped forward and began to guide the two.


    The morning passed quickly.


    Daisy learned quickly, mastering all four sets of movements.


    Elijah taught her seriously, after all, he would be going out with her, and every improvement in strength counted.


    Be was much worse off.


    When Elijah was guiding her, he always took advantage of Daisy''s distraction to touch and pinch Be here and there.


    Be was also somewhat intoxicated by this stimulus and didn''t resist Elijah too much.


    She just rolled her eyes at him a dozen times. In the end, she learned the movements in a confused manner and was exhausted, panting heavily and blushing.


    "I... I''ll go cook first. You guys keep practicing!"


    Seeing Elijah getting more and more out of line, Be simply stopped and escaped to the kitchen.


    "I''ll go help with cooking. You continue practicing!"


    Elijah instructed Daisy and also walked into the kitchen.


    Daisy wrinkled her nose and hummed softly.


    They thought she hadn''t seen, but in fact, Daisy was fully aware of Elijah''s little actions.


    "To dare to fool around in front of your legitimate girlfriend... what a pair of scumbags!"


    "Uh~ My girlfriend status seems to be just a casual remark... Whatever, as long as there''s food!"


    Daisy had never experienced luxury since childhood, but she was never troubled by weight loss either.


    She had the kind of physique that wouldn''t gain weight no matter how much she ate.


    She had never experienced the feeling of hunger.


    However, in the days since the virus outbreak, she had been starving, especially after her superpower awakened, the sudden hunger almost made her devour the table.


    Luckily, there was still some food at home at the time, which helped her recover.


    But it also meant that she had been hungry for the past few days, with only a little bit of snacks left that she dared not finish in one go.


    She had to save them, feeling hungry every day, which made her develop an obsession with food.


    "I just want to have a meal and see my parents... I don''t care about these two dog men and women!"


    She said so, but Daisy felt somewhat ufortable in her heart and also a little curious.


    "Are they really cooking? Are they doing something bad behind my back?"


    Her heart felt ticklish, as if scratched by a cat.


    Unable to resist, Daisy quietly approached the kitchen.


    She didn''t dare to get too close, afraid of being discovered by the two.


    She vaguely heard voices from inside.


    "Why... why are you here?"


    "I''m here to help you!"


    The first two sentences sounded normal, but then Be eximed.


    "Oh! Daisy''s outside!"


    "It''s okay, she''s totally immersed in practicing and can''t see us!"


    What''s it got to do with me?


    Daisy was puzzled, but there was no more sound afterwards, leaving her confused. They said I couldn''t see?


    Then I''ll just have to look!


    Daisy cautiously peeked inside, taking a nce from a distance.

 Chapter 22: Abigail is Key

    <h4>Chapter 22: Abigail is Key</h4>


    In the kitchen, Be was selecting vegetables.


    Elijah stood behind her, holding her close.


    They resembled a couple deeply in love, sticking to each other at all times.


    Daisy nced over briefly, not noticing anything unusual, but fearing being caught, she quickly retreated.


    "Just picking vegetables, is it necessary to hold each other like that? And so tightly!" Daisy pouted.


    Back in the living room, Daisy continued practicing.


    After a morning of exercise, she noticed a significant increase in her strength, as well as a noticeable improvement in her speed.


    Coupled with her graceful figure, she hadn''t made a sound as she approached the kitchen.


    "If it were nighttime, and I used my abilities again, hmm... no one would notice me at all!"


    Daisy reveled in the flexibility and strength of her body, growing more delighted.


    She worked out even harder, losing track of time.


    Afterpleting another set of movements, she felt utterly exhausted and famished.


    "Is the food ready yet?"


    Daisy grumbled, feeling today''s meal was taking unusually long.


    "Be, Elijah, is dinner ready?" Daisy called out.


    "Almost...almost ready!" Be''s voice faintly replied.


    "Oh!" Suddenly, Be screamed.


    "Be, are you okay?" Daisy immediately rushed to the kitchen.


    "I''m fine, it''s just... I thought I saw a mouse, it startled me!"


    Be exined, her face still flushed with lingering fear, Elijah supporting her from behind.


    "That''s a relief. What''s that strange smell?" Daisy walked into the kitchen, sniffing curiously.


    "It... it might be the smell of some spoiled food..." Be said, giving Elijah a discreet re.


    "Alright, since Be''s okay, you go wait for dinner outside, you won''t be of any help here!" Elijah hurriedly ushered Daisy out.


    Only then did Be breathe a sigh of relief.


    ...


    "Why did Elijah''s help slow down dinner today?" Daisy, suspicious, looked at Elijah as they exited the kitchen.


    "Did you help or cause trouble?" Elijah looked slightly embarrassed, muttering, "I didn''t cause trouble, just helped out!"


    "What?" Daisy didn''t catch that.


    "Nothing, I need to use the bathroom first!" Elijah fled the scene.


    He returned to his bedroom, grabbed a clean pair of boxers, then entered the bathroom.


    After a quick wash and change of clothes, he felt refreshed. Indeed, this was the proper way to wear a JK skirt!


    Today''s lunch was a bitte.


    After finishing, it was already 2 o''clock in the afternoon.


    During this time, Be also went back to her bedroom to change clothes, but on the surface, it didn''t seem like she had changed.


    Only Elijah noticed when they were exercising together in the afternoon.


    In the afternoon, Be refused Elijah''s guidance and instead asked Daisy to teach her the movements.


    This made Daisy very happy; she finally got to be the teacher.


    Elijah, feeling helpless, could only stand aside, admiring the graceful figures of the two women while continuing his own training.


    By evening, with Be adamantly refusing help, dinner proceeded as usual.


    After finishing the meal, it was just beginning to darken outside.


    Elijah called Daisy over.


    "Tonight, let''s go out together. We''ll take a walk around the neighborhood, collect some supplies from the convenience store, and see if there''s any hardware store nearby."


    "Okay! Let me change clothes.e with me!" Daisy was very enthusiastic, calling her dog to follow her back home.


    Elijah also began changing clothes and preparing equipment, with Be assisting him. Before long, Daisy returned.


    She wore a long-sleeved windbreaker simr to Elijah''s, tight-fitting pants, and sports shoes, radiating youth and beauty.


    Especially her legs, outlined by the tight pants, were slender and straight, captivating anyone''s gaze.


    "Here''s a backpack for you, and a trekking pole!" Elijah handed Daisy arge backpack and a trekking pole for self-defense.


    In the afternoon, Elijah briefly taught her how to attack the vital points of zombies.


    Whether it was due to her natural talent or good foundation, her uracy was surprisingly good, reaching around eighty to ny percent.


    However, that was only in practice against lifeless objects.


    In actualbat against constantly moving zombies, achieving fifty percent uracy would be considered exceptional.


    Of course, Elijah didn''t expect her to be particrly adept at killing zombies; her abilities were sufficient.


    With everything ready, the two prepared to set out.


    "Be careful out there!" Seeing Be''s worried expression, Daisy went over to hug her.


    "Be, don''t worry!" Elijah also nodded, reassuring her not to worry too much.


    Only then did the two leave the house.


    They headed downhill and soon arrived at the entrance of the residential area.


    Elijah quietly opened the door, trying not to make any noise.


    Outside, it was getting dark, and visibility was low.


    However, Elijah and Daisy were not affected.


    Their affinity with shadows allowed them to adapt to the dark environment to a certain extent.


    Although they couldn''t see as clearly as during the day, it didn''t hinder their vision much.


    At this moment, Elijah''s sightcked some color, everything appearing in shades of ck and white, somewhat simr to the view of a nighttime camera.


    "It''s safe outside!"


    After observing for a moment and not finding any danger, Elijah let Daisy out, then closed the unit door.


    The unit door automatically locked, and without a key card or key, it couldn''t be opened from the outside.


    This ensured the safety of the building.


    After experiencing five days of the apocalypse, there were few human screams heard in the neighborhood.


    Most of the surviving people understood the situation and stopped acting recklessly, learning to hide and wait for rescue.


    So the neighborhood was very quiet, with only the groans of zombiesing from all directions.


    "Let''s clear all the zombies from the unit building to the main gate of the neighborhood!"


    Elijah activated his ability, blending into the shadows, and exined the n to Daisy as they walked.


    "One, it''ll make it easier for us toe and goter. Two, we can obtain some corpse cores, which are not only needed for the zombie grass but also for Abigail."


    "She hasn''t fed for too long, and her instinctive hunger will make her increasingly difficult to control. Even if my second-order ability can forcibly suppress her, her body will be weaker and weaker."


    "Do you want to feed her with flesh and blood? Besides, only by regrly giving her a corpse core can it work."


    "Corpse cores not only supplement the energy she needs for movement but also enhance her strength!"


    "Got it!" Daisy immediately became full of energy at his words.


    Elijah smiled with relief. Abigail, this zombie, he wouldn''tmand her like in his previous life unless it was necessary.


    Otherwise, it would be too costly if she got injured.


    After all, Daisy''s abilities were too important to him, and having her stay by his side as a nominal girlfriend wasn''t secure enough. Abigail was the key!


    ...

 Chapter 23: we have something to eat

    <h4>Chapter 23: we have something to eat</h4>


    Daisy is different from Be; she has no survival skills in the apocalypse, but her superpowers are incredibly suitable for this environment.


    So, things like managing meals and being a girlfriend may not matter much.


    Some people might be willing to give them up at any time if there are better options.


    But Abigail is different.


    She and Daisy grew up together as childhood friends, not sisters by blood, but closer than sisters.


    As long as Abigail is controble, Daisy would never abandon her casually. Of course, that alone is not enough.


    Elijah truly treats Daisy as family. Whatever she asks for, as long as it''s feasible, Elijah won''t refuse.


    Just like when she wanted to go home to see her parents, even if it''s out of the way, Elijah would agree.


    With her abilities, it''s just a matter of spending a little extra time. Treat others sincerely, and they will treat you sincerely!


    ...


    Elijah and Daisy sneaked into the shadows, unnoticed in the dark night.


    Soon, as they approached the main road of the neighborhood, they finally spotted several zombies.


    "One by one," Elijah instructed Daisy, stopping her and picking up a stone from the roadside, tossing it far away.


    The sound of the stone hitting the ground seemed particrly crisp in the silent night.


    The two nearest zombies reacted to the sound and rushed towards them. However, upon reaching the source of the sound, they found nothing.


    Puzzled, the two zombies stopped in ce and began to wander unconsciously.


    "One for each," Elijah gestured to Daisy, indicating that he would deal with one while she took care of the other.


    Then the two quietly approached. It was Daisy''s first time fighting zombies, and she was excited yet nervous, but not afraid.


    She remembered Elijah''s teachings and approached the zombie, focusing on its eyes.


    This zombie seemed to have been bitten by someone, with half of its face missing, looking particrly terrifying.


    Daisypletely ignored its appearance, focusing only on its vital points.


    With a swift motion, her trekking pole traced a blur in the air.


    "Splut!"


    The tip of the pole instantly plunged into the zombie''s eye socket.


    The zombie couldn''t even struggle, its brain mashed, emitting a low groan before copsing to the ground.


    Meanwhile, Elijah, who had been watching Daisy, saw her efficiently dispatch the zombie and followed suit with the one in front of him.


    "Well done, be mindful of hiding!" Elijah called out to Daisy, hiding in a corner himself.


    The only drawback of her ability was that if she wanted to attack something outside of the shadows, she had toe out of hiding, losing the concealment effect.


    And to activate her ability again, she needed to pause for a dozen seconds or so.


    It was somewhat simr to skills in a game, with cooldown times.


    This was already quite good; as Elijah knew, most superpowers had some ws, whether they were weak, impractical, or drained stamina heavily, making them unusable after a few uses.


    Elijah''s power was ineffective against humans at the first level, only working on zombies, but it changed at the second level.


    Daisy''s ability might not have this issue at the second level.


    After waiting for a while without spotting any other zombiesing, Elijah instructed Daisy to keep watch while he dealt with the zombies'' heads.


    Unfortunately, neither of the two zombies had any corpse cores.


    They continued on. Clearing a dozen or so zombies in this manner, they finally reached the main road of the neighborhood from the alley between buildings.


    They also harvested two corpse cores. Hiding in the corner of a building closest to the neighborhood gate, they took a moment to rest and recover their strength while observing their surroundings.


    At the entrance of the residential area, a dozen cars were jammed there, severely blocking the road, and some of the cars were even heavily deformed.


    Struggling figures could still be seen in many of the cars, those were the zombies trapped inside.


    And in the vicinity of this cluster of cars, there were still many zombies wandering around.


    Elijah could imagine that after the virus outbreak, people in the neighborhood rushed to escape for their lives,peting to drive out.


    As a result, drivers with simr ideas or encountering zombifications got stuck at the entrance of the residential area.


    Perhaps there were many zombies chasing behind them, and some people, in their desperation, even resorted to ramming the cars in front, trying to create an escape route.


    The result? Well, it was obvious.


    Despite their relentless efforts, they only managed to block the exit of the residential area more securely, and not a single car could get out.


    "Elijah, what should we do?"


    "First, we need to gradually clear out the zombies, and then figure out a way to maneuver a car in and out."


    Elijah didn''t have a particrly good solution either.


    The sidewalk at the entrance of the residential area was still passable on foot, but not for vehicles.


    And this was just the entrance; Elijah knew there were even worse bottlenecks on the road. Unless they gave up driving and walked all the way!


    But walking 30 kilometers, who knew what dangers they might encounter.


    Cars not only carried supplies but more importantly ensured the safety of the people inside.


    Following the same routine, Elijah and Daisy spent over an hour slowly clearing out the zombies that could move independently at the entrance of the residential area.


    During this time, they also obtained three corpse cores, and Daisy''s movements became more proficient.


    Elijah piled all the zombie bodies into the shaded green belt, hoping for some reward in the future.


    Then, with Daisy''s assistance, they systematically killed all the trapped zombies inside the cars.


    This part was much simpler; there was no need to hide their presence.


    For those with open windows, Elijah directly stabbed them in the head and dragged the bodies out.


    The same procedure applied to those whose doors could be opened.


    For those whose doors couldn''t be opened, Elijah smashed the ss with a crowbar and followed the same procedure.


    Their activities attracted a few more zombies, but they were easily dealt with by the two.


    "Ugh, I''m so tired! And hungry!"


    After the busy work, Daisy plopped down on the ground.


    Elijah also felt a bit hungry.


    He had a much stronger physique than Daisy, so he didn''t feel tired for the time being.


    The main reason was the considerable energy consumption of his "invisibility" ability; otherwise, he wouldn''t have felt hungry so quickly.


    Fortunately, he was prepared and took out water and some chocte and energy bars from his backpack.


    "Great, we have something to eat!"


    Seeing the food, Daisy''s eyes lit up, and she immediately took off her gloves and started eating eagerly.


    "Mmm, it''s so delicious! It''s been so long since I had chocte!"


    Daisy savored the burst of sweetness in her mouth.


    "Later, we''ll go to the convenience store at the entrance of the residential area, and you can eat to your heart''s content!"


    "Aren''t the cars blocking the entrance?"


    Daisy''s mouth was full, but it didn''t stop her from talking.


    Elijah genuinely admired her!


    "I''ve been thinking, let''s not rush to move them. With the cars blocking, the zombies can''t get in. It''s gettingte today; let''s go to the supermarket first."


    "Why wait? Let''s go!"


    Thinking of the variety of food in the supermarket, Daisy immediately became enthusiastic!


    The convenience store was right at the entrance of the residential area. With their abilities, the two sneaked into the shadows and quickly arrived.


    Seeing the convenience store''s door wide open, Elijah cautiously observed for a moment.


    The overall area of the convenience store was notrge, with only two aisles, fourrge shelves, and the end was visible at a nce.


    There were two employee zombies wandering inside.


    Elijah and Daisy exchanged nces.


    Daisy understood instantly.


    Each one swiftly and decisively killed one.


    Then Elijah closed the supermarket door, tied the handles of the two ss doors with rope for safety.


    Seeing everything was secure, Daisy immediately took off her jacket and grabbed a box to fan herself.


    "It''s so hot, so hot!"


    In the darkness, Elijah couldn''t see very clearly, but he could discern that Daisy was only wearing a sports bra inside her jacket. Large patches of snow-white skin were directly exposed in front of him.


    Elijah took out a shlight, and the indoor immediately lit up, making the surroundings brighter.


    Daisy''s figure became clearer. With the light of the shlight, he could see clearly that Daisy was only wearing a sports bra inside her jacket.


    Delicate corbones, t abdomen, were all exposed. At this moment, due to long-term exercise, beads of sweat covered her snow-white skin.


    "Aren''t you hot, Elijah? I really want an ice pop and a cold drink!"


    Daisy showed no awareness of exposing herself.


    "I wasn''t hot before, but seeing you... I feel a bit hot now!"

 Chapter 24: Exploring the Supermarket

    <h4>Chapter 24: Exploring the Supermarket</h4>


    Elijah had a much higher tolerance level than Daisy, having already adapted before his rebirth.


    His heat was more of a concern for Daisy''s well-being; he wanted to wipe her sweat away.


    "Unfortunately, the power''s been out here for days. The ice pops in the fridge have all melted, and the drinks in the cooler aren''t cold anymore!"


    Daisy felt a bit disappointed, but she quickly cheered up when she saw the abundance of snacks.


    "Potato chips, crispy rice, sour plums, shrimp chips, Oreos, cookies, wafers, energy bars..."


    Daisy picked up one after another, and soon her arms couldn''t hold them all.


    "Don''t take everything. Our backpack space is limited. Let''s prioritize high-energy and easily storable foods!"


    After Elijah''s reminder, he stuffed energy bars, wafers, choctes, and more into the backpack until it was full to the brim. Daisy obediently packed simr items because... they were all her favorite snacks!


    Their backpacks were filled to the brim, so they found two more backpacks in the supermarket and continued packing.


    There were various grains, oils, bottled water, beverages, ready-to-eat meals, and spices in the supermarket, but they couldn''t take them all. Nor was it necessary!


    They would eventually leave this ce, and it wouldn''t be toote to find a supermarket to collect supplies at their final destination.


    After filling four backpacks, Elijah wandered around the supermarket and made a surprising discovery in the innermostpartment.


    "There''s actually a generator, and it looks brand new!"


    Elijah immediately became excited. Now they could have fans blowing and cold drinks to enjoy!


    Thinking about it, many foods in the supermarket needed refrigeration.


    If there were a sudden power outage, it would be fine for a short time, but in the long run, those items would spoil.


    It was all money! So, having a generator as a backup was only natural.


    Elijah cut the output line of the generator and then effortlessly lifted it out.


    There wasn''t much fuel inside the generator, and it wasn''t heavy overall. It might not have even been used yet.


    There happened to be a small bucket of diesel nearby, and Elijah dly epted it!


    "Elijah, what are you moving?"


    "A generator. You''ll have cold drinks tomorrow!"


    "Wow! That''s great!"


    Daisy was very happy and immediately helped Elijah move the items to the entrance.


    "We''ve got a bit too much stuff to carry back. We''ll need to find a vehicle!"


    "The big cars can''te out, but the tricycle can!"


    Daisy pped her hands. "I remember there''s an electric tricycle at the entrance. We can use it to bring back more stuff!"


    "Alright, let''s go together!"


    Elijah and Daisy returned to the residential area. Along the way, they encountered zombies attracted by themotion in the supermarket, but they dealt with them easily, gaining another corpse core.


    Luckily, the electric tricycle still had power. Daisy sat in the driver''s seat, a bit unfamiliar with driving, but managed to navigate it outside.


    Elijah remained vignt in the cargo area, watching their surroundings.


    The tricycle smoothly passed through the pedestrian walkway at the entrance of the residential area and was driven directly to the supermarket entrance by Daisy.


    "You keep watch; I''ll start loading!"


    Elijah jumped out of the tricycle, opened the supermarket door, and first secured the generator and diesel. Then he grabbed several bags of grains and oils.


    Next, he began loading bottled water and drinks by the case until the tricycle was filled to capacity.


    "All set! Let''s go!"


    After securing their backpacks, they ced the two extra backpacks on the tricycle, and Daisy continued to drive.


    Due to the heavy load of water and drinks, the tricycle struggled a bit.


    Elijah gave it a push, and it slowly started moving. He followed closely, keeping an eye out for any sudden dangers.


    Fortunately, they had dealt with the zombies on the road beforehand, and the two safely returned downstairs.


    Elijah opened the unit door and unloaded the items into the hallway.


    Looking at the hallway packed with water and drinks,bined with the food they had collected from the entire building, even if they stayed in this building without going anywhere else, they would have enough to survive for a long time.


    "How about we go get more stuff?"


    Daisy looked excitedly at the supplies, eager to go for another round, even wishing to empty the supermarket directly.


    "Let''s not. When we leave herepletely, if there''s space avable, we cane back for more. For now... it''s unnecessary. We have enough as it is!"


    "Alright!"


    Once the excitement wore off, Daisy felt a bit tired. ncing at the time, she realized it was almost midnight without her noticing.


    "Let''s lock the unit door, leave the stuff here for now. I don''t think anyone would dare to take it. Let''s go back and rest early!"


    "Mm-hmm," Daisy nodded in agreement.


    Of course, they couldn''t go back empty-handed. Elijah used his strong physique to lift the generator and fuel together, then briskly carried them up to the fifth floor.


    Daisy followed behind, carrying two other backpacks.


    Be held a shlight and stood by the door. When she heard any noise outside, she immediately turned on the shlight for illumination.


    As Elijah opened the door, he saw Be happily shining the light for him to enter.


    "Is this... the generator?" Be, being more knowledgeable than Daisy, refrained from asking what it was.


    "Yes! Be, tomorrow we''ll have cold drinks!"


    Excited, Daisy walked in, setting down her backpack.


    "I''ll figure out how to use it first!"


    Elijah ced the generator in the dining room, where the distribution box was located, then took out the apanying manual.


    The first page introduced the types of generators.


    "Diesel generator sets for household use, 120V 60HZ ...." Elijah nced at it and skipped ahead to the usage instructions and scope of application.


    "This generator not only has minimal noise, but it can also power the refrigerator, air conditioner, washing machine, fan, and light bulbs together. Nice, nice!"


    Elijah understood how to set it up, fetched a screwdriver, and connected the output terminal of the generator to the main switch of the distribution box.


    He also disconnected the external power lines.


    This way, only their apartment would have electricity.


    Elijah poured diesel into the generator, turned on the ignition switch, found the pull cord beside it, and pulled hard. With just one tug, the generator immediately emitted a buzzing roar.


    Using the shlight to illuminate the voltmeter, Elijah saw that the voltage stabilized at 120V and immediately turned on the power switch on the generator.


    In an instant, the lights in the house turned on, apanied by various electronic startup sounds.


    The sudden brightness made it difficult for the three to adjust their eyes for a moment. It took them a while to get used to it.


    "Ah, I almost don''t want to go back now!" Daisy looked up at the lights, feeling reluctant.


    "Then you can stay here, and sleep with me tonight!" Be held her hand, which made Elijah somewhat unhappy.


    What about me if you two sleep together?


    Hmm~ Be''s bed is quite big, can three people squeeze in

 Chapter 25: we don’t need to rescue him

    <h4>Chapter 25: we don''t need to rescue him</h4>


    Daisy was somewhat tempted, but then she felt the corpse core in her pocket and declined.


    "I still need to go back to be with Abigail and Little Yellow!"


    The puppy had followed her back when she changed clothes earlier and had been locked in the house since.


    "Alright, it''ste. You should go to sleep early!" Be expressed some regret.


    The two of them saw Daisy off, while Elijah wandered around the house and unplugged unnecessary appliances.


    The generator would also need to be turned off soon since the fuel was running low. Keeping it running all night might exhaust the fuel by tomorrow.


    It was better to use the gas canister efficiently; luckily, there wasn''t much gas left, and they could cook with electricity in the future.


    Elijah finished his chores and saw Be standing elegantly in her JK skirt under the light, her long and fair legs seemed to be shining.


    The image of her in the kitchen at noon sparked a fiery desire in him.


    Entering the bathroom, Elijah took off his clothes and quickly washed away the sweat. When he came out again, Be blushed immediately.


    "Why... why aren''t you wearing clothes?"


    "Because I''ll have to take them offter anyway..."


    Elijah approached and hugged her tightly.


    "I''m... I''m still organizing things!" Be weakly resisted for a moment.


    "These things can wait. We can do them tomorrow. We weren''t satisfied at noon, so let''s continue now... There''s no need to worry about Daisy suddenlying out again..."


    Just then, a scene Abigail had seen suddenly shed through Elijah''s mind.


    Daisy, under the moonlight, walked gracefully to Abigail, pouting slightly, and fed her a corpse core.


    Daisy must have just finished washing because she didn''t have any clothes except for a pair of underwear.


    Elijah got excited immediately.


    He lifted Be and headed towards the bedroom!


    ...


    Sixth day of the apocalypse.


    Today, Elijah and Be woke up a bitte.


    Daisy didn''t rush over like she did yesterday.


    She had eaten too many snacksst night and didn''t feel hungry, so she enjoyed a rare lie-in.


    Elijah and Be had stayed upte yesterday, and Be didn''t understand why Elijah was so excited. He almost killed her.


    She deeply felt Elijah''s enhanced body strength and formidable recovery after being strengthened again.


    Be was a bit worried.


    If his strength continued to increase in the future, would she be able to handle it?


    Thinking of this, she pinched Elijah hard.


    "What''s wrong?" Elijah was dressing and looked at Be''s half-covered appearance, feeling a little tempted again.


    Unfortunately, Daisy was about to arrive.


    He sensed Daisy''s location shifting, first to the first floor, then quickly heading to the fifth floor.


    "Elijah, open the door, I want a cold drink!"


    Soon, Daisy''s energetic voice rang out.


    Elijah had just finished dressing and went to open the door for her.


    "Huh? Is the generator not working?" Daisy walked in, carrying two cans of c.


    It turned out she had gone downstairs early to get drinks.


    "There''s not much fuel left, so we tested it yesterday and then turned it off!"


    Elijah restarted the generator and ced the drinks in the refrigerator.


    "Just wait a moment, by the time Be finishes breakfast, they''ll be nice and cool!"


    "Alright!" Daisy pouted.


    Soon Be emerged as well, dressed simrly to yesterday, soft and translucent on top, with a short skirt below.


    Elijah noticed that he particrly liked her dressed like this; he had asked her to keep wearing it sincest night.


    So today, she stuck with the same outfit. Elijah''s gaze once again lingered on her, especially on her skirt and legs.


    Be felt a sense of joy in her heart, greeted Daisy, and went into the kitchen to start cooking.


    "While we''re at it, let''s bring up all the water from downstairs!" Elijah called out to Daisy.


    The two of them went downstairs, bringing up water and drinks to Elijah''s room several times.


    "Wow, Elijah, you still wet the bed at this age!" In Elijah''s bedroom, Daisy discovered something amusing and immediately teased him.


    Elijah looked at the impression on his mattress, a strange smile on his face as he patted Daisy''s head.


    "Little sis, you''re still too innocent!"


    "What do you mean?" Daisy dodged him, feeling puzzled.


    "What about today''s girlfriend privileges?" Elijah suddenly remembered, disrupting her train of thought. "You already have Be... let her kiss you!"


    Daisy grunted discontentedly and dashed off to the kitchen to see Be cooking. Breakfast was finished in a harmonious atmosphere.


    Afterward, Elijah gave Be three corpse cores and asked her to bury them in flowerpots.


    The remnants of the zombie grass have now been entrusted to Be''s care. Whether they can regrow again is truly a matter of miracles rather than just watering.


    Last night, a total of six corpse cores were obtained. Another three were given to Daisy to feed Abigail.


    During the morning, the three of them each exercised individually. As noon approached, there was suddenly a loud noise from outside.


    The three of them gathered on the balcony to see what had happened and noticed a drawing board had fallen to the ground.


    Because Elijah and Daisy had cleaned up the nearby zombies yesterday, themotion only attracted a few zombies from the opposite corridor.


    "Elijah, look at the 12th floor across from us," Be reminded him.


    Elijah looked up and saw a man wearing a white short-sleeved shirt on the 12th floor across from them waving at them. Then, the man took out a canvas with three words written on it ¡ª "Help me".


    "Hmph, an artist! Quite clever!" Elijah quickly figured out the situation.


    Last night, when they generated electricity and kept the lights on for a while, it was quite conspicuous in the pitch-ck neighborhood.


    Moreover, the building opposite had a clear view of themunity entrance, as well as their three-wheeled bike parked downstairs and the tightly closed unit door.


    With a little thought, it was clear that there were capable people in their building.


    "Do we need to rescue him?" Be asked subconsciously, despite not wanting unfamiliar men to join them.


    "Why rescue him when no one came to rescue us?" Besides, one man is enough here!"


    "Yeah, we don''t need to rescue him!" Daisy agreed, her tone somewhat annoyed.


    "Um, Daisy, do you know him?" Elijah asked subconsciously, sensing her displeasure.


    "Humph! I don''t want to know him. He''s a scumbag, a jerk!" Elijah suddenly became interested.


    "What''s going on? Tell me!"


    "He''s the art teacher at our school. He often flirts with students because of his looks and talent. I heard he got several students pregnant and irresponsibly abandoned them. Once he met us in themunity, knowing that Abigail and I were from the same school, he kept appearing narcissistically in front of us, harassing us. Little did he know that Abigail had already figured him out..." Daisy said angrily.

 Chapter 26: Mutant Zombies

    <h4>Chapter 26: Mutant Zombies</h4>


    Elijah brought out the binocrs and examined carefully.


    The man wore round-framed sses, giving off a very artistic vibe. His physique looked good, even in a simple white shirt, he exuded style!


    Such a man would surely attract women, especially college students; he might even be considered a god among men.


    No wonder his reputation was so poor, and female students fell for his tricks. Or perhaps, it was a case of willing participation on both sides.


    But what did it matter to him? In the apocalypse, all these things were irrelevant; only strength mattered!


    "Is he really that despicable? Forget it, let''s not watch anymore. Let''s make some food!" Elijah drew the curtains shut, and Daisy immediately burst intoughter.


    ...


    Elijah''s guess was correct; Benjamin had a habit of staying upte. Artists often found inspiration in the quiet of the night.


    Last night, he had been excited to see the lights on at Elijah''s ce, thinking the power was back.


    However, after checking all the switches at home and finding no electricity, he realized it was only on Elijah''s side.


    There was no light anywhere else outside except at Elijah''s ce.


    Benjamin understood that they might have a generator but had no idea where they got it from.


    Maybe the property management or the nearby supermarket might have one.


    The next morning, Benjamin noticed an electric tricycle downstairs on the opposite side and found the unit door tightly shut.


    He went to the south-facing window and noticed that the group of zombies that had been wandering at themunity entrance had disappeared.


    He immediately realized they might have gone to the nearby convenience store.


    So he took out the binocrs he bought for spying and observed the opposite side. Sure enough, he found arge amount of food and drinks in the corner of the room, along with two women and a man. He recognized one of the women, a student from his school named Daisy.


    The first time he saw Daisy, he was deeply attracted to her.


    Her figure, her long and shapely legs, and her sweet and charming face were much better than any woman he had been with before.


    So he pretended to bump into them by chance, asked for help, and subtly revealed his identity and talent. In the past, after just a few casual chats, those women couldn''t wait to jump into his bed.


    But Daisy seemed uninterested. At first, he didn''t mind, butter, she even threatened to sue him for harassment.


    He felt ashamed and resentful, so he bought binocrs to spy and take some private photos.


    But now, seeing them with so much food, drinks, and electricity, Benjamin decided topromise.


    He came up with a n to make some noise to attract their attention and then disyed a distress message on the canvas.


    Benjamin thought that since they dared to go to the supermarket, they might not be indifferent to his plea for help when they saw him nearby.


    But after holding it up for a while, they ignored him and even closed the curtains...


    Okay! Damn it! I''ll remember this! When I have the chance, I''ll kill those two bitches!


    One day passed quickly. In the evening, Elijah and Daisy set off again. This time, they were looking for diesel and hardware stores.


    Daisy once again started her beloved tricycle, and the two headed straight out of themunity. After a day, they had cleared the way from their building to themunity gate of zombies.


    But as they left themunity, the number of zombies increased again.


    "Elijah, there''s a small truck parked over there!"


    They were looking for the truck to get diesel. Daisy''s destination was the intersection where themunity merged onto the main road.


    Outside theirmunity, it was an east-west road with sixnes in both directions.


    It was supposed to be wide, but due to people fleeing themunity and traffic idents, it was chaotic and congested.


    "Zombies aren''t that plentiful!"


    Elijah nced around; many car owners were hiding inside their vehicles, guarding against zombie bites.


    However, they managed to evade the outside threat but couldn''t escape the mutated virus, eventually turning into zombies themselves.


    "Let''s take it slow," Elijah and Daisy descended from the tricycle, following yesterday''s method, slowly clearing the wandering zombies outside.


    They didn''t dare to venture deep into the group of cars, only luring and killing zombies in open spaces.


    Because Elijah knew, in there, a zombie could emerge from any corner, catching them off guard.


    Soon, a pile of corpses umted, and no more zombies approached. Elijah began to crack open skulls, tossing the zombie bodies into the nearby greenery, while Daisy kept watch.


    "Today''s haul isn''t bad!"


    Killing over twenty zombies, they obtained four corpse cores. With a one-fifth probability, it wasn''t too low.


    Elijah gave two cores to Daisy, who was now taking care of Abigail and needed to stock up.


    Daisy happily epted.


    Yesterday, after feeding Abigail with the corpse core, she noticed a significant improvement in her reactions.


    She had a hunch that as long as they persistently fed her, Abigail might recover one day.


    "We don''t need to deal with the zombies in the cars for now; they can''te out anyway. Let''s get the diesel first!"


    Elijah and Daisy slipped into the shadows, cautiously heading towards the small truck.


    Along the way, they passed many vehicles, some of which had zombies trapped inside. Some cars were particrly bloody, with bloodstains covering the windows. One could imagine the situation at that time.


    Family members or passengers in the back suddenly turned into zombies, while the driver in the adjacent or front seat remained unaware. Then, taking advantage of their distraction, they bit through their veins. Amidst the sttering blood, people struggled continuously, but they were trapped by seat belts or locked doors, unable to escape. Eventually, they were consumed by the virus, turning into zombies driven solely by hunting instincts.


    "Ah!" Suddenly, as they passed an SUV, a zombie inside violently banged against the ss, roaring at them. Elijah and Daisy were startled. They were in the shadows; even humans couldn''t see them, let alone zombies. How did this zombie...


    Elijah''s mind raced as he nced into the car. Indeed, he saw four bodies gnawed into pieces. The shape of this zombie inside the car was even more bizarre. It seemed to have no bones, slithering like a snake in the confined space of the car.


    "A mutated zombie?" Seeing the zombie unable to break the ss, Daisy''s courage grew. "A mutated zombie?"


    "Yeah, it seems to be a mutated zombie with some kind of enhanced perception ability; otherwise, it wouldn''t have noticed us!"


    "Why is its body so strange?" Daisy was astonished to see the zombie contorting its body, its face almost touching its rear end, yet still able to move freely inside the car. Her own body was flexible, but she couldn''t perform such inhuman movements.


    "The space inside the car is narrow. Perhaps during its mutation, it chose to sacrifice strength for agility and flexibility to maneuver inside the car more easily."


    Elijah observed the zombie''s eerie movements inside the car, continuously banging against the ss, making guesses.


    "What should we do next?"


    "I''ll try to control it first. This could be a great opportunity!"

 Chapter 27: Elemental Vision

    <h4>Chapter 27: Elemental Vision</h4>


    "With the flexibility and perception it''s showing now. If we encounter it in an open environment, we might not be able to catch it!"


    Mutant zombies are also known as first-order zombies, corresponding to first-order awakeners among humans.


    Some of them have be extremely powerful and bizarre, while others, like human awakeners, possess incredible abilities.


    In his previous life, Elijah had tried to control them several times, but the seeds of consciousness encountered fierce resistance when manipted, simr to animals.


    The cost of being unable to control them was being hunted down by the zombies following their instincts. He was almost killed once.


    At that time, Elijah believed it was because his psychic abilities weren''t sufficient.


    So when he guessed that the corpse core might be able to cultivate mutant zombies, he didn''t dare to try, fearing not only wasting his efforts but also endangering his life.


    Now that he''s second-tier, he has some confidence.


    "We can''t just smash the ss, otherwise, it would be dangerous if it seizes the opportunity to escape!"


    Elijah observed the body of the car and quickly came up with a solution.


    Near the rearview mirror of the car, there was a small triangr piece of ss, about the size of two palms, no matter how the zombie tried to drill, it couldn''t get out.


    He took out the sheep horn hammer and smashed it twice.


    The zombie inside was initially startled and then, seeing the gap, rushed out suddenly.


    "Bang!"


    It collided with the car!


    The flesh and blood on the zombie''s face were smashed into a blur, looking particrly ferocious.


    Elijah bit his finger and injected the blood containing the seeds of consciousness into the zombie''s open mouth.


    A spiritual beam connected him and the zombie.


    "Sure enough..."


    Elijah''s seeds of consciousness felt a faint resistance inside the zombie''s body.


    It was a world of differencepared to his attempts to control mutant zombies in his previous life.


    It was much easier to control now. Soon, Elijah received feedback from the zombie.


    One of the uses of energy immediately caught his attention.


    "I guessed right, this zombie indeed has superpowers!"


    Unlike Daisy''s energy circting throughout her body, the energy inside this zombie mainly operates in its head, especially in the eyes and ears.


    Elijah simted the opponent''s ability and immediately felt a rush of heat flowing towards his eyes and ears.


    The scene in front of him immediately shattered and reformed, as if veiled in a thin mist, making it difficult to see anything clearly, except... humans and zombies!


    No, it should be said,rge-bodied creatures with vital signs! They were shining like fireflies, so bright in the darkness!


    Whether they were directly visible or obstructed by obstacles, as long as they were within his field of vision, they all appeared vividly before him.


    "It''s a bit like radar! No, it''s more like Elemental Vision!"


    Elijah remembered a game he had yed.


    "Is this how it''s subdued? It feels incredible every time I see it!"


    Daisy looked at the zombie obediently, staring at it curiously.


    "It''s a female! Too bad her face is ruined..."


    After Elijah had adjusted to the zombie''s ability a bit, he found that there was no danger around, so he smashed the ss window, opened the door, and let the zombie out.


    After spending a long time inside the car, the zombie appeared somewhat disoriented when it emerged, its body twisted in an odd posture.


    Eventually, the instincts of the creature prevailed. Its bones rapidly wriggled, gradually restoring a human-like stance.


    At this point, Elijah could clearly see the zombie''s figure; indeed, it was a female zombie!


    Earlier, amidst the blood sttered around the car and the zombie contorting its body, covered in blood, it was hard to tell.


    As it stood fully upright, its gender became apparent. The upper half of its clothing, either torn or hanging loose, resembled ragged pieces of cloth.


    Unfortunately, her face was utterly disfigured from repeatedly colliding with the vehicle, coupled with the bloodstains and foul odor emanating from her body, Elijah wasn''t inclined to look further.


    "Alright, the danger is averted. Let''s refuel with diesel," Elijah walked to the front of the truck, found the fuel tank cap, unscrewed it, and inserted the hose he had prepared earlier from his backpack into the tank.


    He sucked hard, and diesel immediately began to flow continuously into the bucket they had brought over.


    They filled two and a half buckets in session, nearly 50 liters of diesel, without any spige.


    "There''s quite a lot of fuel in this car!"


    Daisy happily sealed the bucket with duct tape, and the two of them carried it back to the electric tricycle.


    Throughout the process, Elijah kept using the zombie''s superpowers to observe their surroundings to ensure their safety.


    "With this zombie''s superpowers, we can avoid many dangers in the future, right?"


    Finally free from the constant strain of maintaining his powers, Daisy was in a good mood. After all, relying on superpowers all the time was too exhausting.


    "Still, we shouldn''t be too careless. Have you forgotten how this zombie discovered us? Who knows what other abilities could evade this one?" Elijah cautioned.


    "Alright," Daisy pouted, knowing that Elijah was thinking about their safety.


    "Shall we continue looking for diesel?" After they had stored the diesel, Daisy noticed there was still an empty bucket on the electric tricycle.


    "These should be enough until we move. For now, let''s find a hardware store." Elijah had no objections. They didn''t use the tricycle again but walked eastward.


    The female zombie led the way.


    They observed the road conditions while searching for a hardware store.


    "I remember there was one nearby."


    Elijah''s memory was somewhat fuzzy; after all, it had been quite a while since the apocalypse, even counting the year before the rebirth.


    "Elijah, are you looking for weapons in the hardware store?" Daisy remembered Elijah mentioning something like that before.


    "Right! The weapons we have are too inadequate!"


    Elijah shook the umbre in his hand.


    After these past few days of continuous fighting, the tip of the umbre was slightly crooked, and while the umbre body was supported by umbre bones, it was still functional.


    Daisy also looked at the trekking pole in her hand.


    As her strength grew, it was indeed bing less convenient to use, light and weightless,cking in substance.


    Sometimes, when she exerted too much force, the pole would bend, fearing it might snap.


    "A hammer would be more useful. If it could be bigger and longer, that would be great!"


    Daisy tightened her grip on the hammer in her other hand.


    A long and short weapon, these were their standard equipment to deal with fights at different distances.


    "With your strength, you could use a long-handled fire axe or a mountain axe, ensuring a one-axe, one-brain scenario. The only problem is, it''s not easy to find such things!"


    The city was different from the vige or the mountains; who usually needed a mountain axe?


    "A mountain axe?"


    Daisy visualized arge double-ded axe with a long handle in her mind. Had she seen it somewhere before?


    "Ah! I know where to find one!"


    Suddenly, Daisy jumped up excitedly. "I know someone whose house has a lot of weapons..."

 Chapter 28: A Master Appears

    <h4>Chapter 28: A Master Appears</h4>


    "Collectible weapons? Daisy, what we need are real weapons, not weapon models!"


    "But they are real! That axe is particrly heavy, I couldn''t even lift it before! And there are big swords, spears, and swords..."


    Daisy danced with excitement.


    "Charlotte teacher has collected many weapons!"


    Elijah was skeptical.


    "Charlotte teacher?"


    "Yes, Charlotte is our dance teacher, we can go to her and check it out!"


    "Where does your Charlotte teacher live?"


    Elijah was also somewhat excited.


    If this Charlotte teacher really has many weapons, and they''re all real, that would really solve the urgent need.


    "She lives in the staff dormitory of our school!"


    Elijah''s brow furrowed!


    "School... that''s not a good ce. No matter what school, there are countless students inside, which means there are enough zombies to form a horde. Even the most powerful ability holder is helpless against a zombie horde."


    Elijah''s body faintly ached; he had died in a zombie horde before.


    Seemingly guessing what Elijah was thinking, Daisy patted her chest.


    "Elijah, you don''t need to worry about encountering too many zombies! The staff dormitory is on the south side of the Sunlight Sports Stadium, while the student dormitory is on the north side, quite far away. And we can sneak in all the way in the shadows!"


    Elijah listened and felt it made sense. It was his heavy psychological burden that had momentarily frightened him.


    He had forgotten about the convenient superpowers they possessed now. Moreover, Daisy''s school was conveniently located to the east, not far away and on the way.


    "Then let''s go!"


    Elijah activated his ability and, together with Daisy, merged into the shadows, with the female zombie leading and the two of them following behind.


    The female zombie walked crookedly, as if she might fall over at any moment, but miraculously maintained bnce at critical times.


    And its speed was not slow, moving without making a sound.


    "Not only does it have sensory abilities simr to vision, allowing it to detect prey in advance, but also this eerie way of moving... If it weren''t in a car but outside, it could easily cause an ident if not careful!"


    Elijah''s attention shifted to the female zombie''s body, feeling somewhat fortunate.


    "Maybe after going back, I can try to advance Abigail as well. Perhaps she can awaken some magical abilities too! I just don''t know how many corpse cores it will take..."


    Excluding Be''s, they currently had six corpse cores in their hands. Considering the standard for cultivating zombie grass, probably four cores would be enough.


    But Elijah had never done it before and wasn''t sure if it would be sessful.


    He mentioned his thoughts to Daisy, which excited her greatly.


    "I''ve already fed Daisy one, I''ll try feeding her four more tonight when we go back!"


    As they spoke, they soon passed through an equally chaotic intersection.


    A few hundred meters ahead, they arrived at the entrance of Daisy''s school.


    "Don''t use the main entrance!"


    Daisy grabbed Elijah and then pointed to a nearby side road.


    "Let''s take this way. We can climb over the fence and go straight to the staff dormitory!"


    Elijah understood immediately. It was a one-way road, with the school''s fence beside it.


    delivery person often used this route to deliver food to the teachers and students across the fence.


    At this moment, not far ahead of them, several delivery zombies were wandering aimlessly.


    Elijah hid behind the female zombie to conceal his presence.


    Switching to Elemental Vision ability, he observed inside the fence, finding no danger.


    "Let the female zombie stay outside on guard, you go over first!"


    After switching back to Daisy''s ability and activating it again, Elijah let Daisy go first.


    He remained vignt, watching his surroundings to guard against any sudden situations.


    Daisy grabbed the fence and leaped up, flipping over it gracefully andnding lightly on the ground.


    Elijah was somewhat surprised; he hadn''t expected Daisy to be so agile, like a cat.


    He couldn''t even guarantee that he wouldn''t make a sound whennding.


    "Elijah, it''s your turn!"


    As soon as Daisynded, she immediately stayed alert to her surroundings and whispered to Elijah.


    Elijah also grabbed the fence and flipped over it, making a "thud" sound uponnding.


    The several delivery zombies were immediately rmed and sprinted over.


    "Hiss~"


    At this moment, the female zombie suddenly opened its mouth and roared, causing the delivery zombies to stop, hesitate for a moment, and eventually leave.


    "Huh? Are they afraid of mutated zombies?"


    Daisy found it very curious.


    "Not exactly fear, more like animals, they have their own territorial awareness. Mutated zombies are stronger than ordinary ones. Although they can''tmand ordinary zombies, they can still intimidate them a little."


    Elijah exined.


    "Let''s go, now I need you to lead the way!"


    "Okay!"


    Once inside the school, Daisy was familiar with the route!


    The two of them wandered around and soon arrived at a cluster of buildings.


    "Is this the staff dormitory?"


    Elijah asked, looking at the imposing dormitory building in front of them.


    "Yes, but Charlotte teacher isn''t here!"


    Daisy continued to lead Elijah inside. In a quieter area further in, there were several two or three-story row vis.


    "This is where the senior staff like the professors and the dean live. Charlotte teacher''s father is also a teacher at the school, and she lives with her parents!"


    As Daisy finished speaking, Elijah suddenly pulled her back.


    Daisy was puzzled and followed Elijah''s gesture, only to find several zombie bodies lying there.


    These zombies were all in the same condition, with their necks almost all chopped off.


    Even those whose necks weren''t severed had clearly been attacked with a knife on their heads.


    "This is the work of a master!"


    Elijah muttered. From the chopping marks and the technique of cutting, it was evident that this person was skilled with a knife.


    "It must be Charlotte teacher! She''s okay!"


    Daisy eximed excitedly.


    "If it weren''t for theck of cranial incisions, I would have thought someone else was reborn like me..." Elijah thought to himself.


    It was only the sixth day of the apocalypse, and most people with a bit of food were still hiding.


    Anyone who coulde out to kill zombies in the early stages of the virus outbreak was either crazy or tough.


    Elijah was eager to meet this person!


    Daisy approached the front gate.


    "Knock, knock, knock!"


    The crisp knocking sound echoed.


    Meanwhile, Elijah remained cautious of his surroundings. Soon, sounds of movement could be heard from inside.


    "Who is it?"


    A crisp female voice inquired. Just by hearing the voice, Elijah could sense the other person''s calm andposure.


    "Charlotte, it''s me, Daisy!" Daisy replied cheerfully.


    "Daisy? Are you alright? Why did youe over sote at night?"


    The gate "creaked" open, revealing a tall figure standing at the doorway. Surprisingly, the figure was taller than Daisy, almost reaching Elijah''s height.


    "Who''s he?"


    In the moonlight, Charlotte, the teacher, nced at Daisy first, then immediately noticed Elijah standing alert nearby.


    "He''s... my boyfriend!" Daisy hesitated for a moment before revealing an unexpected answer to Elijah.


    "Hello, I''m Elijah," he introduced himself first.


    "Charlotte," Charlotte replied, then turned to Daisy and said, "This isn''t a ce to chat. Come in!"


    Charlotte...


    Why did that name sound so familiar?

 Chapter 29: could he be incapable

    <h4>Chapter 29: could he be incapable</h4>


    Elijah pondered silently, but he couldn''t recall ever meeting a woman like her.


    Once both of them were inside, Charlotte closed the door and lit a candle.


    The pitch-ck room immediately illuminated with a dim yellow light.


    Elijah then got a clear look at Charlotte''s appearance.


    She wore loose home clothes that didn''t reveal much about her figure, but her long legs hinted at her attractiveness.


    Her facial features weren''t as gentle as Daisy''s nor as refined as Be''s.


    They had a slightly rugged outline, with sharp eyebrows and eyes, yet they also exuded a distinctly feminine beauty, preventing any gender confusion.


    Her hair was tied back in a ponytail, giving off an aura of elegance andposure. While Elijah observed her, Charlotte was silently assessing the two of them.


    Daisy spoke first, her energetic voice crisp and charming. "Charlotte, did you kill the zombies outside?"


    "Yeah," Charlotte responded.


    "I knew it! Charlotte, you''re amazing!"


    "You''re amazing too! Venturing outside at this hour!"


    Charlotte affectionately patted Daisy''s head.


    "Humph! That''s because I awakened superpowers!"


    Daisy boasted proudly, like a child showing off to her parents.


    Charlotte pretended to be surprised. "Superpowers?"


    "Yeah!" Daisy chirped, describing her abilities without revealing Elijah''s.


    Elijah didn''t intervene, seeing Daisy''s considerable trust in Charlotte.


    "No wonder you can run over herete at night. Your boyfriend... he''s awakened superpowers too, right?" Charlotte suddenly turned to Elijah.


    "You could say that," Elijah replied with a faint smile. From her unsurprised expression, he had already guessed.


    "Charlotte, you''ve awakened abilities too?" Daisy was astonished.


    Charlotte just smiled without answering, then asked, "Why didn''t I know when you started dating? What about Abigail?"


    "Abigail... she..." Daisy''s mood dampened, and Charlotte immediately understood,forting her, "Everyone has their fate. We''re lucky to be alive. There''s no need to be too sad. Abigail would surely want you to live happily."


    "Yeah..." Daisy nodded, then asked about Charlotte''s parents.


    "I buried them in the garden," Charlotte replied casually, as if it were a trivial matter. But Elijah could sense the strength in her words.


    He also understood what had happened to the zombies outside.


    Being willing to risk their lives to bury their parents showed much more filial piety than disying any outward signs of grief.


    "Hmm... Uncle, Aunt..." Daisy, feeling sad, couldn''t help but think of her own parents, which made her even sadder.


    "Alright, I didn''t get too sad, look at you..." Charlotte embraced Daisy,forting her, while her gaze shifted to Elijah, changing the subject.


    "You two came here risking dangerte at night, must not be just to see me, right?"


    "Um, well... Daisy said you have real cold weapons here... we don''t have suitable weapons, so we came to take a look!" Elijah exined.


    "I see... that''s not impossible!" Charlotte pondered for a moment. "Come with me, see what you want?"


    She picked up the candle and headed to the stairs, where there were stairs leading upwards and also to the basement.


    Charlotte turned into the basement, followed by Elijah and Daisy.


    In the basement, it was quite spacious, with the faint candlelight illuminating only a small area. Elijah looked around; this ce seemed to have been renovated.


    Originally, it was unclear what it looked like, but now it resembled a dance or martial arts studio.


    And at the innermost wall stood several huge wooden racks, on whichy numerous weapons, ones that could only be seen in martial arts movies or anime.


    "Knives, swords, spears, axes, hooks, and halberds..." Indeed, there was every kind of weapon!


    Elijah spotted seven or eight knives among them.


    Apart from the mostmonrge hoop knives, there were also Japanese samurai swords, curved knives, horse-cutting swords, and simple knives, among others.


    "Are these all real?" Elijah was somewhat incredulous.


    There were nearly a hundred weapons in total, each type having seven or eight pieces.


    What kind of person would collect so many real weapons?


    "You can pick them up and see for yourself!" Charlotte snorted.


    She didn''t care about anything else, but when it came to weapons, she didn''t allow others to question.


    "Charlotte is a martial arts fanatic; she has loved ying with weapons since she was a child. Don''t doubt her weapons; it took her many years to collect them!" Daisy whispered to Elijah.


    Elijah nodded, walked to the weapon rack, and picked up the heaviest weapon, the axe Daisy had mentioned.


    The axe was somewhat exaggerated in shape, resembling a crescent moon, with onerge and one small de, a handle about five feet long, made of metal, and there was no visible welding point at the connection between the axe head and the handle, as if it were cast as a whole.


    After Elijah picked it up, he realized it was indeed very heavy.


    He could only lift it with one hand, and swinging it would require both hands on the handle.


    "This must weigh at least a hundred pounds. It''s really made of solid material. With this weight, even without an edge, swinging it, if it hits, would maim if not kill!"


    Elijah marveled, liking it very much.


    If he were to use it to chop zombies, one after another, not a single zombie could withstand two blows.


    But it was too heavy, inconvenient to carry, and not suitable for long-termbat, which would be a huge drain on stamina.


    Charlotte, standing beside him, was already stunned by his ability to pick up the axe with one hand.


    When she saw him grip the axe with both hands and swing it freely, her eyes seemed to sparkle.


    "How about that, isn''t Elijah amazing!" Daisy, looking at Charlotte''s astonished expression, smiled triumphantly.


    "Wow! Where did you find such a boyfriend? You haven''t even told us yet!"


    Charlotte quickly suppressed her surprised expression, but her eyes remained fixed on Elijah.


    "It''s just... just my upstairs neighbor, he agreed to cook for me, so I made him my boyfriend!" Daisy replied awkwardly.


    "Huh?" Charlotte was shocked by Daisy''s bizarre logic!


    "You... you!" She didn''t know what else to say!


    "Did he bully you?"


    "Hmph! I''m not stupid. Oh, speaking of which, I haven''t given him today''s girlfriend benefits yet!"


    "What benefits?" Charlotte was a bit lost.


    "Just kisses! Being his girlfriend, I have to give him some benefits, like kissing him every day!"


    "That''s it?"


    "Yeah!"


    Charlotte immediately thought Elijah was not bad. Facing such a beauty like Daisy, he only needed kisses.


    If I were Daisy''s boyfriend, I wouldn''t just settle for kisses.


    This Elijah... could he be... incapable?

 Chapter 30: Charlotte’s superpower

    <h4>Chapter 30: Charlotte''s superpower</h4>


    How can a man say he''s not capable?


    If Elijah knew what Charlotte thought of him, he''d definitely make her experience his marksmanship firsthand.


    Unfortunately, Elijah was too engrossed in his y, switching to arge sword without hearing what the two were saying.


    "All brawn, no finesse!"


    Charlotte was slightly disappointed.


    "Elijah hasn''t learned martial arts!"


    Daisy defended Elijah, then walked over to the weapon rack herself.


    "I''ll pick a weapon too!"


    Daisy remembered Elijah mentioning an axe before, so she picked it up to try.


    She didn''t have Elijah''s strength, and holding it with one hand was a bit difficult. Eventually, she had to steady it with both hands.


    After swinging it a couple of times, she felt her arms grow sore.


    But even this was enough to astonish Charlotte!


    If Elijah could wield it, she thought his strength must be considerable, perhaps even enhanced by some superpower.


    She herself had undergoneprehensive physical enhancement after awakening.


    However, Daisy''s original strength was well-known to her. Previously, she could barely move it on the ground, let alone lift it.


    "It''s too heavy, not suitable for me!"


    Daisy pouted.


    "How did your strength increase so much, Daisy?"


    Charlotte asked directly.


    For her, as a martial enthusiast, strength wasn''t the most important thing, but when it reached a certain level, it became crucial.


    Even the most exquisite technique would be useless against this axe.


    "Um... well..."


    Daisy looked at Elijah with difficulty.


    "Can I say it?"


    Elijah set down the knife in his hand.


    "Let me say it!"


    He saw the room full of weapons and his hunter''s heart rejoiced!


    But after all, it wasn''t his. Out of gratitude to Daisy, taking one each might be fine. They couldpensate herter with supplies, but asking for more wouldn''t be appropriate.


    So, he had the idea of recruiting.


    After all, besides weapons, Charlotte had also awakened abilities. These two points were sufficient, not to mention she was a beauty.


    "I wonder how you see the future?"


    Charlotte raised her eyebrows. "How? Probably lying down!"


    "Um..."


    "Just kidding!"


    Charlotte chuckled lightly. "Your question is too broad, but I understand what you mean. I''m pessimistic!"


    "Well, there are too many zombies in the urban area, water is scarce, not suitable for long-term survival. So, we want to find a new ce. We''ve already selected a suitable target. I want to ask if you''re willing to join us and leave here?"


    "If I join your group, will you tell me how to enhance my strength?"


    "Correct! Wait, what group? It''s a team!"


    Elijah''s forehead twitched.


    "Alright, I''ll join!"


    "Um..."


    Charlotte''s decisive agreement caught Elijah off guard, leaving him with a lot to say but holding it back.


    "Don''t you want to ask for more details? Like how many people are in our group? What you''ll need to do..."


    "It''s our team!"


    Charlotte corrected Elijah.


    Elijah was speechless, being led into a pit!


    "Hurry up, I''ve agreed. Why so many questions? Just spit it out!"


    "But it''s not just about saying it verbally!"


    Elijah smiled faintly, extending his finger to break open the scab on his wound, squeezing out a drop of blood.


    "You need to ingest this drop of my blood!"


    Charlotte nced at Daisy, seeing her cheerful expression, and knew there wasn''t a problem.


    Immediately, it dawned on her.


    "Rted to your ability?"


    "Correct, but there''s a reward for consuming it!"


    Charlotte didn''t hesitate, lowering her head to suck his finger into her mouth.


    Elijah felt a small tongue deftly licking his finger, barely having time to savor it before it swiftly withdrew.


    An invisible bond connected between the two.


    After licking the blood, Charlotte kept a close eye on her body''s changes.


    She dared to consume Elijah''s blood due to her trust in Daisy and her own ability.


    Her awakened superpower wasn''t as miraculous as Daisy''s, merely enabling her to conduct microscopic examinations on her own body.


    In simpler or more esoteric terms, she could introspect.


    So, she also wanted to see what trick Elijah was up to.


    Once the blood entered her body, it immediately transformed into an invisible energy, drilling into the back of her brain.


    Charlotte closed her eyes, her consciousness not limited to her brain but extending along the meridians, tracing the path of that energy.


    Soon, she found the energy attached to the back of her brain, rooted in her nerves, slowly siphoning her energy to sustain itself.


    At the same time, she felt a sense of being watched.


    As if someone was constantly peeping at her.


    Charlotte immediately wanted to remove this energy.


    She felt she could do it.


    But after some thought, she didn''t act immediately. Instead, she followed the feeling of being watched with her consciousness, rushing into that energy.


    After a dizzying whirl, she was startled to find her consciousness leaving her body, surging towards Elijah through an invisible channel.


    At that moment, another consciousness collided head-on with hers.


    It was Elijah''s consciousness.


    The moment he received feedback from Charlotte''s superpower, his consciousness also began to extend along the meridians, but his control wasn''t proficient.


    So, he rushed out along the frequent exchange of information.


    The two consciousnesses converged and merged in the void.


    In that moment, both felt a sense of beingpletely exposed in front of each other.


    They left deep imprints in each other''s consciousness.


    Then they hurriedly retreated to their bodies.


    They both opened their eyes simultaneously.


    Their bodies involuntarily shuddered.


    A blush spread across Charlotte''s face.


    "You..."


    She started to speak but didn''t know how to continue.


    Elijah felt somewhat relieved!


    Fortunately, just now it was only a trace of his consciousness, not carrying many thoughts and information, just pure curiosity.


    Otherwise, his reincarnation might have been exposed.


    But... what was that feeling of the merging of consciousness just now? It felt kind of good?


    But thinking about how they had shown everything to each other in that moment, it made him both love and hate it.


    "Wee to our team!"


    Elijah reached out his hand, Charlotte hesitated for a moment but shook it.


    "Phew! Finally, I can breathe a sigh of relief!"


    Daisy said joyfully.


    Although the mental sh just now seemed long, it was actually just a moment. To Daisy, they both behaved quite normally.


    "Um, so Charlotte, what''s your awakened ability? I''ve been wanting to ask but didn''t dare to!"


    Daisy looked at Charlotte curiously.


    Elijah smiled faintly.


    "I think it''s introspection, like what''s described in martial arts novels or fantasy novels! By the way, my ability is contract.


    At the first level, I can control the zombies that have signed a contract with me. At the second level, I can mimic the abilities of those who have signed contracts with me!"


    "So, the drop of blood just now was the medium for the contract?"


    Charlotte suddenly understood.


    Including how Elijah and the others managed to evade the numerous zombies outside and safely arrive here.


    "Wait, second-level ability?"


    Charlotte''s eyes widened in surprise.

 Chapter 31 It all fits perfectly!

    Chapter 31 It all fits perfectly!


    "Yes! Not only do we have methods to quickly enhance the strength of the capable, but we also have ways to advance secondary abilities!" Elijah finally let out what he had been holding in, feeling much relieved!


    Charlotte immediately looked at Elijah with new respect. She had already held him in high regard, but it seemed she had underestimated him!


    At this moment, she finally found some interest in this team, not just for the sake of bing stronger.


    "Besides you and Daisy, do we have anyone else in our team?"


    "Yes, one more person."


    "Does that mean I''m also a co-founder? Is the person male or female?"


    "Female."


    Charlotte looked at Elijah with a hint of strangeness in her eyes.


    A team with four members, three of them female, seemed odd to her.


    But... she liked it. She didn''t want to live with a stranger man.


    As for Elijah... he wasn''t a stranger anymore.


    Due to the mental fusion they had experienced, there was an inexplicable sense of familiarity.


    "Has she awakened her ability too?"


    "Not yet."


    "Not yet?"


    "Yeah, we also know how to safely awaken abilities, but it requires something that''s not easy to find."


    Elijah didn''t hide anything. Although they had just met, he found that Charlotte didn''t resist his mental suggestions after the spiritual fusion they experienced.


    Perhaps there was a shape of him in her mind?


    Charlotte was somewhat numb from the shock. It was only the sixth day of the zombie outbreak, right?


    The majority of rational people were holed up at home waiting for rescue.


    Even though she could easily deal with zombies, she had never thought of going outside.


    But Elijah... not only had he started running around outside, but he also knew how to awaken abilities, how to enhance the strength of the capable, and even how to advance abilities. It was simply unbelievable!


    Could he be rted to this virus outbreak, or does he know some insider information?


    Charlotte could only make such guesses reluctantly.


    "Alright, it''s gettingte! Daisy, you demonstrate the body forging technique to Charlotte, and then we''ll pick up a couple of weapons and head back!"


    "Sure thing, Elijah!"


    Daisy happily walked over to Charlotte. In the past, she had always taught herself, but today she finally had the opportunity to teach someone else!


    "Hmm, the Golden Elephant Body Forging Technique?"


    Charlotte''s expression was slightly strange.


    "Yes! Elijah taught us this. The effect is amazing. My strength has improved significantly from practicing this!"


    After Daisy finished speaking, she walked to the open space and began to demonstrate.


    As Daisy''s movements unfolded, the expression on Charlotte''s face became even stranger.


    Even Elijah felt a bit ufortable watching.


    "Is there a problem?"


    "No... well, yes, there''s one. Where did you learn this body forging technique?"


    Charlotte stared at Elijah.


    "Uh... that''s ssified."


    Charlotte remained nomittal.


    After Daisy finished her set of movements, she skipped over to Charlotte.


    "How was it, did Charlotte learn it?"


    "Of course!"


    Charlotte walked to where Daisy had been standing just now, closed her eyes, and recalled for a moment. After a while, she moved!


    Unlike Elijah and Daisy, Charlotte''s movements were graceful and elegant, flowing like a dragon.


    Shepleted the entire set smoothly, without any pause, as if it were effortless.


    "Hey? Hey? Hey~"


    Daisy eximed, feeling incredulous and hard toprehend!


    It''s not just about learning anymore, it''s simply astonishing! It''s like the student surpassing the master!


    Moreover, some of the details in the movements are different from what Elijah taught, but they blend seamlessly, giving the feeling that it should be this way in the first ce.


    Elijah is dumbfounded at this moment!


    "Why does this name sound so familiar?"


    "Charlotte!"


    And introspection... it could also be considered a form of extrasensory perception!


    It all fits perfectly!


    The founder of the Golden Elephant Body Forging Technique¡ªCharlotte, is Charlotte...


    Elijah always thought it was a man, so he didn''t think along these lines.


    At the same time, he curses the person who sold him the forging technique; they didn''t even teach it correctly... It''s like selling pirated goods back to the manufacturer!


    How embarrassing!


    "How did I do in learning this?" Charlotte asked with a smirk.


    "Charlotte, did you learn this before?" Daisy finally caught on. She couldn''t believe someone could reach this level just by watching once.


    Even though Charlotte is a dance teacher who has specifically practiced martial arts and is a martial arts enthusiast, she loves researching these things the most!


    "That''s right. I learned it from an ancient book, but it wasn''t called the Golden Elephant Body Forging Technique; it was just called body forging. It''s said that when mastered, it gives the strength of an elephant or a tiger."


    "Not self-created?" Elijah was surprised.


    It seems like the whole story, including the name, was just a bluff!


    "Did the ancient book mention anything else?" Elijah''s mind was intrigued.


    "Hmph! Noment!" Charlotte retorted.


    Elijah rubbed his nose.


    Women, they hold grudges too much!


    "Since you also learned body forging, didn''t you see whates after? Or did you learn from somewhere else..." Charlotte squinted, staring at Elijah intently.


    "I only saw this body forging technique!" Elijah calmly replied.


    "Alright! I''ve practiced this body forging technique before, it''s just for physical fitness. But I didn''t expect it to have such effects now... The content behind it is somewhat mysterious; I need to experiment with it and let you know if I find any results!" Charlotte said.


    Elijah chose to believe her and didn''t inquire further.


    "It''s gettingte today. Let''s pick a couple of weapons and head back. We''lle again tomorrow, and by then, I''ll bring some supplies for you!"


    "Alright!" Charlotte agreed, as she was also nning to practice body forging alone.


    The three of them walked to the weapon rack, and Elijah already had his eye on something; he picked up a long spear made entirely of metal.


    "Do you know spear techniques?" Charlotte asked. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    "Do you need any fancy techniques for poking zombies? It''s not like I''m fighting people! Besides, you''re here; you can teach meter!" Elijah chuckled. He just wanted something handy.


    In his previous life, he used a crowbar to poke zombies, so it should be simr... right? And using a spear is much cooler!


    If only he had a horse...


    "Alright, the spear you''re holding is actually decorative. It''s made entirely of special steel, solid and heavy. It''s too heavy to wield, but it suits you well now!" Charlotte exined.


    Elijah felt the weight; it was probably dozens of pounds, indeed very heavy, but with his current strength, it was manageable.


    Looking at the spearhead, it was rhomboid in shape, with a high spine, thin de, and a sharp tip, integrated with the spear shaft.


    Poking zombies with this must be very efficient.


    The more he looked, the more he liked it!


    "I''ll take this one!"


    Then he nced at the weapon rack again, hesitated for a moment, and said, "Can I pick another close-range weapon?"


    Although the sheep''s head hammer was useful, there are better options here!


    "Sure, these weapons are meant for people to use. It''s just that there wasn''t an opportunity before. Now that they can shine in your hands, I''m also delighted!" Charlotte said.


    In that case, Elijah wasn''t polite either. He turned around and picked up two short-hafted hammers from another weapon rack!


    "This is the lying melon short-hafted hammer, also cast entirely of metal. In ancient times, it was specifically used to break heavy armor!" Charlotte exined.


    Elijah had seen it in movies, it seemed to be called the golden gourd warrior wearing it.


    Now holding it in his hands, it was quite heavy; the two hammersbined were not inferior to that long spear!


    "I''ve made my choice! Daisy, what weapon do you want to use?"


    Daisy hesitated for a moment. She originally wanted to use an axe, but it was too heavy!


    Soon, her eyes lit up!


    "Just use this!"

 Chapter 32 Quite Sweet

    Chapter 32 Quite Sweet


    The seventh day of the apocalypse.


    Elijah and Be woke up veryte.


    Perhaps it was a moment of departure.


    Be was unusually proactive.


    It led Elijah to apletely new experience.


    If it weren''t for Daisy knocking on the door again, they would have lingered in bed.


    Unfortunately, nothing could stop Daisy from wanting to eat.


    Elijah went to open the door while Be walked to the wardrobe. She looked at the array of clothes and picked out a slightly professional-looking outfit.


    The skirt was short, with the top two buttons of the blouse undone, revealing arge expanse of fair skin and a hint of cleavage. She wore ck stockings on her legs and small leather shoes.


    A very enticing professional woman appeared in the mirror.


    Be smiled faintly. Compared to the youthful Daisy, she had her own advantages.


    ...


    Last night, after Daisy chose her weapons, the two of them returned the same way without anyplications.


    When they reached downstairs, Daisy couldn''t wait to return to her own home and feed Abigail the corpse core. Elijah, on the other hand, brought back the collected diesel fuel and also stationed the mutated female zombie outside the building as a guard.


    "How''s Abigail? Any changes?" Elijah opened the door as Daisy walked in with two knives.


    He could observe Abigail through his ability, but he couldn''t see any external changes.


    "Mmm~ Abigail seems to be full. After feeding her three corpse cores yesterday, she didn''t want to eat anymore. I only fed her thest one this morning!" Daisy said somewhat regretfully. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    "She probably hasn''t finished digesting, so there hasn''t been any change!"


    "How many people can just know what to eat like you do!" Elijah teased.


    "If you... if you say that again, there won''t be any girlfriend benefits for you today! Hmph!" Daisy huffed. On the way back yesterday, she kept her promise and gave him a kiss as a girlfriend benefit.


    "Where''s your third knife? Why do you only have two?" Last night, Daisy finally chose three knives. She wanted to be a swordsman with three des!


    As for why a swordsman would use knives instead of swords... Daisy didn''t understand, she just wanted to use them like that.


    "Humph, did you really think I wanted to y as a swordsman with three knives? I only need one! I gave the other one to Abigail; her cosy character is missing a knife. Thest one is for Be''s self-defense!" Daisy rolled her eyes at Elijah.


    He didn''t expect this girl to still be thinking about her Be! Elijah felt a little ashamed. He only thought about himself yesterday and forgot to prepare for Be.


    "What are you giving me?" Be finally walked out after changing her clothes.


    Elijah immediately stared at her.


    He didn''t expect Be to wear an officedy outfit at home.


    She was naturally beautiful, and this outfit showcased her delicacy and allure even more vividly


    Especially those beautiful legs, already irresistible; now, with ck stockings, they were even more captivating and enchanting.


    If Daisy weren''t right there, he would really want to carry her back to bed.


    "Be, you look so beautiful today!" Daisy went up to her, linking arms with her.


    "Just haven''t doneundry for a few days, didn''t know what to wear, how can Ipare to your beauty!" Be smiled faintly, very satisfied with Elijah''s performance, her eyes almost popping out.


    Today, Daisy and Elijah were about to set out to explore. Although she knew they woulde back for her, Be still felt a little uneasy.


    Her most attractive thing right now is her appearance, so she went to great lengths to dress up today. She just wanted to add a bit of security!


    "Be, this is a gift from me to you. Take a look and see which one you like." Daisy pushed two knives in front of Be.


    Be heard Elijah mention it briefly yesterday. She also saw Elijah''s new weapon, an exquisite spear. Knowing that Daisy also had new weapons, she didn''t expect one of them to be for her.


    Her heart warmed, and she lowered her head slightly to conceal her emotions. At the same time, she appraised the two... knives?


    They should be knives, right?


    Be wasn''t very knowledgeable about weapons, but looking at the scabbards, they could also possibly be swords?


    "Can I take them out and have a look?"


    "Of course!"


    These two knives, one had a ck and gold alternating scabbard, and the other had apletely red scabbard, with only metallic cloud patterns at the bottom.


    Be subconsciously chose the red one. She grasped the handle and pulled it out with force. The knife came outpletely.


    It was a Tang sword, about 70 centimeters long with a handle about 30 centimeters long. The de was straight and shiny, reflecting dazzling light under the sunlight.


    Although she didn''t understand much about weapons, Be was still amazed!


    "Is this a knife or a sword?" But then Be became a little confused.


    The reason was that two-thirds of the de near the handle was single-edged, but at the tip, it had a shape simr to a double-edged sword.


    "Charlotte said this is a double-edged Tang sword. Isn''t it beautiful?" Daisy said, pulling out the other knife.


    This knife was just a normal Tang sword, and the one Daisy left for Abigail was a slightly curved Miao knife.


    The Miao knife resembled a stalk of wheat and was simr to a Japanese katana.


    The scabbard and handle of that knife were white, and she thought it matched well with Abigail''s Neil''s attire, so she left it for her.


    "Thank you, Daisy, I really like it!" Be hugged her and epted the double-edged Tang sword.


    "Are you hungry? I''ll make something delicious for you!"


    "Okay!" Be walked into the kitchen with her ck stocking-d legs.


    Elijah''s eyes followed her all the way.


    "Humph!" Daisy next to him snorted forcefully.


    Elijah rubbed his nose and then looked at Daisy.


    Her outfit today was the same as usual, a small camisole on top and shorts on the bottom.


    It was all about being cool and breathable. Her two legs were fair, long, and evenly straight.


    What would she look like with ck stockings on?


    She didn''t have Be''s mature charm. Maybe she should wear white?


    "What are you thinking about?" Daisy couldn''t help but question when she noticed him staring at her legs.


    "I''m wondering what you would look like in stockings... Oh, no, I mean, what kind of transportation we should use tonight!"


    "You big pervert!" Daisy pouted.


    "Oh, after you said that, if I don''t do something naughty, I feel like I''ve been wronged!" Elijah didn''t feel guilty about being scolded. Instead, he rubbed his hands together and smiled at her.


    "Humph, you dare!" Daisy puffed up her chest and humphed.


    "You''re my girlfriend, what wouldn''t I dare!" Elijah didn''t back down, taking a step forward, and their bodies almost pressed against each other.


    "Huh? Oh, right..." Daisy seemed to have just remembered this, looking a little dazed.


    Elijah was enchanted by her adorable appearance and couldn''t help but tightly embrace her.


    "Oh my!" Daisy eximed, then it turned into a whimper as the words at the tip of her tongue were blocked!


    Daisy''s eyes widened; this was her first time.


    She was a bit at a loss, stunned.


    Was this kissing?


    Mmm~ such a strange feeling!


    Oh no!


    Daisy came to her senses and was about to struggle when Elijah seemed to sense something and immediately let go of her.


    "This is today''s girlfriend benefit. Let''s do this from now on!" Elijah seized the opportunity.


    "You... you wish! I... I don''t want it!" Daisy wiped her mouth and gave him a stern look.


    "Humph! I''m ignoring you! I''m going to find Be!" Elijah watched Daisy run away, smacking his lips.


    Well, that was quite sweet!

 Chapter 33 Waiting for Your Return

    Chapter 33 Waiting for Your Return


    Breakfast was ready, and Daisy still seemed a bit sulky, constantlypeting with Elijah during the meal. Be watched the two of them yfully.


    After breakfast, the three of them rested for a while and then began practicing body forging techniques together.


    Although they knew there were ws, it didn''t affect the excellent results they achieved.


    They nned to correct any mistakes when they reunited with Charlotteter.


    Among the three, Daisy, needless to say, was already very skilled.


    Be finallypleted the entire set of movements.


    Elijah observed and guided them, and when Be finished, he couldn''t help but praise her, saying, "Be, you did very well today. It wasn''t in vain for me to provide in-depth guidance all along!"


    Be couldn''t help but roll her eyes at his so-called "in-depth guidance." Was it even serious?


    "Practice a little more every day from now on. Although your strength hasn''t increased much yet, it will still help with your overall health. When you have the chance to awaken your abilities in the future, it will definitely enhance your strength!" Elijah advised.


    Be pursed her lips and nodded in agreement.


    "Daisy, let''s take a break from body forging techniques for now and focus on getting familiar with our new weapons. After lunch, we''ll rest for the afternoon and discuss our route!" Elijah paused for a moment before continuing.


    "Sounds good!"


    So, they each took their respective weapons and began getting ustomed to the weight, feel, and usage methods.


    Daisy chose a knife, not just for the yful "three-knife style" and wanting to give one to Be and Abigail each, but also because she had learned some basic knife skills from Charlotte.


    Although it was more of a yful nature, Charlotte mainly trained them in using knives and swords.


    Influenced by anime, both Daisy and Abigail preferred using knives.


    So, when they asionally went to y with Charlotte and saw her martial arts practice, they would join in.


    Inspired by this, they even created a dance routinebining some knife techniques. It was a huge hit atst year''s school event.


    However, back then, they mostly practiced with wooden knives, as real ones were too heavy, making it difficult to persist for long periods.


    Now, with Daisy''s greatly enhanced strength, the feeling of a real knife in her hand was lighter than before.


    Daisy didn''t unsheathe the knife but instead gestured with the scabbard. Unlike the elegant and graceful movements of a sword, the knife involved more powerful and forceful strikes.


    Daisy recalled Charlotte''s advice from the previous night. Beginners should not be confined to the forms and routines of knife techniques.


    They should first practice the basic use of the knife.


    Sweep, chop, flick, slice, graze, parry, sh, thrust!


    All knife techniques evolved from these eight basic movements.


    Only by mastering the basic movements of knife techniques and making them instinctive could one avoid confusion in the face of the enemy and reach the level of countering moves with ease.


    Daisy had learned these basic movements before, although she only vaguely understood them.


    She saw them as extracurricr rxation and supplementation to her dance lessons.


    But fortunately, she had a foundation.


    Now, with her greatly enhanced physique and having faced off against zombies several times, albeit mostly relying on her abilities, practicing knife techniques feltpletely different.


    In the past, when she practiced each basic movement, it was just practice. Now, she was thinking about facing zombies¡ªwhether her strike angle was appropriate, if her strength was sufficient, and if she could kill with one blow.


    And because of body forging techniques, she began to understand the force techniques of each movement, whether they were as Charlotte had taught, and if there were any areas for improvement.


    This was the beginning of her entry into knife techniques.


    Observing Elijah, he didn''t really care much. He didn''t know any core actions of marksmanship¡ªblocking, grabbing, or stabbing.


    However, he had a year of experience poking zombies with a crowbar during the apocalypse.


    He could use the spear as a crowbar, and with the weight of this spear, even swinging it like a club could easily crush a zombie''s skull.


    At the moment, his priority was to be familiar with the weight and length of the spear, strengthen his grip, and strive to make it as easy to use as an extension of his arm.


    With limited space in the room, Elijah practiced thrusting on the balcony.


    With his left arm in front and his right arm behind, he held the stainless steel spear with both hands, exerting force with his legs, twisting his hips, and turning his waist.


    The spear thrust out like a dragon, piercing through the air with a cold gleam, causing a whistling sound from the friction. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    "Very powerful!" Elijah felt the impact of the thrust just now.


    He had a feeling that even if there were an iron te in front of him, he could pierce through it with one thrust.


    He couldn''t help but grip the spear tighter.


    The more he looked at it, the more he liked it. So, he couldn''t wait to practice again.


    The two of them practiced until noon, sweating profusely.


    While Be cooked, she started the generator, and they managed to get a little electricity, experiencing a bit of modern cooling.


    "Ah, it would be so great if we had electricity every day, and water too! It''s been so long since I''ve had a bath!" Daisy slumped in her chair, feeling the cool breeze from the air conditioner.


    To save water, although they were sweating profusely, they could only wipe themselves down with wet towels, and the used water had to be flushed down the toilet.


    But thanks to this, their bodies didn''t smell too bad. Even a little fairy would be smelly if she didn''t bathe in this hot summer!


    However, this also made their water supply more and more tense.


    "Very soon, once we reach our destination, there''s a whole ocean waiting for you to enjoy!"


    "Yeah, I want to y in the water on the beach! I heard the most famous thing about Azure Isle is the golden beach and the marina filled with luxury yachts. We can even go boating out to sea..."


    Daisy closed her eyes and daydreamed.


    "I can''t wait for everything you said!" Be brought out the food and also felt a bit wistful. Even though staying here might be safer!


    "Alright, let''s eat, let''s eat. In the afternoon, we''ll n our route. As long as everything goes smoothly, all your dreams wille true!"


    After lunch, Elijah took out the map, and the three of them nned their route together.


    The fastest route was undoubtedly to head east from their neighborhood for about seven to eight kilometers until they reached the coastal road.


    Then, they would head south along the coastal road for about 30 kilometers until they reached their destination¡ªAzure Isle!


    However, there were dozens of traffic lights along this route, and each one could potentially cause congestion, making it impossible to proceed normally.


    So, they needed to consider alternative routes. How to quickly bypass blocked roads when the main route was congested.


    They discussed until evening, preparing various ns, but the specifics would still need to be decided after a field inspection.


    After dinner, Daisy went back to her house to change into outdoor clothes. Elijah also got dressed neatly under Be''s care.


    "Before wee back, don''t go out, and don''t open the door for anyone. Wait for us toe back. There''s enough food and water in the house tost you for a few months..."


    Be suddenly covered Elijah''s mouth with her fingers.


    "I don''t want to survive alone for months. You muste back to get me!"


    "I will!" Elijah looked at her worried expression and kissed her softly.


    Be also hugged his neck in response. They only let go when Elijah felt Daisy heading upstairs.


    "Do you like my outfit today?" Be asked Elijah, a little shyly.


    "I love it!" Elijah replied without hesitation.


    "I''ll wear this outfit until youe back. You can do whatever you want then..."

 Chapter 34 Be safe all the way!

    Chapter 34 Be safe all the way!


    "Really?"


    Elijah''s eyes lit up as he looked at her rosy lips.


    He already had a picture in his mind.


    Over the past few days, the two of them had gotten to know each other quite well.


    But apart from that, there hadn''t been any further breakthroughs.


    Elijah had some thoughts, but unfortunately, Be wasn''t too keen. Now...


    Be slightly turned her head away, feeling a bit embarrassed, and muttered, "You can do whatever you want when youe back..."


    Elijah was ecstatic!


    "In that case, you stay home obediently and wait for me. Wait for me toe back..."


    "What for? Is there anything else you haven''t finished?"


    Daisy came back at this moment!


    Elijah looked at Be, and everything was understood without words. Be chuckled and left Elijah, embracing Daisy.


    "Be safe all the way!"


    "Don''t worry, Be!"


    Daisy also hugged Be back, patting her on the back.


    "Alright, let''s go!"


    With his backpack on and spear in hand, Elijah was ready!


    "Let''s go!" Daisy also got her backpack ready, holding her Tang sword in hand, waving goodbye to Be before closing the door.


    Be stood in front of the door, not leaving for a long time!


    "How''s Abigail doing?"


    As they reached the fourth floor, Elijah nced into Daisy''s house.


    The little dog was in the nest Daisy had made for it in the living room, eating.


    Because they didn''t know how long they would be gone, Daisy had prepared plenty of food for it, and now it was happily eating, ignoring Daisy.


    "There hasn''t been much change!"


    Daisy was a bit disappointed!


    "Maybe Abigail still needs some time to digest. After all, zombie grass doesn''t grow in a day!"


    Daisy also understood this truth, so she wasn''t disappointed.


    "Is the door inside closed properly? If we go too far this time, I don''t know if my ability will still be able to control her!"


    In his past life, the farthest Elijah had ever controlled a zombie was only a few kilometers away.


    So he really didn''t know the limit of his ability.


    If the control failed, it could endanger others.


    That''s why Elijah had Daisy keep Abigail locked in her room.


    "It''s closed properly!"


    The two continued downstairs and quickly arrived outside the unit door.


    The mutated female zombie from yesterday was still on guard here.


    After confirming that the unit door was locked, Elijah let the zombie scout ahead. The two of them then rode the tricycle out.


    After four rounds of clearing, there were no more zombies from the unit building to the entrance of themunity.


    There were certainly still zombies in other parts of themunity, but it didn''t affect their outing, so they didn''t bother.


    Their first stop was the supermarket, where they stocked up on high-calorie food and water, both for themselves on the road and to bring some to Charlotte.


    There was still some rice and noodles left in Charlotte''s house, but without gas and electricity, it was inconvenient to cook.


    If Elijah and the others were a day or twote, she would have to consider cooking with firewood. N?v(el)B\\jnn


    The two packed their backpacks full, and then returned to themunity entrance.


    "Whichever entrance or exit in themunity has cars blocking it, but the road outside themunity entrance is still passable. We just need to move one or two cars blocking the entrance of themunity, and we can drive the car out along the entrance!"


    Elijah already had a n in mind.


    "The key is, what do we do once we''re out of themunity?"


    Daisy also observed the surroundings.


    Normally, the vehicles from theirmunity would exit from the exitne, turn right, and merge onto the main road heading west.


    If they wanted to go east, they could only go west first for about a hundred meters, where there was a dedicated U-turnne, and then make a U-turn to the east.


    Now, Elijah and the others wanted to go east. Going west and making a U-turn wasn''t feasible because it was already blocked.


    However, going directly east, the main road was full of westbound traffic, and the entrance to themunity was alsopletely blocked.


    "Reversing on the non-motorizedne isn''t an option either, because the road is blocked here, and there are drivers on the main road who are trying to be clever by using the non-motorizedne, but they''re also blocked."


    Elijah remembered the route he had takenst night.


    "It seems we can only go on the sidewalk! It should be just wide enough!"


    Elijah signaled Daisy, once again measuring the width of the sidewalk.


    If there were any obstructive bicycles or other vehicles, the two of them would move them aside, and they walked for about a hundred meters.


    "There are fewer cars on the main road here! We should be able to get onto the main road from the sidewalk and drive in the opposite direction!"


    Elijah breathed a sigh of relief.


    Since no one was checking anymore, they could drive however they wanted!


    "Let''s pick up the pace!"


    The oppositene on the main road was smooth, and even if there were asional cars, it didn''t affect their progress.


    The two of them entered stealth mode and quickly ran forward, with the mutated female zombie following behind.


    Along the way, there were many zombies wandering on the road, but they didn''t pay them any attention.


    They kept running until they reached the next intersection, where they were blocked by a group of cars.


    There were more zombies here, and the two of them carefully observed their surroundings.


    The central road waspletely blocked, but most of the cars were heading north and south, indicating that it was probably the green light for the north-south direction.


    The vehicles in the east-westne that Elijah and the others were currently on were neatly stopped at the stop line.


    "We can turn right, there aren''t many cars in the southboundne, and then turn around to the north and return to this intersection before turning right again to the east!"


    It was like circling around to the north before returning to the main road heading east. There was no other way, as they needed to go to the school ahead.


    Following the nned route, they encountered some ces where the road was narrow due to many cars, but fortunately, they managed to pass through.


    Returning to the main road heading east, this time it was thene on the right side with normal traffic, and there weren''t many cars, unlike the oppositene they had traveled earlier.


    They arrived at the school gate without much obstruction by vehicles, but there were many students and numerous zombies, probably around fifty or sixty.


    "What should we do?" Daisy looked somewhat dumbfounded.


    "Tsk! Don''t you university students have sses to attend? Why are you all running outside!" Elijah felt a headacheing on.


    Dealing with so many zombies one by one wasn''t realistic; it would waste too much time. But they needed to be able to drive in.


    "There are so many people at the gate precisely because of sses," Daisy exined. If there were no sses, who wouldn''t want to stay in their dorms?


    Running to the gate early in the morning was because most of the teaching buildings were near the school gate!


    "We need to lure these zombies away. Otherwise, with so many people crowded together, it''s easy to be discovered even with our abilities!"


    "Yeah, so does Elijah have any good ideas?"


    "Ideas? Well, it''s not that there are none..."

 Chapter 35 Its all about intelligence

    Chapter 35 It''s all about intelligence


    Elijah rubbed his chin, recalling a certain n he had used in his previous life.


    "Let''s go, let''s go back and find a car with zombies in it!"


    Daisy followed Elijah back for a short distance.


    Along the way, there were scattered cars, most of which were trapped with zombies inside.


    Elijah found the nearest car, an SUV with its window half open.


    The driver inside had already turned into a zombie, sitting dumbly inside.


    Elijah deactivated his stealth mode, and the zombie in the car immediately noticed him, struggling violently, mouth wide open, emitting a hideous roar.


    Elijah bit his finger, flicked a drop of blood into the zombie''s mouth, and controlled it.


    The zombie driver quieted down.


    Elijah opened the car door and looked inside. It was an automatic transmission, which felt lucky.


    They didn''t need to change cars again!


    Then, he took out some duct tape and firmly tied the zombie''s right foot to the elerator.


    Its hands were also tied to the steering wheel, with one hand specifically stuck to the middle of the horn.


    "Elijah, what are you doing?" Daisy looked puzzled.


    "You''ll see soon enough."


    Elijah smiled mysteriously, gesturing for Daisy to stand back a bit.


    He turned the key to try to start the vehicle.


    Fortunately, the engine started humming.


    The headlights lit up the road ahead, illuminating a small area.


    There happened to be a zombie there, seeming a little dazed by the sudden light, standing still without moving.


    Elijah closed the car door, activated his stealth ability, and hid with Daisy to the side.


    Then, he concentrated on controlling the zombie inside the car.


    He gently pressed down with the right foot and adjusted the steering wheel.


    The vehicle began to elerate.


    At this moment, the zombie in front finally reacted, rushing towards the car with teeth bared and ws outstretched.


    "Bang!" The car knocked down the zombie, directly running over it.


    The noise gradually attracted the nearby zombies, and they began to run over to this side.


    Elijah couldn''t control the zombies very precisely; he could only give simplemands like which foot to use and whether to move the hands up or down.


    Therefore, the car drove in a wobbly manner, sometimes fast and sometimes slow. But fortunately, it slowly entered the oppositene.


    As the school location got closer, Elijahmanded the zombie to use its right hand to press the horn forcefully while stepping on the elerator with its right foot.


    The quiet night was immediately filled with the piercing sound of the horn and the roar of the engine.


    The SUV elerated, and the crowd of zombies at the school gate began to stir.


    The car sped up, and the sporadic zombies in its path were knocked down without slowing it down.


    With the screech of the horn, it passed through the school gate. The crowd of zombies was in an uproar, crazily running towards the vehicle.


    Elijah and Daisy followed slowly behind the horde.


    As they saw the vehicle getting farther and farther away, Elijah could no longer discern the road conditions ahead.


    He simply didn''t care anymore, letting the vehicle elerate forward.


    Soon, there was a loud "bang" in the distance!


    The SUV seemed to have crashed into a car, stopping abruptly.


    But the horn survived, still ring tirelessly.


    "Elijah, you''re amazing! How did youe up with this method? Especially using zombies as cannon fodder!" Daisy looked at the empty school gate in admiration.


    "It''s all about intelligence!" Elijah pointed to his head.


    He had actually encountered some lunatics doing this in his past life.


    Except it was done by living people.


    And there were two cars.


    The front one was specially honking to attract the zombies away, while the one behind took the opportunity to stop at some supermarkets and liquor stores, crazily scavenging for supplies.


    The risks for the front car were extremely high, and it might not return once it went out.


    Elijah, after seeing this, learned from it and tried using zombies as drivers.


    The effect wasn''t as good as with real people, but it still benefited him a lot.


    "Haha, I knew you were clever!" Daisy smirked, leading the way ahead.


    They tried to avoid the teaching building as much as possible, taking some secluded routes.


    Turning left and right, they soon arrived at Charlotte''s house!


    Outside, several dead zombies had their heads smashed open, done by Elijah yesterday when he left, but unfortunately, there was no harvest.


    This time, without waiting for Daisy to knock, Charlotte opened the door first.


    "I faintly heard the sound of car hornsing from the direction of the school gate, so I guessed you wereing soon!"


    Charlotte said while letting the two in and closing the door.


    "It was Elijah''s idea to use controlled zombies as drivers to lead the zombies away from the school gate!"


    Daisy quickly recounted the situation as if pouring beans from a bamboo tube.


    Charlotte''s eyes had a touch of admiration when she looked at Elijah.


    He indeed had some quick wit! n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    "By the way, we brought you some food!"


    Immediately, Daisy emptied her backpack, scattering arge amount of chocte, Snickers, marinated eggs, and chicken legs on the sofa.


    Because they knew Charlotte wasn''t short on water, they only brought food.


    "Thank you, you''re thoughtful!"


    "We''re all family, no need to thank!"


    Elijah also emptied some of his backpack, leaving only half for them to eat on the way.


    "Family?" Charlotte chuckled.


    "Then I won''t be polite!"


    "Right, Charlotte sis, no need for politeness!"


    Daisy unzipped her jacket without hesitation, picked up Charlotte''s fan, and started fanning herself. It''s so hot!


    Charlotte looked at Daisy''s upper body d only in underwear, then at Elijah, who was staring without looking away... So, this was their version of impoliteness?


    Charlotte shook her head, creating some distance between them.


    Only when Elijah''s gaze fell on her did she calmly ask, "Are you here to scout tonight?"


    "Yes, we''ve confirmed the route from here to the school gate. When wee back, we''lle to get you!"


    "How long will it take?"


    "If everything goes smoothly, we can make it tonight. If not, maybe tomorrow night, plus the return journey, the day after tomorrow or the day after."


    "Do you need this long considering your abilities and the distance?"


    Charlotte hadn''t asked about their destination yesterday, but now, hearing Elijah''s exnation, she became curious.


    "Normally not far, but with zombies outside, we can only move at night! So it takes some time!"


    "I''ll wait for you toe pick me up, and I''ll give you a surprise then!"


    "A surprise? Can''t you tell me now?"


    Elijah was somewhat surprised.


    "Nope!"


    Charlotte shook her head.


    "Alright, I look forward to whatever surprise you have for me!" Elijah stood up, packing his bag. "Daisy, let''s go!"


    "Hmm, so soon to set off again?" Daisy reluctantly adjusted her clothes.


    "Goodbye, Charlotte sis, we''lle get you!"


    "Be careful on the road!"


    After leaving Charlotte''s house, Elijah and Daisy''s figures quickly merged into the night, disappearing before her.


    "What amazing abilities! But... mine aren''t bad either!"


    Charlotte closed the door and headed towards the basement.


    Faint whispers could be heard. "This world is getting more interesting..."

 Chapter 36 Looks like shes really tired!

    Chapter 36 Looks like she''s really tired!


    Elijah and Daisy retraced their steps back to the school gate.


    The car horn had stopped, and even the driver zombie was no longer connected.


    They didn''t know what had happened there, but they were sure the driver zombie was gone.


    They cautiously moved forward because there was a fence blocking the road in the middle, and although many zombies were attracted to the adjacent road, their route remained rtively quiet.


    After walking a short distance, they arrived at the spot where the driver zombie had met its mishap, and indeed, it had crashed into a car.


    But due to the dense crowd of zombies surrounding it, they couldn''t see the specific situation inside.


    They didn''t linger, instead, using their "invisibility" ability, they safely passed through and continued forward.


    After walking for about four or five kilometers and passing through two smaller intersections, which were not as congested, they managed to navigate by using the non-motorized vehiclenes and sidewalks.


    Elijah made corresponding marks on the map indicating where they needed to detour and how to do so.


    After all, even the best memory couldn''t beat a bad pen.


    "There are so many zombies ahead!"


    After walking a bit further, and seeing the coastal road just two intersections away, Elijah and his group were once again blocked, not by vehicles this time, but by too many zombies.


    "I''ll use my ability to take a look!"


    Elijah switched to the female zombie''s ability, and immediately, he saw countless glowing figures, one after another, with an unknown number stretching endlessly, like a wall of people,pletely blocking the road.


    Elijah''s scalp tingled! He hadn''t expected to encounter a zombie tide here! Judging by the numbers, there were at least tens of thousands!


    "How could there be a zombie tide here?"


    he wondered. It was impossible to pass through.


    Faced with such arge-scale zombie tide, they could only find a way around.


    "A zombie tide?" Daisy was startled. She thought it would be simr to the school gate!


    "Yeah, there are too many zombies, at least tens of thousands. Let''s go back and find another route!"


    The two slowly retreated, only daring to makerge movements when they were far enough away.


    Back at the previous intersection, they turned south.


    This north-south road was a fourne road with less traffic, but it was rtively more congested.


    They had to asionally detour onto sidewalks, move aside bicycles blocking their path, and be mindful of the surrounding zombies, which wasted quite a bit of time.


    By the time they reached the next intersection, they once again headed east in the correct direction.


    After walking for a while, Elijah noticed a strange phenomenon: there were fewer zombies on the road.


    He recalled the zombie tide he had just seen. Had all the zombies here gone there? What attracted them?


    As they continued forward, they reached another intersection.


    Although it was still heavily congested, there were hardly any zombies wandering outside.


    "Why are there so few zombies here?" Daisy also noticed something was off!


    "Who knows? It just makes it easier for us to pass!" The two quickly found a route to detour through.


    Initially, Elijah nned to head north at this intersection and return to the main road near theirmunity gate.


    But he was afraid the zombie tide might extend to that crossroad, so they simply continued east along this road.


    Although it was narrower, there were indeed fewer zombies, so wasting some time on the sidewalk wasn''t a big deal.


    Slowly, they reached another intersection, and Daisy''s stomach couldn''t help but growl.


    "Hungry?" Elijah, seeing her silent, felt a bit sorry.


    Although this girl oftenined about being hungry and was always eager to eat, she never hesitated to exert herself when needed.


    He checked the time; they had left around 8 p.m., and now it was past 2 a.m. Using superpowers continuously for nearly five hours was a huge drain on their stamina.


    "Yeah," Daisy pouted slightly.


    "Then let''s find a ce to rest for a bit!"


    Since this intersection was safe, and the coastal road was ahead, it would be much easier to travel from there.


    After passing the intersection, they walked a short distance and, at Daisy''s strong insistence, entered a clothing store.


    The store''s front door was wide open, and there was no one inside, no zombies either. It disyed arge number of women''s clothes.


    The two closed the store door and secured it with a rope. Elijah quickly inspected it and found stairs leading to the second floor.


    "Let''s check upstairs first!"


    Elijah called out to Daisy, who was staring at the clothes with some reluctance.


    The stairs were made of wood and made a "thud thud" sound when stepped on. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Elijah kept his spear aimed upwards because he was worried there might be zombies up there.


    Soon, they reached the second floor and found it to be a small resting area. In addition to a small living room, there were two rooms, one with a bed and the other used as a storage room for clothes.


    "It''s safe!"


    After checking the rooms and confirming they were safe, the two rxed.


    "Let''s eat quickly! I''m starving!"


    Daisy couldn''t wait and opened Elijah''s backpack, pulling out food and eating it without any hesitation.


    Elijah also took a marinated chicken leg, tore open the packaging, and ate it hungrily.


    Soon, half of the backpack''s food was devoured by the two of them.


    Only then did Daisy pat her belly and lean back on the sofa to rest.


    "Now that we''re full, it would be great if we could take a bath!"


    The temperature dropped in thete night, and Daisy didn''t need to constantly open her clothes to cool down.


    But feeling sticky all over her body was ufortable.


    "I see buckets of water here; you can use them to freshen up," Elijah suggested as he packed away the remaining food into his backpack.


    However, he didn''t hear Daisy''s response.


    When he looked again, he found she had already fallen asleep on the sofa!


    Looks like she''s really tired! Elijah also felt a bit weary at this point. His physical condition was okay, mainly just mentally exhausted.


    After all, they hadn''t rested much during the entire day, essentially pulling an all-nighter.


    It was already 3 a.m., and there were still two more hours until dawn.


    Elijah decided to rest directly. After replenishing their energy, they would be more energetic the next night.


    The sofa was too small, and Daisy looked ufortable sleeping on it, so Elijah lifted her up by the waist and carried her to the room with a bed.


    He gentlyid her down on the bed.


    Daisy had just fallen asleep and was sleeping lightly.


    When Elijah moved her, she woke up, but she didn''t open her eyes, enjoying the feeling of being cared for.


    Elijah was naturally aware of everything.


    Through the consciousness seed, he could sense Daisy''s heartbeat fluctuations.


    Seeing her pretending to sleep with her eyes closed, he couldn''t help but lean down and capture her lips.


    "Mmm..." Daisy protested softly, but because she was being held, her resistance was ineffective.


    "Just consider... consider it being nibbled by pigs once!" "Well... I''ve already been nibbled once..." Daisyforted herself internally, feeling her body rx as she stopped tensing up.

 Chapter 37 Whats going on?

    37 What''s going on? n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    Elijah sensed her slightly awkward response and felt pleased!


    However, he didn''t push further, keeping his hands to himself.


    There were two reasons: the environment wasn''t quite suitable, and Daisy was different from Be.


    Be and Elijah were both experienced in such matters.


    When the atmosphere was right and they were bothfortable, things naturally progressed.


    But Daisy was obviously inexperienced, and Elijah was afraid of scaring her with too rapid progress. Anyway, there was plenty of time ahead.


    After a brief moment, Elijah released Daisy. "


    Consider this as today''s girlfriend benefit!"


    He didn''t want her to feel embarrassed and wanted to give her a way out.


    "Hmph!"


    Daisy wrinkled her nose.


    "Next... next time, don''t do sneak attacks!"


    "Understood, next time I''ll tell you in advance!"


    As long as there was a next time, everything was negotiable!


    "You rest here! Get a good sleep, and we''ll act again tonight!"


    Elijah told her as he left the room.


    Daisy felt relieved when she saw him leave but then felt that something was off.


    "Wait, there... there won''t be a next time!" she muttered, but unfortunately, her voice was too low, and no one besides herself heard it.


    Elijah returned to the living room andy down on the sofa where Daisy had just slept, quickly falling asleep himself.


    The eighth day of the apocalypse!


    The sun was already high in the sky.


    Elijah, who was sleeping soundly, was suddenly awakened by a loud car horn.


    "What''s going on?" Elijah got up, alert, and cautiously walked to the window to look outside.


    He saw an SUV roaring away, its piercing horn attracting the surrounding zombies to follow behind. How could someone dare to honk madly in a city filled with zombies?!


    "Elijah, there are people outside!" Daisy, who had also been awakened by the noise, called out to him.


    Elijah quickly walked into the bedroom and looked outside through the window.


    It was a narrow alley that could barely amodate two cars passing.


    Their store happened to be at the entrance of the alley, with the bedroom window facing the alley and the living room window facing the street outside.


    At this moment, there was a pickup truck parked in the alley, already running and ready to go.


    There were four people in the car. In addition to the driver and the passenger, there were two people in the back of the truck.


    The car was silent, quietly lurking.


    The distant honking was still loud, but it was getting farther away, and the sound was fading.


    Elijah was surprised by the scene and instantly understood what they were doing. But soon, he was drawn to the emblem on the pickup truck.


    "A badge, POLICE."


    "Is that a police car?" Daisy murmured softly.


    "But the people in the car don''t look like serious individuals!" Elijah squinted, starting to observe the four people closely.


    The two men on the truck''s bed looked quite normal, one dressed in a shirt and trousers, the other in a T-shirt and casual pants.


    Although they held machetes, they seemed timid, constantly surveying their surroundings.


    Meanwhile, the two burly men in the driver and passenger seats wore tank tops, shorts, and had muscr arms.


    At first nce, you couldn''t say they were bad guys, but they definitely didn''t fit the emblem on the car.


    Well, it couldn''t be said they had no association; they could be regrs at the police station, often brought in for questioning.


    At that moment, the driver, a muscr and fierce-looking man, checked the time, immediately stepped on the gas, and the vehicle elerated out of the alley, onto the main road, and raced away.


    "What are they doing?" Daisy was puzzled, but Elijah didn''t answer immediately, instead gesturing for Daisy to continue looking inside.


    Further into the alley were tworge iron gates, each with a sign hanging on them, indicating "Neoville City XXX Police Station!"


    Behind the gates were two simrly dubious-looking men, one on each side, ready to close the gates at any moment.


    "These are a bunch of thugs who seem to have taken over here. They might be armed, and as for what they''re doing, think about how I had the zombies drive cars to attract more zombies yesterday night!" Elijah exined.


    Daisy became even more puzzled. "Do they also have the ability to control zombies?"


    "Why couldn''t they be real people? One person drives ahead to attract zombies, while the others take the opportunity to gather supplies from various shops."


    Daisy hadn''t considered such an operation before. "But isn''t the person in front...?"


    "They might be dead, they might be alive; it all depends on luck."


    Daisy couldn''t believe it. "Aren''t they all together? How could they treat their ownpanion like that?"


    "Who said they were together? Did you see the two people behind the pickup just now? Their clothing and demeanor were clearly different from those of the driver, the passenger, and the gatekeepers."


    "Yeah, those two looked like softies, while these guys look like thugs!"


    "So, do you understand now? These thugs force people who are not with them to drive cars to attract zombies. If they die, they die. If they manage to survive by luck, then they''re absorbed into the group."


    Elijah knew all this so clearly because he remembered a small detail.


    If he wasn''t mistaken, the "master" who was responsible for lock picking and had taught him was among these people.


    This "master" had a shady reputation; others called him "Third Brother," while some called him the "Keymaster."


    Judging from his skills, he was a habitual thief. He often said that working was impossible for him, not in this lifetime.


    Since he couldn''t do business, he could only steal quietly to make a living.


    As a result, he was often caught and brought to the police station.


    But for him, going to the police station was like going home.


    It was even better than home because aside from food, everyone inside was talented and had a way with words. He loved being there!


    Unfortunately, when the zombie virus broke out, he happened to be in the police station.


    It was thanks to this that he managed to survive, not being swept away by the zombies outside.


    Later, using his skills, he sessfully opened the doors and escaped.


    Then, amidst the enthusiastic praise and requests from his surviving inmates, he helped open all the doors, including a batch of gamblers and gangsters who had just been arrested.


    At that time, there were hardly any surviving staff left in the police station.


    When the zombie virus broke out, the police station was in chaos.


    Infected staff and prisoners were biting people everywhere.


    The uninfected staff at the time only wanted to subdue them and didn''t think of shooting them.


    As a result, most of the staff turned into zombies.


    Only two people hid in the office.


    The gangsters had criminal records and were brave enough to face zombies without fear.


    Using crude tools, they managed to clear the zombies from the cells.


    The other surviving prisoners, seeing how fierce these guys were, began to follow them, treating them as leaders.

 Chapter 38 Memories of Elijah

    38 Memories of Elijah


    The surviving prisoners acquired some police equipment from the deceased staff, such as handcuffs and riot shields, which bolstered their capabilities.


    Slowly, they cleaned out the zombies from the police station.


    During this time, unfortunate prisoners who got injured were efficiently dealt with by the gang of underworld figures.


    Not even their own brothers were spared! This instilled even more fear among the people.


    The two surviving staff members, seeing the overwhelming number of the group, could only emphasize cooperation and mutual benefit.


    The rioters, seeing zombies everywhere outside, initially pretended to agree with the staff but then took advantage of their distraction to overpower them, forcing them to reveal the locations of firearms and other weapons.


    They then disposed of the staff and gainedplete control of the police station.


    Elijah''s mentor, Keymaster, managed to evade capture and remained unharmed.


    And because he was the one who released everyone, he gained the favor of Daniel, the leader of the underworld group.


    He was respectfully called "Big Brother" by the people, and he flourished under his protection.


    However, the good times didn''tst long.


    With zombies everywhere outside, they were trapped in the police station with insufficient food.


    Some of the survivors turned into zombies suddenly, and although they were eventually dealt with, they lost several people in the process.


    Daniel, the underworld leader, not only had a ruthless personality but also a cunning mind. He came up with a solution.


    He ordered everyone to sleep in separate jail cells or interrogation rooms at night.


    They couldn''t gather in groups, maintaining self-istion.


    He and a few of his brothers upied the best positions, the staff offices. In the morning, they would open the doors collectively.


    This method effectively controlled the internal zombie crisis.


    Even if someone turned into a zombie, they couldn''t harm others because they were trapped in their rooms.


    With just a few people armed with handcuffs, they could easily handle any situation.


    Daniel also arranged for people to take turns clearing out the zombies outside, gradually cleaning up the alleyways.


    Initially, they were cautious about gathering supplies, but as they understood the zombie behavior better, Daniel devised a method where one car would attract the zombies while another car transported the supplies.


    The front car was the most dangerous; escaping after luring the zombies away was crucial.


    Daniel thought of a zigzag route to return.


    Their position was at the bottom right corner of the zigzag.


    By circling around and reaching the bottom left corner intersection, they could throw a megaphone to attract the zombies and possibly escape if the front car stopped honking.


    While the idea was good, in practice, due to traffic conditions and individual driving skills, no one could guarantee a safe return.


    No one wanted to take the risk. Daniel took drastic action, killing one particrly stubborn rapist.


    Then he mandated that everyone must take a turn driving the front car, determined by drawing lots.


    He and his brothers were exceptions; they drove the back car and were responsible for collecting supplies with two other people.


    After a few days, aside from two incidents where people drove carelessly into the zombie crowd, things went smoothly afterward, and they became increasingly adept at collecting supplies.


    The surrounding zombies also diminished as they were led away onto another road. This was what Elijah witnessed today.


    He also understood what caused the massive horde of zombies he encounteredst night.


    "Oh, Elijah, you were right! That pickup truck just came back, and it''s loaded with a lot of stuff!"


    Daisy whispered, pointing towards the pickup truck turning into the alleyway.


    Elijah nced at the time; it had only been about five or six minutes. Their actions were surprisingly swift.


    The pickup truck didn''t stop; it drove directly into the gate.


    Several zombies followed behind, emitting low groans and roars.


    The two burly gatekeepers saw that there weren''t many zombies and didn''t close the gate.


    Instead, they grabbed their machetes and went to confront the zombies, quickly dispatching a few of them.


    At that moment, the SUV that had left earlier also returned, followed by a dozen or so zombies. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    The two gatekeepers immediately retreated into the courtyard.


    When the SUV entered the yard, they promptly closed and locked the gate with a chain, executing the entire sequence seamlessly.


    The zombies outside pounded on the iron gate, emitting roars.


    The people from the pickup truck started unloading supplies, including rice, flour, oil, and arge quantity of alcoholic beverages.


    The door of the SUV was opened, and a pale-faced middle-aged man stepped out.


    The two gatekeepers patted him on the shoulder, teasing him with a few jokes.


    "Howe Keymaster isn''t here?" Elijah was puzzled. "Did he already run away?"


    Elijah recalled Keymaster saying he ran away the second time he drove the front car.


    He always felt that following this group would lead to trouble sooner orter.


    He preferred being alone and free.


    Before he met Elijah, he used to find any convenience store, lock the door, and stay there for days or weeks.


    Later, as more people went out to gather supplies, it became harder to stay in convenience stores as they were often raided.


    He only settled down after he found Elijah pleasing to his eyes.


    "If Keymaster isn''t here, it might be convenient for me to act. It saves me from identally hurting him..." Elijah had several thoughts shing through his mind.


    "Elijah, do you have something in mind?" Daisy noticed Elijah staring at the people in the police station, a bit btedly.


    "Did you notice the things the people with machetes around their waists were carrying?" Elijah asked.


    Daisy observed carefully. Elijah was referring to the two people who had just been in the driver''s and passenger''s seats of the pickup truck and the two who had opened the gate.


    "Some guns?" Daisy instantly understood.


    "Not bad!" Elijah patted her head. "Hmm, I''m smart!"


    Daisy pouted discontentedly.


    In the apocalypse, firearms were extremely valuable.


    They didn''t pose much of a threat to zombies but rather attracted them. Their real threat was to humans.


    Elijah had considered whether to obtain firearms from the police station, but hecked experience and didn''t know where the guns would be kept.


    Moreover, if he encountered surviving staff in the police station, it wouldn''t be easy to get the guns.


    So, he had only been thinking about it and never acted on it. After all, as weapons, firearms were somewhat ineffective against zombies and were a waste.


    For dealing with people, he had better methods, such as his abilities.


    However, now that he encountered them, and they were all ruthless thugs, he naturally didn''t want to miss the opportunity.


    "These are all thugs. Did you see that guy who just came out? They say his name is Daniel, and he''s got several lives on his hands. I reckon they were probably captured here by the staff, and when the zombie virus broke out, they took advantage of the chaos, killed the staff inside, seized the guns, and imed this ce as their own!"


    Elijah pointed to a burly man who had just walked out of the police station.


    "Are the others calling him ''big brother''?" Daisy asked curiously.


    "How did you know?" Elijah was even more surprised.

 Chapter 39: He couldnt even wait for a night

    "I heard it from Abigail!" Daisy''s voice unconsciously lowered a bit.


    "Some girls in our school, they are vain, have no earning ability but love high consumption, what should we do? Some people resort to loans. In the end, unable to repay, they are forced to take photos or even engage in prostitution! Abigail said the mastermind behind the scenes is this person."


    "..."


    Elijah was somewhat speechless; he had seen such things online before, but he hadn''t realized they were somon.


    There were even such cases in their school. And Abigail... She really could find out anything!


    "So, you don''t oppose me dealing with them, right? This will only take up a little of our time!"


    "Elijah, go ahead! Hmm... but how do we deal with them? Elijah, do you have a n?"


    "Naturally, there is a way!"


    Actually, even if left alone, this gang would eventually copse.


    Later, Keymaster encountered a gambling addict among them. He said these people didn''t treat them like humans.


    A small police station was divided into three sses.


    The biggest of them naturally was the underworld boss Daniel and his four brothers, who monopolized everything, including the only girl who sold her body.


    Next were a few petty thieves who ttered Daniel and acted as theirckeys.


    At the bottom were a few johns and gamblers.


    They usually don''t have much to eat and drink, so giving them something to eat is just like sending beggars to ensure that they don''t starve to death.


    However, when there was any danger, they were pushed to the forefront. With guns in others'' hands, they could only swallow their pride.


    Until one of the johns awakened superpowers and killed Daniel while catching him off guard.


    He then took out two more of Daniel''s brothers in session, before being discovered due to themotion.


    This gang immediately fell into internal strife, and in the end, all the underworld elements were wiped out, with the surviving few dividing the assets and going their separate ways.


    Elijah naturally didn''t have time to wait for their internal strife; he couldn''t even wait for a night.


    So the best solution was to utilize Daisy''s ability to infiltrate and kill the leaders. Elijah expressed his thoughts, and Daisy had no objections.


    It was strange, before, hearing about murder or seeing blood, she would feel a bit scared and resistant.


    But since the virus outbreak, Daisy couldn''t say she was numb to these things; rather, she didn''t feel much at all, as if it were just an ordinary thing.


    So when she stabbed zombies, she felt no fear at all.


    Sometimes she wondered if something was wrong with her.


    But then she thought, surviving now was not easy, so she didn''t care.


    What she cared about now was... she was hungry!


    "Elijah, what time is it now? I''m hungry!"


    "It''s almost 11 o''clock. The food is in the backpack outside; go get it yourself!"


    "Aren''t you eating?"


    Daisy looked at Elijah, who wasn''t moving, feeling a bit strange.


    "I''ll observe a bit more. You go ahead and eat!"


    Elijah took out the binocrs and continued to look towards the police station.


    "Alright~"


    In the police station, a few more people followed Daniel out,manded by him to move supplies together.


    Soon, all the supplies on the pickup truck were moved into the house.


    But soon, everyone returned to the yard.


    Among them, four big men with guns each distributed a weapon to the others, then supervised them as they started to deal with the zombies at the entrance.


    "This is for collecting supplies in the future!"


    Elijah muttered to himself.


    "Is this all of them here? Even the boss Daniel is out, so there shouldn''t be anyone cking off... No, there''s one woman, but she''s not important!"


    "Indeed, no Keymaster. This guy slipped away pretty fast! He even thought of recruiting him if he met him! Now... let''s leave it to fate!"


    Although saying so, Elijah estimated it would be difficult to encounter him again in the future.


    In his past life, he headed north, near the outskirts of the old district, close to Ster City.


    If the future trajectory hadn''t changed, Keymaster would also slowly roam there. And now, Elijah and his group nned to go south.


    Completely opposite direction!


    But who could say what would happen in the future?


    Maybe one day they would meet again! Although Keymaster was a bit of a petty thief, he wasn''t a bad person.


    On the contrary, in the apocalypse, he had more principles than most people.


    Elijah had seen this old guy secretly help several children who had lost their parents.


    But some people, seemingly righteous, in the apocalypse, cast off their shackles, and the evil in their hearts was more chilling than anyone else''s.


    Elijah thought of a certain despicable character, itching to get revenge.


    Compared to Daniel and that character, everyone seemed much kinder.


    "Revenge can wait, let''s develop ourselves first. It''s a matter of time..."


    Elijah calmed down a bit, watching the people in the police station clean up the zombies at the entrance, and the bodies were thrown into the corner of the yard, feeling more assured.


    Now, it''s just a matter of waiting for the night!


    Elijah put away his binocrs, feeling a bit hungry and ready to grab something to eat.


    But as soon as he stepped into the small living room, Daisy''s presence immediately captivated him.


    Her hair was still damp, as if she had just taken a shower, and she emitted a mist of water vapor, wrapped in only a towel.


    The towel was quite long, concealing Daisy''s lovely figure, revealing only delicate corbones, rounded arms, and slender legs.


    However, her skin appeared even more hydrated than usual, and she seemed much more refreshed.


    Though she had no makeup on, she exuded the vibrant aura of a young girl.


    "Elijah, aren''t you monitoring anymore?"


    Daisy noticed him but didn''t pay much attention, busying herself with choosing clothes.


    She didn''t know when she had gone downstairs and brought up a pile of clothes.


    Elijah noticed the little panties in her hand and couldn''t help but wonder... Did she not wear anything under the towel?


    "If I had known you were changing, I should have stopped spying on them!"


    Elijah took a couple of steps closer, catching a whiff of the fragrance emanating from Daisy''s body, probably from some kind of shower gel.


    "Hmph!" Just knowing that you were monitoring them with all your attention, I didn''t even eat, so I quickly took a shower.


    Daisy thought to herself. This was her first time taking a proper shower since the virus outbreak.


    Before that, she only wiped herself, which couldn''t really be considered a proper shower.


    If it weren''t for the fact that they couldn''t take the drinking water from this ce, she wouldn''t have dared to be so extravagant.


    "Where did you find the shower gel and towel?"


    Elijah was a bit puzzled. He knew about the water situation; the buckets were empty.


    He had also been to the bathroom, which only had a toilet and a sink.


    There were no such items there.


    "Didn''t you notice when you came in? This shop has gift items for stored value. Among the gifts, there are summer quilts,undry detergent, shower gel, towels, tissues, and so on."


    "I never go intodies'' lingerie stores..."


    Elijah wanted to say, but then he thought better of it.


    He hadn''t paid attention to these things even when he went into other clothing stores.


    "I think these two are better!"


    Elijah picked up a set of semi-transparent,cy, minimally clothed underwear as he watched her carefully selecting.

 Chapter 40: It seems like I really did have designs on her

    "Ew, no way! I''m not wearing that! You big perv, make Be wear it for you!"


    Daisy nced at it and immediately blushed.


    Wearing this set was no different from wearing nothing at all.


    She had just grabbed some clothes randomly earlier without looking closely, and she didn''t expect to find such bold clothing in the mix.


    "Huh? That''s not a bad suggestion!"


    Elijah chuckled mischievously, as if he had thought of something indecent.


    Daisy wrinkled her nose and quickly snatched the clothes away, saying indignantly, "You''re not seeing anything from anyone!"


    She then grabbed a set of sports bra and shorts and went into the bathroom.


    "No peeking!" she warned before closing the door.


    "Tsk!" Elijah shook his head.


    Then he seriously considered whether he should pack a few sets of clothes when they left.


    They hadn''t been able to doundry, so Be was probably running low on underwear.


    He wondered how she would look in them!


    Before he could think much further, Daisy emerged from the bathroom in her new outfit.


    "It feels so good to take a shower! I feel refreshed!" Daisy said happily, putting her old clothes aside and stretching her limbs.


    "Let''s eat! Do we still have water?" Elijah suddenly felt itchy all over after Daisy''sment.


    "We have a little bit left, but it''s definitely not enough after a shower!" Daisy replied.


    "I''ll just wipe myself off. With this weather, I''ll start to stink if I don''t wash for a day!"


    Elijah entered the bathroom.


    It wasn''t very spacious; there was only room for a toilet and a sink.


    There wasn''t enough space for more than one person to move aroundfortably.


    He poured what remained of the water into the sink from the bucket on the toilet lid and used the towel Daisy had used to wipe himself off.


    Surprisingly, the shower gel smelled pretty good.


    "Elijah, I''ve put your new clothes by the door!" Daisy''s voice suddenly came from outside.


    Elijah opened the door and indeed found a set of new clothes waiting for him¡ªa pair of men''s underwear and a T-shirt and shorts set. He felt touched.


    "This girl!" He quickly changed into the new clothes and walked out.


    It was a coincidence, but he found that he was wearing the same outfit as Daisy.


    "Couple outfits?" he joked.


    "I...I just grabbed whatever was there!" Daisy replied defensively, eating her food while avoiding eye contact.


    "I believe you!" Elijah''s face lit up with a smile, which embarrassed Daisy even more. She turned away and focused on her food, ignoring him.


    "Eat up, andter we''ll go to the police station to replenish our supplies!" Elijah sat across from Daisy, admiring her adorable appearance.


    "Then I won''t hold back!"


    Daisy, who had been worried about eating too much and finishing everything in her bag, immediately let go of her concerns after hearing Elijah''s words.


    "Don''t hold back in the future. You''re my girlfriend, and my job is to make sure you''re well-fed and plump." Elijah began to eat as well.


    "I don''t want to be plump!"


    Daisy''s mouth was full of food, but she still managed to mumble her protest.


    "Be already says she''s yours, so I... I don''t want to be your girlfriend anymore!"


    Although her words were somewhat muffled, Elijah heard them loud and clear.


    He grasped Daisy''s small hand tightly and said earnestly, "Be never said she was my girlfriend, you''ve been my girlfriend all along! And you all are my family, including Charlotte. I will do my best to take care of you and ensure our survival in this apocalypse."


    Daisy, feeling embarrassed, turned her head away, not looking at him, and muttered, "Who... who is your family!"


    But then she quickly realized, withdrew her hand, and said angrily, "No, Abigail said scumbags are like you, ying two sides and liking sweet words, loving one after another. Now you even have designs on Charlotte... Humph, scumbag!"


    Elijah''s forehead veins bulged!


    This Abigail... If she ever recovers in the future, I''ll have to get to know her again properly!


    Also, when did I have designs on Charlotte?


    I just didn''t want to miss out on her collection of weapons!


    Of course, knowing that she''s the owner of the "Golden Elephant Body Forging Technique," one couldn''t overlook that.


    Hmm? It seems like I really did have designs on her?


    But that''s different from what Daisy meant, right?


    Elijah breathed out a sigh.


    "A scumbag is a scumbag, but you better not think of leaving me. As long as I have something to eat, I''ll never let you go hungry!"


    Daisy''s lips curled up, but she quickly restrained herself.


    "You bet!"


    She swept her hands, gathering more than half of the food in front of her.


    "These are all mine!"


    "You little glutton!"


    Elijah couldn''t help butugh and cry!


    The two of them chatted and joked while finishing off the remaining food in their backpacks.


    After eating and drinking their fill, Elijah continued to observe the movements of the people in the police station.


    Meanwhile, Daisy went downstairs and picked out some clothes, secretly stuffing them into her bag.


    Inside the police station.


    "A pair of A''s! Anyone else?"


    In front of a table, three burly men with tattooed arms were gathered, one of them with a scar on his face, forcefully tossing the cards in his hand.


    "Three nines with a three! Anyone else? I''ve only got three cards left!"


    The scar-faced man said arrogantly.


    "Three queens with a five, I''ll make you arrogant!"


    Beside him, a bald man''s face twisted.


    "Royal flush! Haha, one four! I win, hurry up, it''s my turn!"


    The scar-faced manughed heartily.


    "Damn it! I haven''t had enough fun yet, just a little bit more!"


    The bald man felt somewhat unwilling, so he reached under the table, as if to grasp something, and pressed it forcefully twice.


    Then his body stiffened abruptly.


    "Damn, we agreed to settle the score and switch, you exceeded the time limit, drink up!"


    The scar-faced man, noticing his actions and expression, immediately became displeased, and with a "bang," he mmed a bottle of beer in front of the bald man.


    At this moment, a violent coughing sound came from under the table, followed by a scantily d woman emerging, covering her mouth as if to escape.


    "Where do you think you''re going? Swallow it down!"


    The bald giant grabbed the woman, then pushed her onto the scar-faced man.


    "Here you go! I admit defeat,e on, brothers, let''s go."


    On the other side of the sofa, Daniel watched this scene with a satisfied smile.


    Six days ago, at three in the morning on the day the virus broke out, Daniel had the misfortune to encounter the police, and they arrested him and his brothers for no reason.


    He thought it was rted to several homicides he was involved in.


    But when they got to the police station, they realized it was a false rm!


    There were also arge number of johns, gamblers, and prostitutes who were arrested.


    By dawn, they didn''t wait for interrogation, but the apocalypse suddenly arrived.


    Fortunately, he and most of his brothers were locked in the same cell.


    When they heard the screams outside, they immediately became alert.


    After discovering the first abnormal person, they lost several brothers before they roughly understood what was going on.


    Then they supervised each other, and as soon as they found someone acting strange, they immediately controlled and eliminated them.


    In the end, there were only him and five other brothers left in the cell.


    One brother died while clearing out the zombies. Now they were certain that the apocalypse hade.

 Chapter 41: This was the terror of Daisys ability!

    With no rescue information for such a long time, the administration had copsed.


    Laws were as worthless as scraps of paper; they no longer bound them.


    This left Daniel immensely satisfied, like a fish returning to water.


    Although the outside world was swarming with zombies, they were just minor problems that could be gradually dealt with, and there would eventuallye a day when they were all cleared.


    However, restoring social order was not as simple as one might think.


    They could now act as they pleased, living carefree lives, as long as they had enough resources under their control.


    Only then could Daniel effectively control the people beneath him.


    The current progress was good; every day they went out, they gathered more and more resources.


    Yesterday, in particr, they raided a liquor store.


    Finally, his brothers had cigarettes to smoke and liquor to drink!


    Before the apocalypse, Daniel and his brothers indulged in revelry at the nightclub every day.


    Their demand for alcohol and women was particrly high. Originally, there was no alcohol, and there was only one woman.


    Naturally, Daniel couldn''t monopolize her. Women should be shared among brothers.


    Brothers were family, they wererades! But he also reminded his brothers to take it easy and not go overboard!


    Only by providing food, drinks, and entertainment for his brothers could they truly be brothers and follow him with peace of mind.


    Daniel was well-versed in the art of employing people.


    He looked towards the middle-aged man standing beside him, who was the driver for the day.


    "You did well today! We''re quite familiar with each other now. I remember you still owe me some money, don''t you?"


    "Of course, Big Brother, I remember it well! In these times, money isn''t really money anymore, so I thought I''d do a bit more to make up for it!"


    The middle-aged man bowed apologetically.


    "As long as you have this intention, it''s good! We''re all in the same boat! Later, go to him and get two bottles of liquor, consider it a reward for you!"


    Daniel pointed to the heavily tattooed man who was the only one not ying cards but instead guarding the supplies nearby.


    "Alright! Thank you, Big Brother!"


    After sending off the middle-aged man, Daniel lit a cigarette, pondering whether he should promote another brother to show the others a path to advancement.


    But to be honest, he looked down on these people a bit. They were all cowards and thieves!


    No, not even thieves, they were just petty thieves, gamblers, and clients of prostitutes. What he admired most was the Keymaster.


    He had heard of that kid; he was quite a character. Going to the police station was like going home for him.


    The Keymaster was a talented individual, especially in lockpicking... but he wasn''t greedy. He only took what he needed to eat and drink for a few days.


    So even though he was often caught, he would only be detained for a few days. Sometimes people suspected he did it on purpose.


    Daniel admired hisck of greed; as long as he had food and drink, he was content. Daniel intended to promote him.


    He nned to let himplete two risky tasks, set an example, and then invite him to join his own gang.


    But he didn''t expect that the kid wouldn''t return after the second time.


    Whether he was dead or alive was unknown!


    Thinking about this, Daniel sighed.


    Oh well, let it be.


    He would promote whoever he found suitableter on!


    In the afternoon, Elijah and Daisy slept again for a while, conserving their energy, until evening when they woke up.


    By now, their biological clocks hadpletely adjusted, reversing day and night.


    They changed into fresh clothes and didn''t rush out; instead, they waited until around eleven or twelve at night.


    Elijah watched as the shlight inside the police station went outpletely before he and Daisy descended the stairs.


    The mutated female zombie had been guarding on the ground floor, and Elijah let her take the lead.


    The two of them and the zombie turned into an alley, walking smoothly to the entrance of the police station without encountering any zombies, thanks to the thugs inside who had cleaned up again in the afternoon.


    The doors of the police station were nked by cement walls, not very high.


    So instead of unlocking them, Elijah used his own strength to effortlessly vault over them.


    Uponnding, Elijah tried to make as little noise as possible, then signaled Daisy.


    Daisy''s movements were even more agile, like a cheetah, elegantly and calmly vaulting over.


    Uponnding, she deftly dispersed the force from her hands and feet, executing the entire movement in one breath, silently and seamlessly.


    "Does Daisy''s ability enhance agility and speed?" A thought shed through Elijah''s mind.


    They continued walking inside together, leaving the mutated female zombie outside to prevent anyone from escaping.


    This group of people probably had confidence in their own strength or hadn''t considered that zombies could break through the gates.


    Therefore, the main entrance of the two-story police station wasn''t locked, which made it convenient for Elijah.


    They cautiously opened the door and entered.


    Elijah didn''t pause but went straight to the second floor.


    After observing for half a day in the afternoon, he had already figured out the positions of the four gunmen and Daniel, all in the second-floor offices.


    ording to the description he had received from Keymaster in his previous life, as soon as night fell, Daniel would order everyone to enter the rooms and have a few brothers lock them in to prevent anyone from turning into a zombie and endangering others under cover of darkness.


    The keys were left in the lobby on the ground floor, and the next day, a few of their brothers would go and unlock the doors.


    If anyone had turned into a zombie, it would be easier to deal with.


    Daniel and his four brothers lived in the office on the second floor, which didn''t need to be locked, but they couldn''t juste and go as they pleased.


    Therefore, Elijah only needed to deal with the five thugs upstairs, while the people downstairs didn''t need to be concerned about.


    After hearing about Daniel''s method of handling things for the first time, Elijah didn''t have any special feelings.


    Because during the apocalypse, all gathering ces did the same.


    Of course, it wasn''t as exaggerated as not locking the doors; simply closing the door was enough to keep most zombies out.


    This was also why most survivors formed groups of three to five.


    With more people, room allocation was also a problem.


    Seeing Daniel''s actions now, being able toe up with this method at the outbreak of the virus was also a talent.


    But the result... it made Elijah''s job easier.


    Elijah and Daisy stealthily made their way to the second floor.


    There were many rooms here, and Elijah didn''t know which room the thugs were in.


    So the two of them began searching one room at a time.


    The first room they opened had no one inside, so Elijah continued to the second.


    It wasn''t until the third room that they hadn''t opened yet that they smelled a strong scent of alcohol.


    When they opened the door, sure enough, they found a sleeping figure on the floor inside.


    Elijah asked Daisy to wait at the door while he quietly went in.


    The floor was covered with a quilt, and on top of it was a cool mat.


    A man with a scar on his face was sleeping soundly with his head towards the door, snoring loudly.


    This made things easier!


    Elijah approached, grasped the man''s head with both hands, and twisted it forcefully.


    "Crack!"


    With a crisp sound of bones breaking, the scar-faced man didn''t even utter a scream and was instantly killed.


    Elijah breathed a sigh of relief.


    This was the terror of Daisy''s ability!


    Dealing with zombies at night might still be somewhat interesting.


    But assassinating people, there was really no limit, and they didn''t even know how they died.


    Having guns, so what? It doesn''t even give you a chance to react!

 Chapter 42: This Daniel is quite cautious!

    If it weren''t for the fear of making noise, using a dagger would have been more efficient.


    Elijah pulled out the dagger carried by the scar-faced man and stabbed it into his brain, stirring it a few times to ensure that he had no chance of turning into a zombie.


    He then took the gun from his body.


    When Elijah came out, they continued to the next room.


    They repeated this process until Elijah sessfully dealt with the four gunmen, all of whom were drunk and posed no challenge.


    "Now, only the leader Daniel is left!"


    Elijah looked at thest two rooms, remaining vignt.


    The first room was locked, so Elijah didn''t act rashly. He went straight to the second room.


    Turning the doorknob gently, it didn''t budge!


    "This Daniel is quite cautious!"


    Elijah instructed Daisy to watch the door opposite, while he took out his lock-picking tools.


    Under his increasingly skilled operation, the lock was quickly opened.


    There was no one inside, but there were many supplies, including some police equipment.


    "They''ve stored weapons and supplies here!"


    Elijah realized. If it were him, he might have also chosen a ce close to himself for security.


    "Then he must be in the opposite room!"


    Elijah turned around and continued to unlock that door.


    Everything went smoothly, and the lock was easily opened.


    Elijah cautiously began to open the door.


    However, halfway through, the door was suddenly blocked!


    "Who?"


    A man''s voice suddenly sounded. Realizing he had been discovered, Elijah acted decisively and kicked the door with force.


    "Bang!"


    The door, along with part of the door frame, flew into the room.


    "Ah!"


    The man screamed in agony.


    Afraid that the person inside would shoot, Elijah originally intended to hide outside the door.


    However, seeing the door being kicked so forcefully and the subsequent screams, he immediately rushed into the room.


    But what followed made him chuckle!


    Daniel''s obese body was firmly pinned by the door, his legs bent in a strange way, clearly broken.


    Elijah quickly understood what had happened.


    This Daniel was much smarter than his other brothers.


    Even though he was sleeping on the floor like them, he positioned his feet towards the door and very close to it.


    The door was not only locked but also had a chair ced behind it.


    This way, people outside couldn''t open the door.


    Even if someone like Elijah unlocked it while he was asleep, when they opened the door, they would encounter his feet, and the chair would block them, giving him time to react and counterattack with his gun.


    But who would have thought that Elijah wouldn''t follow the usual approach, and Daniel had no idea about Elijah''s strength.


    The result was Elijah kicking the door open, breaking his leg in the process.


    "What''s going on?"


    Daisy, who had been on guard outside, now curious, peeked inside.


    "Too much force!"


    Elijah moved the door away, while Daniel, still conscious, reached for his gun.


    It was fortunate for Elijah and Daisy that their vision wasn''t affected much by the darkness of the night, allowing them to clearly see his movements.


    Elijah immediately stepped on his hand. Daniel''s cries grew louder.


    Elijah held his head and twisted it forcefully.


    "Crack!"


    With a crisp sound, the notorious underworld boss in the old city underground ceased making any noise.


    And he died without ever knowing who killed him, with only a blurry shadow imprinted in his mind.


    "All right, it''s finally quiet! Let''s tally up the supplies now!"


    Elijah sighed with relief.


    He had no intention of contacting the people downstairs locked in other rooms.


    After searching Daniel''s body for weapons, Elijah and Daisy returned to the adjacent room.


    "So much food!"


    Daisy eagerly opened a can of meat and started eating.


    They hadn''t had dinner yet!


    Meanwhile, Elijah was attracted to theplete set of police equipment inside the room.


    There were daggers, pistols, bullets, batons, handcuffs, tear gas sprays, shlights, police water bottles, first aid kits, multifunctional belts, anti-cut gloves, walkie-talkies, bulletproof vests, stab-resistant suits, and police equipment bags... Some items even Elijah couldn''t name.


    "Snack lover,e here, I''ll give you some equipment!"


    Elijah called Daisy over, helping her put on a bulletproof vest, a multifunctional belt, and other usable equipment one by one.


    "How does it feel? Are youfortable?"


    With so many things hanging on her, Daisy didn''t feel ufortable after taking a few steps.


    Her current strength wasparable to that of a weightlifter.


    "Yeah, it''s pretty good!"


    Daisy nodded and turned back to eating.


    ...


    "Anyway, this is a man''s romance!"


    Elijah sighed and began to equip himself.


    After putting on stab-resistant clothing, a bulletproof vest, and a multifunctional belt, he walked around the room feeling quite satisfied.


    He picked up the captured pistol, a ssic Glock 17, about 7.95 inches long, 1.27 inches wide, 5.47 inches high, weighing around 22 ounces, with a magazine capacity of 17 rounds.


    Elijah removed the magazine, easily pulling back the slide.


    A golden bullet fell out. He pressed the bullet back into the magazine, then reloaded it.


    Pulling back the slide again, the bullet was chambered.


    It was simr to using a toy gun, but real guns had safety mechanisms, unlike toy guns, where the safety was purely decorative.


    There were two such pistols, with over 60 corresponding bullets.


    Elijah also found five revolvers, simr in length to the Glock 17 but lighter, with a cylinder capacity of 6 rounds.


    There were about 100 corresponding bullets, as well as some rubber bullets.


    Elijah packed these pistols and bullets into his backpack, along with any other usable equipment.


    "Almost done, Daisy. Your bag is full of food, let''s go!"


    "Aren''t we going to deal with the people downstairs?"


    Daisy asked as she continued to pack food into her bag.


    "We don''t need to worry about them. When dawnes, and no one opens the door for them, they''ll find a way out themselves."


    Elijah reasoned that although those in the cell might have trouble, the office downstairs had less sturdy doors.


    A few kicks would be enough to get out.


    When Daisy''s backpack was full, they started walking back.


    As they reached the ground floor, Elijah smelled a foul odor in the air.


    "Wait for me, I''ll go check where the bodies are stored!"


    Elijah quickly walked to the corner where the zombie bodies were stored.


    The strong shlight illuminated the area like daylight.


    Many zombie bodies were haphazardly ced, some already decaying and emitting a putrid smell.


    Yellow pus flowed freely.


    Ignoring his difort, Elijah began searching inch by inch.


    Suddenly, a nt caught his eye!


    It had two broad leaves with pale veins, seemingly glowing on the bright green leaves.


    It was zombie grass! Finally... he found another one!

 Chapter 43: Disappointment

    Elijah was overjoyed.


    He carefully approached and used a dagger to dig out the zombie grass along with the soil.


    Then, he took out a police water cup, ced a corpse core inside, covered it with soil, and then put the zombie grass in.


    The water cup was not the most suitable container, but he didn''t have a better way to carry it at the moment.


    He wasn''t nning to cultivate it anyway; as long as it grew to three or more leaves, Be could try awakening her abilities.


    Stuffing the cup with the zombie grass into the side of his backpack, Elijah searched carefully but didn''t find anything else of value.


    He then rejoined Daisy. Seeing his happy expression, Daisy asked, "Did you find something good? You look so happy."


    "Indeed, I found another piece of zombie grass. Now Be can finally awaken her abilities!" Elijah replied.


    "Wow, that''s great!" Daisy sincerely rejoiced.


    The two didn''t linger and proceeded to climb over the wall.


    On the way, Elijah had a sudden realization.


    The person who awakened abilities in the previous police station might have eaten this piece of zombie grass!


    He naturally didn''t have that opportunity now, but Elijah considered that he had helped them break free from their shackles.


    As for the future, it would depend on those people themselves. The two continued eastward.


    Thanks to the people from the police station continuously going out to collect supplies in the past few days, the road eastward was cleared very clean, and the two didn''t need to do anything themselves.


    Soon, Elijah and Daisy reached the coastal road.


    The people in the police station were luring zombies to the north, but they were going to the south next.


    Fortunately, this road was very wide, an eightne expressway, even better than some highways.


    The journey ahead was still long, so the two didn''t n to walk.


    They found an electric tricycle near the street.


    Daisy volunteered to drive, while Elijah sat in the back, keeping watch. They headed southward.


    asionally, Elijah took out the map and made some markings on it. Finally, as dawn broke, they could see a small ind on the horizon.


    Elijah breathed a sigh of relief.


    "Finally here! After a night of traveling, Elijah and Daisy were finally about to reach their destination."


    In the distance, where the sea met the sky, a golden light slowly lit up, bringing a glimmer of brightness to the dark night.


    "The sunrise! So beautiful!"


    Elijah eximed. Daisy, however, wasn''t very excited and just made a slight sound of agreement.


    Elijah looked towards the distant coastline, where he could already see the vague outline of a small ind.


    He then nced at the map; there was still about four or five kilometers to go.


    But before that...


    "We''re almost at Seabreeze Terrace. Let''s rest there for a while, regain our strength, and then head to the ind," Elijah suggested.


    Daisy''s spirits lifted at his words. "Thank... thank you, Elijah!"


    "Silly girl, didn''t I say? Family doesn''t say thank you!" Elijah ruffled her hair. Daisy pouted, reluctantly letting him touch her.


    At the next intersection, Daisy adjusted their direction and turned west.


    There weren''t many neighborhoods here, so there weren''t as many people, and there were hardly any cars or zombies on the road.


    Under Daisy''s driving, they soon arrived at the entrance of Seabreeze Terrace.


    The parking barrier at the entrance of the neighborhood had already been knocked askew, but unlike Elijah''s neighborhood, there were no cars blocking it.


    Inside the security booth, a security zombie saw the electric tricycle approaching and let out a terrifying roar, banging its hands against the ss.


    Unfortunately, it was trapped inside and couldn''t get out.


    Afraid of alerting more zombies inside, the two got off the tricycle.


    Elijah instructed the mutated female zombie to watch the vehicle while he and Daisy entered "stealth mode" and slowly walked into the neighborhood.


    Daisy led the way, and after walking a distance, the two stopped in front of a vi.


    It was a three-story vi, though not directly connected to the adjacent one, as there was a courtyard wall in between.


    Each household here had its own independent courtyard, which wasn''t small and could amodate two cars.


    Daisy stood in front of the gate, her expression somewhat sorrowful.


    Elijah looked at the wide-open iron gate and the bloodstains scattered on the ground, knowing that Daisy already had some unpleasant guesses in her mind.


    He stepped forward and hugged Daisy''s shoulder.


    "How about I go in first to check, and you wait outside for a while?"


    "No need, Elijah. I''ve already prepared for the worst! Whatever happens, I need to see them with my own eyes..." Daisy''s gaze was firm.


    "Alright! I''ll be right by your side!" Elijah believed she wasn''t a fragile person.


    The two entered the house, following the bloodstains on the floor.


    Elijah deliberately made some noise, causing zombies to growl in the neighboring house, but there was no movement from Daisy''s parents'' house.


    "Are they not inside?"


    A quick nce around the yard revealed no hiding ces except for a car.


    Elijah looked into the car but found no trace of anyone.


    Moreover, there were no signs of blood on that side of the car.


    The security door of the house was also open, so they cautiously entered.


    At the entrance, the blood abruptly stopped.


    "No one..." Daisy said with a glimmer of hope.


    She and Elijah quickly circled through several rooms and even checked the basement.


    There was no sign of anyone, nor were there any zombies.


    The interior of the house was tidy, with no signs of disturbance.


    "If there had been zombies inside, the ce would have been in chaos. The current situation can only mean that Uncle and Auntie are not at home," Elijah concluded.


    "But how did the door get open? And the bloodstains..." Daisy was both relieved and disappointed.


    Not seeing her parents'' bodies meant there was a possibility they were still alive, but the bloodstains in the yard troubled her.


    "Maybe someone got injured and sought help from Uncle and Auntie, so the blood might belong to another person!" Elijah suggested another possibility.


    There was also the likelihood that the person turned into a zombie, Daisy''s parents didn''t notice, got bitten at the door, turned into a zombie, and then was lured away by other disturbances.


    But Elijah didn''t voice this spection.


    Daisy might figure it out, but wasn''t it better to hold onto a glimmer of hope? After all, they hadn''t seen any bodies.


    "Yeah," Daisy took a deep breath. "Elijah, let''s go!"


    "Aren''t we going to rest here for a while?" Elijah was surprised.


    "No, while it''s not fully bright yet, let''s hurry to Azure Isle!"


    Daisy rallied.


    "Otherwise, if we miss this opportunity, we''ll have to wait until night to use our abilities again. We still need to go back to pick up Be and Charlotte. There''s no time to waste!"


    And the sooner they moved in, the more time and energy she''d have to search for her parents in the neighborhood.


    She wasn''t holding out much hope anymore; finding her parents'' bodies for burial would suffice.


    Elijah probably guessed some of Daisy''s thoughts and didn''t say anything more.


    The two rushed back to the entrance of the neighborhood, reunited with the mutated female zombie, got on the electric tricycle, turned around, and continued on the coastal road.


    Finally, theypleted thest few kilometers before full daylight.

 Chapter 44: Daisy seemed to realize something

    "Turn left!"


    Elijah quickly reminded Daisy as he saw her miss the intersection.


    "Are we there?"


    Daisy looked to the left side of the road, where there was a very beautiful scenic park.


    It was quitemon along the coastal road in Neoville city. After all, the coastal road was known as the famous sea-view avenue, with a long stretch of road built along the coastline, passing through several wend parks and tourist attractions.


    "Do you see that little road?"


    Elijah pointed out, and Daisy finally noticed an inconspicuous road hidden among the trees.


    "It''s so hidden!" Daisy remarked.


    "It''s a private resort area, focusing on high-end consumption. People like us aren''t their target customers," Elijah said, but then he remembered Daisy''s family''s vi... Was he considered amoner himself?


    Daisy changed direction and drove to the junction of the small road, where they found a very low-key sign: "Azure Isle Seaside Resort Area."


    The two walked along the small road, encountering silence with not a soul in sight.


    "This resort area hasn''t opened yet, so there shouldn''t be many people around now," Elijah spected.


    In the past life, this ce was a very famous gold mine during the apocalypse, with various entertainment venues such as bars, casinos, auction houses, and beautiful women selling their talents or even themselves.


    It also targeted high-end consumers, with entrance fees alone being daunting.


    But that was half a year into the apocalypse.


    Elijah didn''t know who upied this ce now, but he knew that at this time, no one would have had time to im it yet.


    There would only be some surviving staff members.


    "There really aren''t any zombies!"


    After walking about a hundred meters along the forest path, they finally saw some buildings.


    First was a parking lot surrounded and divided by green trees.


    A little further in was a uniquely designed service hall. Here, they saw sporadic zombies.


    "There may be people inside. Let''s park the car here and observe," Elijah noticed some shadows moving inside the service hall.


    The two parked the car.


    With the half-height greenery acting as cover, the electric tricycle wouldn''t be easily spotted.


    They both crouched behind the greenery. The mutated female zombie followed closely.


    Her body was more flexible, contorting strangely under the cover of the greenery, making it impossible for anyone to notice her.


    Then Elijah took out binocrs and carefully observed the area in front, with Daisy following suit.


    Starting from the main entrance of the service hall, Elijah didn''t miss any details.


    He was sure there were people inside because the hall''s door was locked from the inside, and many misceneous items were piled up to block the door.


    "Oh! What''s that?"


    Daisy eximed strangely.


    "Where?"


    Elijah put down the binocrs, looked in the direction Daisy was pointing, and then used the binocrs to take a closer look.


    He vaguely saw a figure.


    Before Elijah could inspect it closely, Daisy, beside him, realized something and covered his binocrs with her hand.


    "Don''t look anymore!"


    Elijah turned to her and saw her blushing face, feeling a bit puzzled.


    "What''s wrong?"


    "N-nothing! Just don''t look!"


    She muttered something afterward.


    "A pair of dog men and women, early in the morning..."


    "What dog men and women?"


    Elijah was puzzled.


    He wanted to take another look, but Daisy kept giving him strange looks, making him hesitate.


    "Don''t you men have anything else in your heads?" Daisy seemed to be talking to herself, yet also questioning Elijah.


    Elijah''s mind raced. That didn''t seem like a single figure? It was two? And they weren''t wearing clothes?


    Unfortunately, he only nced at it and didn''t see it clearly.


    He just remembered there seemed to be tworge chests?


    This also exined why Daisy was both embarrassed and annoyed, and why she stopped him from looking further.


    Truly a pair of dog men and women!


    So bold, early in the morning.


    Moving around in front of the window.


    Were they afraid no one outside could see them?


    Hmm... there didn''t seem to be anyone outside now, only zombies!


    No wonder they were so uninhibited!


    Elijah nced at Daisy again.


    The young girl wasn''t ignorant of everything, after all!


    Daisy seemed to realize something, her face flushing with embarrassment and a hint of annoyance.


    "When will you have another chance to observe? We can''t just linger here!"


    "I''ll... I''ll take another look in a moment!" Daisy pouted.


    After a few more minutes, with Elijah''s urging, she reluctantly picked up the binocrs again.


    Soon after, she put them down as if nothing had happened and said casually, "You can continue looking now!"


    Elijah picked up the binocrs and looked again.


    This time, three figures appeared inside.


    Two were men wearing shorts and no shirts, while the other was a woman wearing a loose-fitting T-shirt.


    Huh? Three people?


    This... they seemed to be quite open-minded! Although such scenes weremon after the apocalypse, it was only the ninth day of the apocalypse.


    Elijah felt enlightened, but unfortunately, he didn''t see the live broadcast.


    "Currently, there are three people inside. They should be the survivors here," Elijah observed while speaking.


    "So, what should we do next?" Daisy''s tone softened slightly.


    "We don''t know what weapons they have or if there are any ability users among them. Just in case, let''s sneak over quietly and assess the situation," Elijah suggested.


    "Okay!" Elijah ordered the mutated zombie to stay put, while he and Daisy slowly approached the service hall under the cover of the greenery.


    With daylight outside, their "invisibility" ability was greatly diminished, but it still helped conceal their forms to some extent. Especially under the shadow of the trees, it wasn''t easy to be noticed if one didn''t look carefully.


    Elijah and Daisy quickly approached, faintly hearing voices from inside.


    "Emily, how much food do we have left now?"


    "Not much, at most enough tost until tomorrow."


    "Damn it, why is it running out so fast?"


    "We could havested two more days originally, but then Gabriel..."


    "And you and Henry have been clearing zombies these past two days. It''s been draining your energy and we''ve been eating more..."


    "Damn it! I get it!"


    Elijah and Daisy soon reached the window. Peering through the ss, they saw one of the men pacing around angrily.


    Then he said to another man, "Henry, don''t bother feeding Gabriel today. Since he''s not cooperating, let him starve! Also, make sure to clear all the zombies on the bridge today! We''ll only find food once we get onto the ind! Emily, you''reing with us today!"


    The woman named Emily paled at the words. "Can I... can I not go... I''m scared!"


    "What the hell is there to be afraid of? You''ve seen me kill zombies before, haven''t you? They''re just a bunch of brainless meat. As long as they''re not in a group, I can handle them one by one!"


    Isaac grabbed the nearby machete and forcefully chopped at the corner of the table. The de sank deep into it, showing his immense strength.


    The woman was too frightened to speak.


    "If you don''t want toe, that''s fine. There are plenty of women on the ind anyway, and I feel like trying something different..."

 Chapter 45: They might be among the few living people left

    "Emily, Isaac didn''t ask you to go kill zombies. Just follow behind," another man named Henry intervened.


    "All right, all right," Emily reluctantly agreed.


    "Okay, you go get ready. We''ll leave soon," Isaac said, and as soon as Emily left, Henry closed the door.


    "Isaac, why do you insist on taking her with us today?" Henry questioned.


    "You understand nothing! When we were taking turns clearing zombies before, someone was always here, so this woman seemed obedient. If we work together today, we can quickly clear the zombies on the bridge. Leaving just this woman here, can you trust her? Or do you think she''s developed feelings for you after a few times together?" Isaac retorted.


    "Of course not, it''s not like I''m the only one!" Henry chuckled awkwardly.


    "Even if it was just you, do you think she''d be devoted to you? In this world, women are the most adaptable. As long as you can ensure her safety and provide her with food, she''ll bepletely obedient to you. But if a stronger manes along, she''ll immediately turn her back on you. Have you forgotten the look on that woman''s face when Gabriel came out?" Henry''s face darkened immediately.


    When the virus first broke out, Henry happened to be with Emily.


    Many people around them turned into zombies and were attacking everywhere.


    If he hadn''t pulled Emily and desperately taken refuge in an office, she probably wouldn''t have survived until now.


    At that time, Emily was quite scared, clinging to him and thanking him incessantly, begging him not to leave her.


    Emily was a receptionist and naturally beautiful.


    Emily generally treated him with a pleasant demeanor.


    But anyone could see it was just polite colleague behavior.


    However, in that moment of crisis, Emily had been incredibly gentle, speaking softly and begging him to stay close.


    Henry had never experienced such affection from such a beautiful woman before.


    He was willing to give her anything she wanted.


    If she was thirsty or hungry, he risked his life to help her find something to eat.


    Later, Isaac slowly cleared the zombies inside the service hall.


    The survivors gathered together, leaving only the four of them.


    Naturally, Isaac became the leader because Henry and Isaac were from the same ind, and Isaac took good care of him.


    Seeing their close rtionship, Henry suppressed his feelings for Emily. However, after a few days, food was running out.


    Isaac and another survivor decided to go out and explore.


    It was during their absence that a car suddenly rushed out from the ind, and a man named Gabriel entered the service hall seeking help.


    Emily recognized Gabriel and became extremely enthusiastic, leaving Henry aside.


    Later, Henry learned that Gabriel was a high-ranking member of the Prosperous Strength Group, responsible for the security of their group''s heiress.


    It was no wonder Emily''s attitude changed. Prosperous Strength Group was one of the toppanies in Neoville City and the developer of their vacation resort.


    Technically, they were also employees of the Prosperous Strength Group, albeit in a small department under a subsidiarypany.


    If Emily could get close to Gabriel, her career would soar.


    Henry understood the situation, but he couldn''t ept it.


    They had been close for the past few days, almost on the verge of confessing their feelings. Now she was being overly attentive to another man.


    It felt like she was treating him like disposable tissue paper.


    At that time, Emily briefly recounted what had happened over the past few days.


    When Gabriel heard this, he decided to wait for the two people who had gone out to return and assess the situation outside.


    Isaac and Gabriel returned quickly, both wearing grim expressions. Isaac had seen Gabriel a few times before, knowing him as the daughter of the chairman of the Prosperous Strength Group, Fiona''s, security detail. Gabriel immediately asked Isaac what was happening outside as soon as he opened his mouth.


    Instead of answering, Isaac inquired about the situation on the ind. Gabriel, without much thought, revealed some information.


    Just as he was about to ask Isaac again, Isaac suddenly struck, knocking him unconscious.


    Emily was startled and rushed forward to check on Gabriel, screaming at Isaac, demanding to know what he was doing and if he knew who Gabriel was.


    Isaac, annoyed, pped her, silencing the world.


    Isaac then recounted everything he had seen and heard.


    Henry learned that there were zombies everywhere outside, with no sign of any living person, painting a picture of a world on the brink of apocalypse.


    The so-calledws had be meaningless scraps of paper.


    They might be among the few living people left.


    Anger rose from within, and evil sprouted from their courage.


    Freed from the constraints of thew and the shackles of morality, under Isaac''s influence, they raped Emily.


    In the days that followed, they opened new doors and revisited how the three of them could engage in sinful acts.


    Emily thereafter becamepletely submissive to him.


    It''s not untrue to say that Emily had feelings for him, but those feelings could only be hatred.


    "As long as my brother understands! Women are like clothes, men are like brothers!" Isaac patted Henry.


    "Liam died identally while clearing the zombies. Now it''s just the two of us, brothers who will take care of each other and never abandon each other. As for women... Gabriel said there are still several, all better than Emily! When we get to the ind, besides Miss Fiona, you can pick any woman you like!"


    "Isaac, that''s what you said! Hehe, I''ll take that Hannah then!"


    The two chatted for a while longer until Emily returned wearing a long coat and pants, and then the three set off together from the other side of the lobby towards the small ind.


    Elijah activated the ability "Elemental Vision" of the female zombies.


    Through the ss, he confirmed that the three had walked away.


    He and Daisy found an unlocked window and climbed in.


    "ording to them, there''s another person here named Gabriel who should be locked up. Let''s look around and understand the situation on the ind," Elijah said to Daisy.


    Then the two split up and searched different offices.


    Apart from the main lobby for receiving guests, there were many offices on both sides. Earlier, Isaac and his group had been in one of these offices.


    In addition, on the southeast side of the lobby, there was a building that looked like a canteen and dormitory.


    They searched room by room but didn''t encounter any zombies.


    They must have been cleared out, as there wererge stters of blood on the ground. It seemed chaotic when the virus first broke out.


    Finally, in a room suspected to be a warehouse, they found a man.


    The room had no windows and was pitch dark inside.


    Upon opening the door, they were hit with a strange odor, like someone had been excreting in there for a long time.


    The man was extremely excited to see them, especially when he saw Elijah, tears streaming down his face.

 Chapter 46: Intelligence

    Elijah helped the man out, and once they were under the sunlight, they could clearly see his appearance.


    It seemed like he hadn''t seen sunlight in days, as hisplexion was somewhat pale. He didn''t look very old, probably just graduated from college not too long ago.


    His hair was messy, and he looked tired, wearing a dirty and wrinkled suit. He emitted a foul smell all over him.


    Facing Elijah, he sobbed and said, "Officer, you''ve finallye to rescue me! Those three viins outside, did you catch them? They''re illegally detaining me! They''ve kept me locked up for a whole 5 days!"


    "Hold on a second!" Daisy, curious, interrupted, "I don''t see a watch on you, and it''s pitch ck inside, how do you know it''s been 5 days?"


    "Um... (¡Ño¡Ñ)...," the man''s emotions were interrupted, and he couldn''t recover for a moment. Eventually, he weakly replied, "Officer, maybe it''s been 6 days! But that''s not the point! The point is, I''ve been illegally detained!"


    "Why do you keep calling us Officers? It''s kind of awkward!" Daisy interrupted again. "We''re not police officers..."


    At this point, the man realized, even though the two people in front of him were wearing bulletproof vests, they didn''t have badges, and their demeanor didn''t resemble police officers.


    Especially the girl, who was young, pretty, and vibrant. She looked more like a college student than an officer.


    "We''re not," Daisy responded. "You''re Gabriel, right?" Elijah couldn''t bear to watch the two idiots continue chatting, not knowing when they would get to the point.


    "Yeah, how do you know my name?" Gabriel''s head became even more confused.


    "That''s not important! Listen to me now. When we arrived, we saw three people heading towards Azure Isle. As they left, we vaguely heard them say they could clean up the zombies on the bridge today. Once they capture Fiona, they''ll have food, drinks, and fun! Who is this Fiona?"


    "Really? Did they really say that?" Gabriel became excited, struggling to stand up and wanting to run towards the small ind. Daisy grabbed him.


    "Don''t grab me, I need to stop them!"


    Gabriel tried to break free.


    Nothing happened! He turned his head and confirmed that it was the seemingly fragile girl holding onto him.


    He tried to break free again, but still couldn''t move!


    "Is she really this strong, or am I too weak?" Gabriel wondered.


    "Humph, you can''t even break free from my grasp, and you want to stop people?" Daisy sneered. "I... I haven''t eaten properly for many days, I have no strength!" Gabriel tried to exin.


    "And why are you holding me back?" "It seems you haven''t understood the situation yet!" Elijah chuckled. "You''re now our prisoner. Just answer our questions obediently, or else..." Elijah ced the spear on Gabriel''s shoulder, causing him to stagger.


    "Why is this so heavy?" Gabriel was shocked, but then he looked at Elijah and Daisy with joy. "My dear sister, I''m saved!"


    "Elijah, is this guy stupid?" Daisy watched Gabriel''s face change like a dyeing vat, pursed her lips and said.


    "I don''t know if he''s stupid, but he''s definitely sick!" "Two officers... No, sorry!" Gabriel''s face twisted for a moment, seemingly unsure how to address them. "Two friends, you''re Ability Users, right? Please, save my sister!"


    "Who''s your sister? Why should we save her? And how do you know about Ability Users?"


    Elijah asked three questions in a row. Daisy was also very curious.


    This guy doesn''t seem like an Ability User, and he''s been locked up for several days, so how does he know all this?


    "My sister is Fiona, she''s on Azure Isle!! She''s so beautiful, if you rescue her, you can make her your girlfriend..."


    Seeing Daisy''s stern gaze, Gabriel quickly changed his tune.


    "Um... there''s a big mansion on the ind, with water, electricity, plenty of food, and beautiful surroundings. My sister is the owner of the ind. If you save her, she''ll definitely agree to give you a vi. Think about it, in this apocalyptic world, there aren''t many ces with water and electricity, especially such nice ones. And there aren''t many zombies around, it''s very safe!"


    As Gabriel spoke, he became somewhat smug.


    After analyzing it like this, he realized how great his family''s ind was.


    It was like paradise in this apocalypse.


    "It does sound good!"


    Elijah nodded, and Daisy listened eagerly,pletely meeting Gabriel''s expectations.


    "We agree, but you seem to know a lot for someone who''s been locked up for so many days," Elijah said.


    "Hehe, Emily secretly told me. She said there are zombies everywhere outside, it''s like the end of the world. She asked me topare it to scenes from Resident Evil and The Walking Dead. Is it really like that outside?"


    "Worse than that!" In movies and TV shows, you don''t have to worry about the people around you suddenly turning into zombies due to virus mutations.


    "Ah, is it all true?" Gabriel deted like a punctured ball. "So, Emily also told you about Ability Users, and some of them are among them?"


    Elijah was surprised. In his previous life, he might not have encountered a single Ability User among dozens of people.


    Howe now, within a few days, everyone he met seemed to have awakened abilities?


    Daisy, Charlotte, and now possibly another person.


    "Emily mentioned it, but I wasn''t sure. Later, a guy named Isaac, who wanted to recruit me to deal with people on the ind, showed me his ability."


    "Isaac is the one who locked you up here, right? I guess he also awakened his ability."


    Elijah had been curious when eavesdropping. Isaac showed no fear of zombies; turns out, he had abilities and was quite confident!


    "What ability?" Elijah asked. It''s always good to know more about your enemies before dealing with them.


    "His skin is very tough, like cowhide, you can''t even cut it with a knife!"


    A defensive ability?


    No wonder!


    First-tier zombies mainly rely on their ws and teeth for attacks.


    If his skin is as tough as cowhide, he naturally wouldn''t fear first-tier zombies, it''d be like scratching an itch.


    As long as he doesn''t encounter arge horde of zombies or mutated zombies, his ability could be considered invincible in the early stages.


    However, Elijah looked at the spear in his hand and the pistol at his waist, chuckling. Isn''t this a coincidence?


    Both of his weapons would easily deal with his cowhide-like skin.


    Then he thought, could the Fun Haven Entertainment City from his previous life have been built by this person?


    Even if it wasn''t, it must be rted somehow.


    "If your sister is the ind owner, why do they still want to recruit you to deal with her?" Daisy was puzzled.


    "Um... they don''t know! They think I''m really one of my sister''s security personnel!"


    "I knew it! How could security personnel be so weak?" Daisy looked as if her suspicions were confirmed.

 Chapter 47: Standoff

    Gabriel had no words to offer.


    Being able to work as security personnel beside his cousin was indeed not solely based on his own capabilities.


    It was based on connections!


    Otherwise, with his second-rate education from a mediocre school, he wouldn''t even get into thepany.


    It took him quite a while to persuade his cousin to agree, to follow her and learn, to gain experience.


    So how could he betray his own sister?


    It was only Emily who somehow found out about his rtionship with his cousin.


    They were always very polite when they met.


    Gabriel naturally understood Emily''s intentions and didn''t feel much resentment.


    From childhood to adulthood, after knowing about this rtionship, he had seen many people like her.


    It''s human nature to climb the socialdder, and he had done the same.


    But what he couldn''t foresee was that after doomsday, the previous power and wealth had turned to ashes.


    Yet Emily still treated him the same way, even though she was imprisoned, she still secretly sent him food, drink, and information.


    Otherwise, the little food and drink Isaac gave him every day could only keep him from starving, but he had no strength to move.


    Unfortunately, Emily was just an ordinary woman, and after witnessing Isaac''s abilities, she couldn''t resist either.


    Thinking of this, Gabriel continued, "Can your abilities deal with Isaac?"


    "You don''t need to worry about that!"


    Elijah put away the spear he had aimed at him.


    "Let''s go, lead the way ahead!"


    Gabriel rxed all over, amazed at the weight of the spear.


    "Don''t know what to call you yet?"


    "Elijah!"


    "Daisy!"


    "Elijah, bro, Daisy, sis!"


    "Hmm?"


    Daisy gave him a sideways nce.


    "Oh, sorry, Daisy, sis! Let''s go this way!"


    With Gabriel leading the way, the three of them quickly left the service hall through the east gate.


    Here, one could see the endless sea at a nce.


    Not far away, there was a bridge spanning the sea, connecting to a small ind in the distance.


    "It must have cost a lot to build such a bridge, right?"


    The three quickly reached the bridgehead.


    The bridge wasn''t very wide, just twones wide, and bigger vehicles would definitely have trouble passing each other.


    Elijah saw some sightseeing trams in the parking lot, probably for tourists to transfer here.


    "It''s not that much, mainly because the water is deeper near the ind, so it cost quite a bit. Near thend, it''s exposed at low tide."


    As they walked, the three chatted.


    They managed to squeeze out quite a bit of useful information.


    For example, why this guy was so sure they would help.


    It turned out that as soon as he saw Daisy, he thought such a beautiful girl couldn''t be a bad person.


    Hadn''t his mother taught him that the prettier a woman is, the more likely she is to deceive people?


    Also, besides his sister Fiona, there were three other survivors on the ind, one of whom Henry mentioned, a woman named Hannah.


    Originally, there should have been more survivors, like Fiona''s true personal bodyguard, a former female special forces soldier.


    Unfortunately, she was bitten by someone who suddenly turned into a zombie the next day.


    Otherwise, Gabriel wouldn''t havee out seeking rescue.


    There were originally quite a few staff on the ind, including cleaners and gardeners responsible for keeping the ind clean and tidy; electricians and logistics staff responsible for maintaining electricity and other equipment; chefs, assistants, and trainee waiters responsible for cooking and serving, and so on.


    There were probably about twenty to thirty people.


    After the virus outbreak, most of the poption turned into zombies.


    A small fraction of survivors also unfortunately got bitten during the chaos. After escaping the initial turmoil, the remaining few gathered in a hotel.


    Finally, they sent out the only man left, Gabriel, to seek help.


    Gabriel forcefully drove out in an SUV, attracting most of the zombies to the bridge with the loud noise.


    Getting out was easy, but going back would be difficult; they needed to deal with the numerous zombies on the bridge.


    The bridge was about 3 kilometers long, and as Elijah and hispanions walked, they asionally saw zombie bodies lying on both sides.


    Many of them were once attractive women dressed in flight attendant uniforms, but they had all turned into grotesque zombies, their necks severed or their heads smashed, carelessly discarded on both sides.


    Needless to say, Isaac and Henry were responsible for this.


    From the distribution of the zombie bodies, it seemed like the two of them adopted tactics simr to Elijah and his group, slowly luring the zombies away and then dealing with them.


    This was not aplished in a single day.


    In positions closer to the shore, many bodies had already begun to decay, while closer to Azure Isle, the bodies were fresher.


    Elijah and his group temporarily ignored the corpse cores inside the zombie bodies.


    The three of them walked quickly and soon reached the end of the bridge, arriving at Azure Isle.


    Gabriel exerted all his strength to keep up; by the time they reached the ind, he was panting heavily and drenched in sweat.


    "Haven''t seen anyone. Have they already gone into the hotel?" Gabriel looked worried.


    "We can''t dy. Let''s go ahead; you rest here for a bit!"


    Gabriel weakly took a few steps but couldn''t go any further, nodding helplessly.


    Seeing the dense trees and shady paths on the ind, Elijah and Daisy exchanged a nce and disappeared into the shadows, leaving Gabriel wide-eyed.


    "Huh? Where did they go?"


    He rubbed his eyes in disbelief but still couldn''t see them.


    "Invisibility?"


    Elijah didn''t pay attention to Gabriel''s astonishment at his ability.


    He and Daisy quickly arrived at the hotel entrance and indeed found Isaac and the other three women inside, facing off.


    Both sides held weapons; Isaac had a machete, while Henry had a crowbar.


    Emily shivered beside them, also holding a crowbar.


    She seemedpletely powerless and could only bolster their numbers.


    On the other side, the four women inside the hotel, also armed, held various kitchen knives, all stained red with blood. That was the color of blood.


    "Fiona, now that it''s the apocalypse outside, everyone has turned into zombies, and there are very few survivors. There are no morews or morals. Whoever is stronger is the boss. So you better take my advice and don''t force me to use force!"


    Elijah and his group arrivedte and didn''t know what Isaac''s suggestion was.


    But before he could finish speaking, a cold voice interrupted him, clearly rejecting his proposal.


    "Thank you, Mr. Isaac, for clearing the zombies outside, but I can''t agree to your terms! As a token of gratitude, you can take some supplies from the ind, and I hope Mr. Isaac will release Gabriel."


    So, this was Fiona?


    Elijah carefully observed the people inside.


    Because of the sunlight reflection, he couldn''t see their faces clearly, only their silhouettes.


    Hmm... she had a good figure!

 Chapter 48: Brother-in-Law to the Rescue

    "Damn it, what I want is this ind, not just those supplies. Since you don''t appreciate my kindness, don''t me me for not being polite! Now that you''re struggling to survive, are you still thinking about that kid? Is he your lover? After I deal with you all, I''lle back and butcher that kid!"


    "Isaac, that''s not satisfying enough. Why don''t you just take care of Fiona in front of that kid, Gabriel..." Henry smirked, his eyebrows wiggling suggestively.


    Isaac gave him a strange look.


    Ever since his threesome with Emily, it seemed like Henry had developed some peculiar preferences.


    He patted Henry''s shoulder. "My brother, that''s a good suggestion. What do you think, Miss Fiona?"


    The women in the hotel remained calm, unmoved by his tactics.


    "Mr. Isaac doesn''t need to provoke me with these tricks! As I''ve said before, this ind is mine. I appreciate Mr. Isaac''s help in clearing the zombies. If Mr.


    Isaac needs anything, he can take it himself as our thanks! But if Mr. Isaac is not satisfied and wants to resort to violence, remember, our knives aren''t just for show! Although we may be weaker, the four of us together can surely cause you some harm!"


    "Is that so? You know nothing about my power. I''d like to see how you can harm me!"


    Isaac grinned menacingly, his face twisted with malice as he prepared to act.


    His patience had run out, and if these four women inside wouldn''t submit, he might as well kill them.


    But just then, the women''s faces inside the hotel suddenly changed, briefly showing rare anxiety before quickly concealing it.


    Isaac''s heart skipped a beat as he looked behind him, only to see Gabriel finally arriving, staggering towards them.


    "Damn it! How did you get out? Emily? Did you let him out?"


    Isaac grabbed Emily and pulled her close, tearing her clothes in the process due to his forcefulness.


    Emily was startled and saw Gabriel, feeling a bit panicked.


    "Isaac, it wasn''t me!"


    "If it wasn''t you, then who the hell was it?"


    Isaac shoved her aside.


    "Henry, keep an eye on her. I''ll deal with herter! Perfect timing, this little white-faced one is here! Fiona, won''t you save him?"


    Isaac said as he moved to grab Gabriel.


    Gabriel, however, seemed oblivious to them, instead looking around as if searching for something.


    When he saw Isaac approaching with a knife, he panicked and cried out, "Big brother, brother-inw, help me!"


    Inside the hotel, Fiona''s eyebrows twitched.


    She really didn''t want to deal with this idiot cousin.


    But then, she was shocked by what happened next.


    Suddenly, two figures emerged from the shadows beside the hotel entrance.


    They appeared out of nowhere, without any warning!


    The area had been empty just moments ago!


    "Power users? Invisibility? Two people?"


    She instinctively nced at Hannah nearby.


    Hannah''s refusal to yield to Isaac and be his woman, as well as her awakening to a strange ability, were reasons why Fiona admired her.


    This was her greatest trump card!


    "Hey, what are you shouting about? We were enjoying the show, and you ruined it!"


    Daisy huffed,pletely making it up.


    After all, Gabriel''s nonsensical shouting had disrupted their ns.


    "Daisy, sis..."


    Gabriel chuckled awkwardly and hid behind Elijah and the other man. Isaac also halted his steps.


    "Invisibility?"


    But then he was drawn to the attire and weapons of the two neers.


    ck bulletproof vests, tactical belts, handguns... Theplete set of police equipment sent a chill down his spine.


    These two individuals clearly weren''t police officers; firstly, their demeanor didn''t match, and secondly, where in the police force would you find such young and beautiful women?


    But the fact that they had this equipment indicated they had been inside the police station.


    Considering that zombies were everywhere outside, especially on the coastal roads, and the city area was even more densely popted, it took courage to roam around in such conditions.


    Perhaps they relied on that suspected "invisibility" ability, but it also showed that these two had quite the nerve.


    Especially since they were also carrying cold weapons.


    The man held a two-meter-long steel spear, which gleamed menacingly in the sunlight.


    The woman carried a Tang sword, though not visibly, it was likely a very sharp weapon. Unmatched in strength!


    But it was worth a try to sway them! Isaac quickly shed through these thoughts.


    "When did you two arrive?"


    "A littleter than you!"


    Elijah smiled faintly.


    "Oh, then you should understand that this is an internal matter of our Azure Isle. Since you''ve been watching the show for a while, I hope you''ll continue to stand by. After it''s over, I''ll definitely express my gratitude!"


    Isaac''s mind raced as he decided to temporarily stabilize them.


    If they agreed, he could deal with themter.


    This girl wasn''t any less attractive than Fiona; she just had the advantage of youth.


    "Who said this was your internal matter, Azure Isle? Didn''t you hear this kid calling me brother-inw just now? The woman inside, Fiona, she''s mine! Do you think I should mind?"


    Isaac was both angered and frustrated.


    Angered because he hadn''t expected Gabriel to have this rtionship with Fiona.


    If he had known earlier, he could have easily used Gabriel as leverage to make Fiona submit.


    Frustrated because this person was deliberately picking a fight!


    He didn''t buy into their story.


    Did they also have their eyes on Azure Isle?


    "Brother, you''re joking. I''ve never heard of Miss Fiona from Prosperous Strength Group having a boyfriend!"


    "But now she does, right, nephew?"


    Elijah patted Gabriel''s shoulder.


    "Yes, he''s my brother-inw! He has a gun, you better leave if you know what''s good for you. Do you think your ability can stop a bullet?"


    Gabriel stood with hands on hips, very arrogant, making even Elijah want to p him.


    "Damn it!"


    Isaac deeply regretted.


    He had been worried that Gabriel would reveal his abilities! If the other side utilized invisibility and shot him with a gun, he wouldn''t stand a chance.


    He only considered whether they could be lured into cooperation since they didn''tunch a sneak attack just now.


    "In that case, we''re leaving! Until we meet again!"


    Isaac signaled to Henry, who grabbed Emily.


    They kept an eye on them while slowly retreating from the other side.


    Emily struggled hard, but couldn''t break free from Henry.


    Tears welled up in her eyes as she looked at Gabriel.


    "Gabriel!"


    Emily''s clothes had been torn by Isaac earlier, and now, struggling again, her loose coat was ripped open, revealing her upper body.


    Coupled with her pitiful appearance, being dragged forcibly, it felt like a scene from some melodrama.


    "Hey? Emily is from our Azure Isle, and she doesn''t want to go with you. Let her go!"


    Gabriel didn''t think that much.


    He just felt that this woman had taken care of him while he was imprisoned, and he couldn''t just ignore her.

 Chapter 49: Fiona

    Isaac squinted as he stared at Gabriel for a moment.


    Gabriel felt a bit guilty, but when he saw Elijah beside him, he immediately straightened up.


    "What are you looking at? Let her go!"


    "Release her!" Isaac''s face darkened as hemanded Henry.


    "Isaac..." Henry reluctantly let go of Emily.


    Emily immediately stumbled over to Gabriel, firmly holding his hand.


    Gabriel''s arm waspletely immersed in Emily''s chest, prompting Elijah to nce subconsciously.


    He remembered taking a distant nce through binocrs earlier.


    Yeah, he couldn''t be wrong; it was definitely her. Daisy also noticed and, recalling the scene she witnessed that morning, her face flushed slightly.


    She saw Elijah''s eyes focused on that area and took advantage of his distraction to give him a kick.


    "Ouch!"


    Elijah''s expression remained unchanged, but he felt a chill in his heart.


    "Hmph, serves you right for staring!"


    Daisy pouted.


    As Isaac and Henry walked further away, Elijah made no move.


    Gabriel, on the other hand, pulled Emily and happily ran to the hotel door.


    "Cousin, open the door! I''ve brought two powerful reinforcements, let me introduce them to you!"


    "Need introductions? Haven''t I be his woman?"


    Fiona remained expressionless, unmoved.


    "Uh... hehe... well, it was just a temporary measure!"


    Gabrielughed awkwardly.


    "Never mind, let''s get to know each other properly!"


    Fiona didn''t me Gabriel. After all, these two had helped drive away Isaac.


    But now that the wolves were gone, who''s to say the tigers wouldn''te?


    Fiona''s mind was clear as a mirror.


    The other party clearly had the ability to get rid of Isaac and his group, but they deliberately watched the show earlier, then intentionally let them go... Clearly, their demands were not less than Isaac''s.


    However, they probably wouldn''t target them women like Isaac did.


    After all, one of them was a woman, outrageously beautiful, not inferior to her at all.


    And it was obvious that the rtionship between the two was unusual. Let''s leave it at that for now.


    If the outside world is truly as Isaac described, the end of the world hase.


    Then, the few of them weak women definitely couldn''t hold onto this ind.


    Sooner orter, they''d have to bring people in... Fiona pondered a lot in her mind, but it all happened in a short instant.


    She said to the girl next to her, "Grace, open the door!"


    "Okay, Sister Fiona!"


    Elijah and Daisy ascended the steps.


    The front of this luxurious hotel was entirely made of huge ss doors from top to bottom.


    There was a revolving door at the entrance, which was stuck from the inside and couldn''t turn.


    Next to the revolving door were tworge doors, also locked from the inside at the moment. Isaac had just confronted Fiona and her group here.


    As they got closer, Elijah could see the four people inside clearly.


    It had to be said, all four of them were uniquely beautiful women.


    They wore uniforms, simr to the attire of the dead female zombies Elijah had seen by the bridge.


    Simr to flight attendants'' attire.


    They wore stylish white short-sleeved shirts on the upper body and ck mid-waist skirts on the lower body, with ck stockings and short-heeled shoes.


    The only difference was that they didn''t wear scarves around their necks. Although they dressed the same, the effect of the four waspletely different.


    Especially Fiona, the leader, and the woman next to her with a cold expression.


    The hotel door opened!


    Gabriel and Emily went in first. Unexpectedly, Gabriel slipped and almost fell.


    Luckily, Emily had been holding onto his arm and managed to support him in time.


    "Sis, are you cleaning? Why is there water everywhere? I almost slipped!"


    Gabrielined as he looked at the wet floor.


    Emily, feeling uneasy, said to Fiona, "Hello, General Manager!"


    Fiona nodded at Emily, ignoring her silly cousin. Instead, she stared at the arm deep in Emily''s embrace, lost in thought.


    Then she looked at the two who had just entered, smiled, and extended her hand.


    "Hello, Fiona!"


    "Hello, Elijah!"


    Elijah shook Fiona''s delicate white hand, feeling a touch of tenderness.


    "This is not the ce to talk; pleasee inside!"


    Fiona made a standard inviting gesture.


    Whether it was her actions, tone, or expression, everything was sincerely impable.


    Elijah nced at the ground and indeed saw a lot of water.


    Not far away, there were basins filled with cleaning cloths and rinsing cloths.


    Elijah pondered as he followed them into the hotel lobby, observing as he walked. From the outside, it was a seven-story luxury hotel, not veryrge in overall size.


    Inside, however, he found the space to be quite spacious, especially the lobby on the first floor.


    It was at least four meters high, giving a sense of spaciousness.


    The interior decoration was luxurious but not tacky.


    This was what they called understated luxury, right?


    In the lobby, besides the check-in counter, there was a lounge area with sofas and coffee tables of all sizes.


    Fiona led them there. Elijah looked at her back and couldn''t help but marvel.


    In terms of appearance alone, she wasn''t as pretty as Daisy. Moreover, she wasn''t very tall, slightly shorter than Daisy.


    But her body proportions were excellent, especially her long legs! So at first nce, she seemed tall.


    At the same time, her shoulders were narrow, and her legs were slender and straight.


    The top she wore fit her well, her chest seemed to be bursting out, but it wasn''t actually thatrge, nowhere near asrge as Emily''s.


    As forparing her to Daisy... he needed to undo the tie to see.


    Her waist was also very slim, making her hip curve exceptionally beautiful and exaggerated.


    Like a butterfly in flight, very charming.


    Not only were they perky, but also round.


    The ck skirt perfectly showcased her charming curves.


    Moreover, with every step she took, it seemed like she had measured it precisely.


    Her figure swayed gracefully, and her posture was elegant.


    Elijah felt that the clothes restricted her.


    If she wore a high-slit skirt, evening dress, or even a cheongsam, she would be stunning.


    Definitely beautiful enough to make all the girls jealous!


    Soon, Fiona led the two to a lounge area with four seats and invited them to sit down.


    She and another morous woman sat opposite them, while the other two women stood behind them.


    Seeing Gabriel behind them, he unconsciously stood behind Elijah and the others. Thus, there were four people sitting facing each other and four people standing behind them.


    Fiona nced at Gabriel and then, with a calm smile on her fair, oval face, she spoke first.


    "Is this the lovely Daisy? You''re so beautiful! Mr. Elijah is fortunate!"


    "Sister is beautiful too!" Daisy showed no signs of nervousness, with a sweet smile on her face, just like a girl next door.


    "And the sister opposite and the two sisters behind, they''re all beauties. I don''t know how to address them!"


    "Hannah!" The morous woman finally spoke.

 Chapter 50: Hunt

    Elijah couldn''t help but nce at Hannah. Her voice didn''t match her appearance; it gave off a distant and aloof feeling, contrary to her soft, sugary tone that seemed sweet to the ears, creating a stark contrast.


    "Wow, Hannah''s voice is so nice! I thought she would be cold and hard to approach!" Daisy eximed, seemingly without any ulterior motives.


    "Oh, no, Daisy''s voice is much nicer!" Hannah politely deflected.


    "Hannah, you''ve met, and this one behind me is Grace!" Fiona redirected the conversation.


    Elijah remembered her; she was the one who opened the door just now.


    "Um... hi!" Grace greeted nervously.


    "And the one beside her is Katherine!" Katherine nodded at the two.


    Once everyone was acquainted, Fiona spoke again.


    "Alright, now that we all know each other, let''s get back to business! First of all, a big thank you to Mr. Elijah for his help. Otherwise, the four of us sisters probably wouldn''t have ended up well today. I know Mr. Elijah must not have helped us for free.


    Do you have any requests?"


    Elijah smiled faintly. "Call me Elijah, I''m just an ordinary guy. It feels a bit strange to be called ''Mr.'' feels awkward. As for requests? I think the environment on this ind is great. I''d like it to be a ce for future living, if possible."


    "Of course, that''s no problem. Besides this hotel on the ind, there are also 10 luxury vis, Elijah... Elijah, you can choose any one of them as our gratitude to you!"


    "Uh? Elijah, didn''t you say you wanted to take over this ind at first?" Daisy innocently looked at Elijah.


    "Yeah, so Fiona probably misunderstood! I meant this ind is great!" Elijah echoed.


    Fiona''s expression didn''t change much upon hearing this, remaining calm. Elijah felt disappointed yet somewhat admiring. She truly lived up to being the heiress of the Prosperous Strength Group.


    "It seems Elijah, you have a purpose foring here. I wonder what attracted you to this ind?" Fiona asked lightly, neither granting nor denying his request.


    "Many things! After confirming that the world has entered the apocalypse and order cannot be restored in the short term, my first thought was to find a ce suitable for long-term survival andfortable living. This ce needs to be rtively safe, with fewer zombies."


    Elijah was quite sincere.


    "So, you thought of here right away?"


    "Yes! I''ve seen some of your promotional materials through certain channels. After obtaining the right to use the ind in the name of environmental development, you have indeed taken corresponding environmental measures. For example, the entire ind uses clean energy, harnessing wind and sr power for electricity! The outside of this building is covered with sr panels, right?


    Now that the city haspletely stopped supplying electricity, you still have power supply for the whole ind. Just this alone, we cannot ignore. Moreover, the environment here is beautiful, and the location is very safe!"


    Fiona sighed inwardly, fearing exactly this.


    If it were just an ordinary ind, there wouldn''t be many coveters.


    But if the whole world is dark at night, and only this ce is lit up, it''s like a beacon in the night, attracting countless moths.


    With just a few weak women like them, they definitely couldn''t deal with more and more coveters in the future.


    "Although I admit that your abilities are very strong and suitable for survival in the apocalypse, can just the two of you control this ind?"


    Fiona remained expressionless.


    "Counting you guys in!"


    "Us?"


    "Yeah, I only said to upy this ind, not to kick you out!"


    "And besides, who said there are only two of us?"


    After Elijah finished speaking, the image of the two retreating figures of Isaac shed in his mind.


    The hunt began!


    "Isaac, are we just going to leave like this?"


    Henry followed behind Isaac as they hurried away from the ind, not stopping for a moment.


    "What else do you suggest? "


    "Do you think we can take on that group of people together?"


    " Those women have an attitude, as if they have something to rely on.


    I suspect some of them have awakened abilities.


    So, we tried to appease them at first, without resorting to direct confrontation.


    If it was just those women, even with some of them having abilities, they wouldn''t be much of a threat.


    After all, they''re women who probably haven''t killed much, struggling even to kill a zombie.


    With my ability, we could still stand a chance.


    But those two who showed upter, the man and the woman, they''re different.


    The man''s ability to disappear without a trace, coupled with the guns they have...


    We wouldn''t even have a chance to resist; they''d just take us out," Isaac exined, ncing back nervously, afraid the pair might be stealthily following them. He couldn''t afford to let his guard down.


    Henry, upon careful consideration, felt a chill run down his spine. He didn''t possess any special abilities.


    Isaac might be able to withstand a bullet with his power, but if he were hit, he''d be done for.


    "Then let''s get out of here quickly!"


    Henry urged, picking up his pace to overtake Isaac.


    "Let''s head back to the service hall, load up the remaining supplies, and then go to Fisherman''s Wharf. I''ll reim my pride sooner orter!"


    "Fisherman''s Wharf? Is Jacob still alive?" Isaac inquired.


    "Who knows! Let''s go check it out first; there must be survivors..."


    They continued their conversation as they reached the edge of the bridge leading to the shore.


    Just as they were about to step ontond, a figure suddenly sprang up from the ground, lunging towards them aggressively.


    "Arrgh!" The terrifying moan of a zombie followed.


    "Damn it!"


    After all, it was someone who had awakened abilities; their physical attributes were enhanced in various ways. Isaac reacted first. Seeing no other option, he swiftly pulled Henry, using him as a shield.


    "Ah!" A piercing scream rang out as the zombie sunk its teeth into Henry''s shoulder.


    With a sh of the de, Isaac swung his knife towards the zombie, disregarding the possibility of hitting Henry. After all, being bitten by a zombie was a death sentence anyway.


    But in the next instant, Isaac was stunned.


    Although he had aimed his de at the zombie''s neck, ensuring there was no escape, the zombie''s head twisted in a bizarre manner, evading the de.


    The sharp knife plunged into Henry''s shoulder instead.


    "Damn it!"


    Henry''s eyes widened in agony.


    Normally, a zombie bite wouldn''t be too serious; the terrifying aspect was the infection, which would quickly turn the victim into a zombie.


    But Isaac''s blow was different.


    It nearly tore his entire arm off, causing intense pain that nearly made him pass out.

 Chapter 51: It was a cunning plan indeed!

    The zombie evaded Isaac''s de, its neck immediately regenerating.


    Its body shot out along the knife handle.


    Isaac witnessed such a bizarre zombie for the first time, its body boneless and flexible, capable of unimaginable movements, akin to a snake, and remarkably fast!


    Seeing the zombie approaching, he reluctantly let go of the knife handle, swiftly retreated, and ran away at full speed, soon disappearing into the distance.


    While the zombie''s close-quarters agility was impressive, its pursuit speed wascking.


    After a couple of steps, realizing it couldn''t catch up, it turned back to Henry''s side.


    This zombie was naturally the mutated female zombie controlled by Elijah.


    However, due to the distance, Elijah could no longer exert precise control.


    He could onlymand her to feign copse and attack passing individuals.


    At this moment, themand had beenpleted, restrictions lifted, and she reverted to her instinctual state, immediately ignited with a desire for flesh and blood at the sight of living beings in front of her.


    Henry was still howling in agony, his body drenched in blood.


    He wished he could pass out, but unfortunately couldn''t.


    Though the pain was intense, he could still barely endure it.


    As he watched the zombie inch closer, fear filled his eyes.


    "Isaac...!"


    He roared, recalling Isaac''s words when he once pped his shoulder:


    "Women are like clothes, but men are like brothers!"


    Now it was just the two of them.


    They should look out for each other, never leave nor forsake.


    He remembered that I had just been dragged back by him, stood in front of him, and received a bite from the zombie.


    He thought of the machete still lodged in his bones.


    "Go to hell, you bloody brother!"


    "Damn your mother!"


    Then everything went ck before him, and he lost consciousnesspletely!


    ...


    Azure Isle, inside a luxurious hotel.


    "Do you have others with you?"


    Fiona''s face finally lost itsposure.


    If it was just the two of them, even if they demanded control of Azure Isle, she would have the confidence to take the lead.


    But if their numbers exceeded theirs and they were powerful, then it wouldn''t be so certain.


    "Yes! So, Fiona, do you agree to let me take over Azure Isle?


    Rest assured, you won''t be driven out, but given the same conditions you just mentioned to us.


    I''ll allow you to choose a mansion as your residence and enjoy the ind''s public resources for free, such as water and electricity!"


    The two sat facing each other, Elijah leaning in slightly, exerting his dominance for the first time.


    "Do I have the choice to refuse?"


    Fiona quickly regained herposure.


    She said expressionlessly, "You let Isaac go on purpose, didn''t you? Isn''t it for this moment?"


    "Who said I let Isaac go?"


    Elijah smiled faintly.


    "I see..."


    Fiona suddenly understood.


    "You''ve also set up an ambush outside!"


    She understood everything.


    On the surface, Elijah let Isaac go to gain some of their trust while simultaneously putting pressure on them.


    They would feel grateful but also want to keep Elijah to prevent Isaac''s retaliation.


    Behind the scenes, Elijah and his group had set up another ambush topletely deal with Isaac.


    In the end, regardless of the negotiation oue, the initiative had already fallen into Elijah''s hands as they entered the hotel.


    They had both strength and people.


    The few weak women among them couldn''t resist even if they wanted to.


    It was a cunning n indeed!


    Elijah naturally had no idea about Fiona''s spections.


    His thoughts were simple. Fiona and her group were familiar with everything on the ind, unlike him and Daisy, who were clueless.


    Moreover, they were all women¡ªrtively safe and easy to control.


    Leaving them behind would facilitate his familiarization with and management of the ind in the future.


    Letting Isaac go was indeed deliberate, to create a sense of crisis among them and make them more receptive to these outsiders.


    As for letting the zombie attack Isaac, it was just a casual act. Sess was a joy, but failure didn''t matter.


    Once hepletely migrated to this ind, he would naturally have a way to secure it.


    "It could also be seen as a person, right, Fiona? Do you agree?" Elijah didn''t exin.


    "We have a few conditions!" Fiona said.


    "Please, go on."


    "We acknowledge your upation of this ce, bing the lord of the ind, and we''ll ept you as the leader. But the condition is... I want to be your girlfriend!"


    Suddenly, Fiona smiled, uttering words that shocked everyone.


    Behind Elijah, Gabriel raised an eyebrow, a hint of joy on his face! Is this... bing a brother-inw for real?


    Elijah couldn''t understand what Fiona was up to, but by now, he understood what Daisy wanted. Daisy''s small hand was on his waist, and if his answer wasn''t satisfactory, it might be a fatal blow!


    "Do you really take my little brother seriously?" Oops, no, what little brother? "Gabriel was just joking, you don''t have to take it seriously!" Elijah forced a smile.


    "Elijah, I''m not joking. I really think you two... aren''tpatible!" Gabriel was originally excited, but seeing Daisy staring at him fiercely, he quickly changed his tune.


    Fiona watched this scene, relieved.


    Her biggest worry was that Elijah might have designs on them.


    As the leader and sisters in life and death, she had to take responsibility for the other three women no matter what.


    Although Elijah didn''t seem like a lecherous person like Isaac, appearances could be deceiving.


    In contrast, Daisy was much more astute, so she had to try probing.


    "I think I''m serious! I''ve thought it through, and Gabriel''s suggestion is quite good. You''re not bad looking, and you must be quite strong! I consider myself not bad looking too. Don''t you think I''m not good enough for you?" Fiona bit her lip lightly, giving him a seductive look.


    Elijah couldn''t help but swallow. Not only not bad looking, she was stunningly beautiful, alright! But feeling the tightening grip of the small hand on his waist, Elijah chuckled.


    "Fiona, you''re kidding. I already have a girlfriend..." Elijah put his arm around Daisy''s shoulder.


    "Hmph!" Daisy huffed, ring at Fiona!


    Fiona seemed to just realize, surprised, "So you two... I''m sorry, I was presumptuous! Then, let me talk about other requests!"


    Elijah looked at Fiona, who could barely contain her smile, suddenly realizing. Is this woman testing me? Oh well, let''s hear what conditions she has.


    After all, there''s plenty of time in the future! I''ll make up for it sooner orter.


    "As for the first condition, you cannot forcibly interfere with our lives or make us do things we don''t want to do!"


    "That''s natural. Although it''s the end of the world, we still have to abide by basicws and moral bottom lines. No one can force you, and neither can I. If there really is anything, I''ll discuss it with you in advance and respect your opinions!" Elijah replied solemnly.


    "As for the second condition, if there are any more people joining us in the future, I hope we can be notified. If this person is not to our liking, we have the right to veto!"


    "Hmm..." Elijah pondered for a moment.

 Chapter 52: Clever Women

    "We''re mainly concerned about people like Isaacing to the ind..." Fiona supplemented when she saw Elijah silent.


    "If you''re worried about that, then I can assure you, there will never be men randomly joining this ind in the future. Even if they do join, it will only be with your consent!"


    "In that case, let''s cooperate happily!" Fiona breathed a sigh of relief, her smile lightening up a bit as she reached out her hand to Elijah.


    Elijah didn''t shake her hand; instead, his expression grew more serious.


    "You''ve finished stating your demands. Now it''s my turn!" Fiona''s smile froze.


    "Do we have cups?" Elijah asked.


    "Yes!" Emily responded promptly. She released Gabriel and hurried to the counter, returning with a stack of paper cups, which she ced on the table.


    Elijah arranged the paper cups one by one, cing six in front of the table. Then he picked up the mineral water prepared for the tourists nearby and unscrewed it.


    "Gulp, gulp," he poured the water into the six cups. Then he took out a knife and cut his finger, letting a drop of blood fall into each cup.


    As everyone watched him, initially puzzled, they quickly guessed what he intended to do.


    "My request is simple. All you have to do is drink this cup of water!"


    "Is this a blood oath?" Gabriel behind them asked with interest.


    But Fiona felt it wasn''t that simple. "What if we don''t drink it?"


    "Then I''m very sorry, but those who don''t drink cannot stay on the ind!" Fiona pondered.


    "Do all the people on the ind need to drink it? Including your people?"


    "Yes!" Elijah confirmed.


    "Alright! We''ll drink it!" Fiona decisively lifted the cup and drank it all. Hannah and the other two women also took the cups without hesitation.


    Seeing the two cups left on the table, everyone turned to Gabriel and Emily.


    "Do we need to drink it too?"


    "I don''t think we need to. After all, we didn''t n to keep you on the ind anyway!" Fiona said indifferently.


    "Huh? Sister, you''re so heartless! Brother-inw..."


    "What your sister said is right!"


    Elijah followed up.


    "The service area outside the ind also needs someone to guard it, and I think you''re suitable for the job! You can''t let a few unarmed women guard the door, can you?"


    Gabriel looked at the weapons in Daisy''s hands and then remembered the kitchen knives in the hands of the four women earlier.


    Then he looked at himself,pletely unarmed! Truly defenseless! He drank down with tears in his eyes.


    Emily, on the other hand, was very happy. This indirectly meant that this group of people had epted her.


    "Although the process may have been unpleasant, the result is good. Wee to join my big family!" Elijah reached out his hand and shook Fiona''s.


    "Since we''re family now, can we talk about what secrets you''re hiding? Or... your supernatural abilities?"Fiona elegantly withdrew her hand, a faint smile on her face.


    What a sharp woman! Elijah was amazed!


    "Mutual respect! You''ve also hidden abilities, haven''t you?" Elijah picked up another bottle of water and handed it to Daisy.


    "Here, for you, your favorite chilled beverage!"


    "Wow, how amazing!" Daisy eximed in surprise. The water, which had been at room temperature, was already frosted and even beginning to freeze in the short time it was handed to her.


    "How is this possible?" Hannah, who had been keeping a straight face all along, showed a rare hint of astonishment.


    "Ability replication?" Fiona was also surprised, and at the same time, she seemed to realize something.


    When Elijah and Daisy deactivated their invisibility, she had a question.


    How could it be so coincidental that two people awakened the same ability at the same time?


    At that moment, she spected that perhaps an invisibility wielder could make theirpanion invisible too.


    Now, seeing Elijah''s ability to replicate others'' powers, everything made sense!


    "So, the blood from earlier was some sort of medium? A contract? That allows you to replicate our abilities?"


    "Very clever!"


    Seeing the subtleties! So much content deduced from just a detail. Elijah''s admiration for Fiona''s sharpness grew.


    "I guess, even without our help, you could handle Isaac and the others, right?"


    "Ah! So, the water at the entrance..."


    Daisy realized it too! They intentionally flooded the entrance with so much water! Daisy suddenly understood.


    If they could instantly freeze the water, it would definitely catch the enemies off guard!


    If the enemy could be frozen, wouldn''t the enemy be a living target?


    "Freezing such arge area of water is still quite taxing for Hannah. And there''s no guarantee it would be effective against Isaac and his group. It''s all desperate measures. So, we''re very grateful for your help. We came out of it unscathed!"


    Fiona didn''t feel it was something to boast about. When ites down to it, it''s a matter of fighting to the death.


    That''s something nobody wants to see. They were prepared to fight to the death. But who wouldn''t want to live!


    At this point, Elijah received some images from the mutant female zombie again.


    Because of the distance, he couldn''t receive real-time images anymore, and the frequency of images being sent back had decreased significantly.


    Shortly after, Elijah "saw" Henry being bitten and Isaac fleeing in a sorry state.


    "Too bad, Isaac got away!"


    It would have been nice to keep one, but letting a powered individual escape is still a threat.


    Upon hearing this, Fiona couldn''t help but sarcastically think about letting Isaac go: wasn''t it their own doing?


    Elijah didn''t exin. With the facts discussed, his tense nerves rxed.


    Making a pact with six people and experimenting with Hannah''s "freezing" ability had been a significant drain on his mental and physical strength, especially since they hadn''t slept all night.


    Rxing now, exhaustion surged.


    "My head is pounding. Are there any vacant rooms here? We haven''t slept all night, and we need to rest now! If there''s anything urgent, we''ll discuss it after we''ve rested!"


    The seed of consciousness had been nted, and the mental suggestion had taken effect.


    Elijah was no longer worried that this group of people would harm him. Next, he and Daisy needed a good rest; there were still many things to be done.


    Seeing Elijah, who suddenly looked fatigued, Fiona, though a bit puzzled, didn''t say anything more. Instead, she had Katherine take the two to a nearby guest room.


    On the way, Elijah could clearly see some bloodstains and traces of dragged bodies that hadn''t been cleaned up.


    It seemed there were quite a few zombies here initially!


    "Did you clear out all the zombies here?"


    Katherine nodded.


    "Fiona used obstacles and Hannah''s ability to trap the zombies, and then we killed them, gradually clearing them out."


    Elijah could probably guess their methods.


    No wonder the weapons in the women''s hands were stained with blood.


    Women who could face zombies directly were no less than men.


    Elijah couldn''t help but admire these four women once again.


    Especially Fiona, smart, sharp, and courageous! And they''re all so beautiful!


    Truly a stroke of luck!

 Chapter 53: Elijahs heart fluttered

    The three of them quickly arrived outside a guest room.


    Katherine opened the door and switched on the lights, inviting them in.


    "This is a standard room in our hotel. There''s hot water for showering and the air conditioning is also avable!"


    "Okay, thank you," Elijah politely responded.


    "Then, rest well!" Katherine briefly introduced before leaving the room and closing the door behind her.


    At this moment, Daisy couldn''t contain her excitement.


    "Wow! There''s air conditioning and hot water, this is too good to be true!"


    She bounced around and headed to the bathroom, turning on the tap and letting the water flow.


    "There''s even a bathtub inside, I''m going to take a bath! It''s been so long."


    Daisy eximed happily, but then she remembered their frugal days when they couldn''t afford such luxuries, and she almost felt like crying.


    What used to be ordinary amenities before the apocalypse now seemed like extravagant luxuries.


    Elijah turned on the air conditioning and casually surveyed the room.


    It was called a standard room, but it was quite spacious.


    There was a separate small living room with furniture like sofas, coffee tables, and a TV.


    The adjacent bedroom was also sizable, with arge double bed where two people could easily roll around.


    Next to the bed, there was arge wardrobe for storing clothes.


    Apart from the absence of a kitchen and dining area, it was almost indistinguishable from a regr household.


    "Is there only one bed? Fiona and the others probably assume that Daisy and I are a normal couple..." Elijah didn''t want to find another room or risk exposing that he and Daisy weren''t at that stage of their rtionship yet.


    One room would have to suffice.


    The bed wasrge enough for two people to lie downfortably.


    Elijah then entered the bathroom, where Daisy had already started filling the bathtub with water.


    The bathroom was also spacious; otherwise, it wouldn''t amodate a bathtub big enough for two. Inside was the bathtub, with a shower outside.


    There was a sliding door that separated the wet and dry areas.


    Outside the sliding door was the toilet, which seemed quite advanced, like a smart toilet that didn''t require toilet paper and could provide heated cleaning.


    A little further out was a sink and a vanity mirror.


    "Elijah, get out, I want to take a shower!" Daisy decided to rinse off first before soaking in the tub.


    Seeing Elijah looking around, she immediately urged him to leave.


    "The bathtub is so big, I think two people can shower together, saving time!"


    Elijah chuckled.


    "Shower with your girlfriend Fiona! You big jerk!"


    Daisy retorted, hands on her hips, giving him a big eye roll.


    "Huh? That was a joke! You''re my only girlfriend!"


    Elijah rified, knowing there was a difference between a girlfriend and just a woman.


    He praised himself for his quick wit.


    "Hmm, I don''t care, but you lose today''s girlfriend privileges!"


    Daisy pouted, then pushed Elijah out of the bathroom.


    Elijah looked at the closed door, touched his nose, and then turned to open his own backpack, taking out clean clothes.


    He took off his dirty jacket and jeans, recing them with the shorts and T-shirt Daisy had picked out for him, and sat on the edge of the bed, preparing to rest.


    At this moment, a blurred figure in the bathroom caught his attention.


    Perhaps because their room was a king-size bed, it was likely rented by couples or lovers.


    Therefore, the bathroom''s ss was frosted, not entirely transparent, but clear enough to see the silhouette inside.


    Elijah sat on the bed and saw Daisy slowly undressing.


    His blood began to boil. "Who can bear this?" Elijah felt the thoughtful design of the hotel.


    "Daisy, do you need help scrubbing your back? It''s hard to clean your back by yourself!" Elijah couldn''t help but offer.


    "Humph! No! Need! To!" Daisy hummed a cheerful tune, rinsed her body quickly, then tly refused him, and then shey down in the filled bathtub.


    The slightly warm water submerged her body, covering up her infinite beauty.


    Daisy let out a satisfied sigh. "Sofortable! I really want to stay in here forever!"


    Elijah felt itchy hearing her from outside, but he couldn''t do anything about it.


    With Daisy lying in the tub, her beautiful figure was no longer visible, and the fire in his heart gradually subsided.


    Overwhelmed by exhaustion, Elijahy down on the bed and soon fell asleep.


    After soaking for a while, as the water temperature gradually cooled, Daisy reluctantly got up.


    Blowing dry her hair and tidying up, Daisy walked out of the bathroom wearing the same couple outfit from yesterday.


    She thought Elijah must be impatiently waiting.


    However, when she saw him lying on the bed, already snoring loudly, she was surprised.


    "Oh! Is there only one bed?"


    It was only now that Daisy realized there was only one bed in the room.


    She looked around and finally stood by the sofa, feeling conflicted.


    "Um... sleeping on the sofa is also an option... but the bed is much morefortable!"


    "But Elijah has already taken the bed... should I wake him up?"


    "No, no, he must be really tired today and needs a good rest!"


    "Anyway... anyway, the bed isrge! I just need a little space..."


    "Let''s go with this happy decision!"


    After a mental struggle, Daisy was ultimately drawn back to the bedroom by the allure of therge and soft bed.


    Shey down on the other side, far from Elijah.


    "Ah... the bed is indeedfortable!"


    Daisy thought to herself, unable to resist a yawn, and slowly drifted off to sleep.


    Meanwhile, Elijah had a dream! In the dream, he sessfully entered the bathroom as he wished.


    Just as he was about to do something, a woman in the bathroom lifted her leg and kicked him hard.


    Then Elijah woke up in pain!


    He stared nkly at the ceiling for a while before finallying to his senses. Turning his head, he saw Daisy''s fair and translucent foot resting on him.


    It was this foot that had kicked him just now. Looking at Daisy, who was lying diagonally on the bed, upying three-quarters of the space by herself, Elijah realized that if it weren''t for the kick, she would have taken up the entire bed.


    "This girl... she''s so domineering even in her sleep!" Elijah became increasingly awake and felt refreshed.


    Checking the time, it was almost 6 PM, and he had slept for over 8 hours.


    With the air conditioning in the room, it wasn''t as ufortable to wake up as it had been in the past few days.


    Still, Elijah struggled to get out of bed, feeling ufortable from holding it in for so long!


    In the bathroom, Elijah enjoyed the service of the high-tech toilet and quickly rinsed himself in the shower. He immediately felt revitalized.


    Returning to the bedroom, Daisy was still sound asleep. He noticed she had changed her sleeping position again.


    Her oversized T-shirt was rolled up, revealing her t stomach. Elijah''s heart fluttered. It must be very smooth, right?!


    "Speaking of which, I haven''t imed today''s girlfriend privilege yet..." Elijah rubbed his hands together and took a few steps forward. "This is..."

 Chapter 54: What a feast for the eyes

    Suddenly, Elijah noticed through the gap in Daisy''s T-shirt that she was wearing a style of bra that clearly wasn''t her usual preference.


    It looked familiar to him. Quickly, his eyes lit up.


    Yesterday, at the clothing store, Elijah had jokingly pointed out a more revealing set of underwear and teased Daisy to wear it.


    She vehemently refused. But now... she was wearing that exact set of underwear!


    "When did this girl sneakily bring this?" A fire ignited in Elijah''s heart. "And why wear it? Does she really want me to see?"


    Unable to resist any longer, Elijah leaned down and kissed her lightly. Daisy furrowed her brows and then pouted.


    Elijah alsoy down on the bed, gently embracing her. Daisy gradually woke up. "Elijah~" She seemed not fully awake, looking adorable and coy.


    "Elijah, today do you want to... eat me? Can you?"...


    When Elijah and Daisy appeared in front of Fiona again, she noticed Elijah''s flushed face, as if he had encountered something very pleasant.


    But then again, the whole ind was technically his now, so he should be very happy.


    On the other hand, Daisy''s face was slightly red, and she pursed her lips high.


    One might think she was angry, but she was tightly holding onto Elijah''s arm. Not angry? But her expression clearly showed she didn''t want to talk to Elijah.


    Fiona always thought of the two as a couple and didn''t think much further, assuming they were just having a lover''s spat. It might even be because of her.


    "Good morning!" Elijah greeted!


    Fiona rolled her eyes at him. "It''s almost evening now!"


    "Then, good evening!" Elijah grinned.


    "Do you have any food? We''re both starving!" After speaking, he subconsciously nced at Daisy.


    As if on cue, Daisy also looked over and immediately huffed, unwilling to respond to him.


    Elijah chuckled! Ignoring herpletely!


    After all, he already had her entire body! A littleint now and then was understandable.


    "Dinner has been prepared for you!" Fiona pointed to the nearby restaurant and led the way.


    The restaurant was on the other side of the lounge area, and it was simrly spacious, with many tables and chairs of various sizes.


    Hannah, Grace, and Katherine were all there, but Gabriel and Emily were missing.


    "My nephew... cough, Gabriel, where are they?"


    Fiona said with a half-smile upon hearing this: "Didn''t you tell them to go to the service area on the shore?"


    Elijah remembered joking about it in the morning.


    "Ah, yes! Someone does need to watch over there!" Elijah suddenly recalled the joke he made in the morning, then quickly shifted his focus to the food on the table.


    "Wow! So many pastries! Mmm~ I haven''t had these in ages!"


    Daisy forgot her embarrassment as soon as she saw the food.


    She lunged for the table, unapologetically grabbing a piece of creatively shaped cake and started eating.


    Besides various cakes Elijah couldn''t name, there were also some dumplings, steaming hot as if they had juste out of the pot.


    Elijah also sat down and said to the few women standing beside, "You haven''t eaten either, right? Sit down and eat together!"


    "Yeah, let''s eat together!" Daisy''s mouth was full, but she still managed to greet the others happily. "This is delicious, Fiona sis, who made it?"


    Upon hearing this, the other women took their seats one after another. Fiona sat next to Elijah, with Grace on the other side.


    Hannah sat next to Daisy, with Katherine on the other side. The small round table was just right for everyone.


    "Hannah made these!" Fiona smiled slightly. "I haven''t introduced her properly yet. Hannah is actually a pastry chef I hired, who used to be the head pastry chef at a Michelin-starred restaurant!"


    "Wow, no wonder they''re so delicious! I''m going to enjoy myself from now on!" Daisy cozied up to Hannah. "Hannah sis, how did you make this? Can I learn?"


    "I... I only know how to make pastries. I''m d you like them!" Hannah''s face showed a rare smile. "These are made by mixing three types of flour and then adding..."


    Daisy''s head was spinning from listening. She hadn''t realized that making pastries could be such a profound art. "That sounds so difficult... I''ll just stick to eating!"


    Hannah smiled gently, and her smile seemed much more natural.


    Elijah couldn''t help but nce at her more. Hannah''s appearance was not inferior to Fiona''s¡ªshe had delicate features, fair skin, and a good figure, with the right amount of plumpness in the right ces.


    But she always had a nk expression, giving off a cold vibe that made her seem unapproachable. But now, with a slight smile, she looked stunning, like a beautiful flower in bloom.


    "Hannah sis, you look so beautiful when you smile! You should smile more in the future!" Daisy was also taken aback. It''s human nature to admire beauty, regardless of gender.


    "Thank you, you''re very cute too!" Hannah replied with a giggle. Daisy''s lively nature and cheerful personality quickly made her close friends with the other women.


    Elijah buried himself in eating, asionally lifting his head to see the vibrant and distinctive women surrounding him, feeling like he was in a dreamlike state.


    What a feast for the eyes! Elijah''s appetite was greatly stimted, and he couldn''t help but eat a few more bites of rice.


    "We''ll be leaving soon, I need to talk to you about something!" After dinner, while the women were tidying up the table, Elijah pulled Fiona aside.


    "You''re leaving?" Fiona was surprised!


    "Yes, we came here just to scout, and we''ll be heading back tonight. We''lle back tomorrow with the others!"


    "Are yourpanions not at the service area by the shore?" Fiona was puzzled. She had been wondering why she hadn''t seen hispanionse over.


    Elijah realized she had misunderstood and exined, "I forgot to mention, my second-tier ability is replication of abilities. My first-tier ability is controlling zombies through contracts."


    Elijah briefly exined his abilities.


    Fiona suddenly realized something. "So when you said there weren''t just two of you, it''s because you also control zombies?"


    "Yes, unfortunately, Isaac was too alert and escaped, leaving behind another person!" Elijah felt a bit regretful.


    Fiona wasn''t focused on that detail but instead, through his abilities, thought of something more... "Everyone who drinks your blood is bound by your contract. Because zombiesck self-awareness, they can be controlled by you..."


    "If one of us were to be a zombie, the contract wouldn''t be invalidated, and they would immediatelye under your control, unable to attack others. In that case, the virus''s greatest threat to the group would be eliminated!"


    How astute! To think of all that from just fragments of description!


    Elijah was truly impressed.

 Chapter 55: A hint of cunning flashed in her eyes

    "Fiona sighed, "If only you hade a few days earlier..."


    She thought of her female bodyguard. If it weren''t for not understanding the virus mechanism, she wouldn''t have been suddenly bitten and killed by other survivors turned zombies.


    "I''m sorry! I''m not ming you, just a bit regretful!"


    "I understand." Elijah nodded. "Your focus is quite unique. You don''t care about Isaac escaping, nor are you surprised that my ability is second-tier."


    "Now that this ce belongs to you, it''s natural for you to worry about Isaac''s threat."


    Fiona chuckled lightly.


    "As for your second-tier ability, it''s not surprising at all! Knowing that Hannah awakened a miraculous ability and became more proficient and powerful with its usage, I guessed that there would be a qualitative change one day."


    Elijah gave her a thumbs up and then took out a corpse core.


    Fiona was immediately drawn to it.


    "This is a crystallization produced by the zombie''s brain, I call it a corpse core. I need you to help me collect them. None of the zombies you and Isaac killed have been searched. It''s not dangerous, just a bit disgusting..."


    "What''s the use of this corpse core? Can humans eat it?"


    "No, they can''t."


    "If humans can''t eat it, then it must be something zombies can eat..."


    Fiona nodded.


    ??


    How did she guess that?


    Elijah was stunned. Women are too smart, it seems. You can''t hide anything from them.


    Elijah felt like wiping the nonexistent sweat off his forehead! The pressure was overwhelming!


    "We''ll collect these corpse cores for you. Is there any benefit to us?"


    "A way to awaken your abilities, how about that?"


    Fiona looked puzzled at first, then her eyes lit up.


    Seeing her change in expression, Elijah finally breathed a sigh of relief.


    Even if you''re smart, there are some things you can''t understand or guess.


    "Elijah~ You said yesterday that we''re all family now, why be so formal? Why not tell me now?"


    Fiona''s tone was gentle, her smile beautiful, with a kind of coquettish charm unique to women.


    "??"


    Wait, aren''t you women so fickle?


    Elijah looked at her natural transition, feeling like he was seeing her in a new light.


    This woman always had a calm and elegant demeanor, but now she showed a more girlish side.


    Elijah found it interesting. Maybe this was Fiona''s true self, and she was just putting on a front when she was outside?


    Well, as the heir of arge corporation and the initiator and leader of the Azure Isle project, she had to maintain elegance and dignity in public, so as not to be underestimated.


    Elijah wanted to tease her a bit, so he said, "Since we''re already family, why don''t you call me husband?"


    "I have my limits, hmph!"


    Fiona''s smile froze, and she snorted coldly.


    She nced casually at the other women, who were busy and hadn''t noticed them, then said, "Do you really have a way to awaken abilities?"


    "Of course, I have no reason to lie to you about this, since we''ll be living together in the future!"


    Elijah looked at her changing expression with a smile.


    Fiona suddenly leaned closer, and the two of them were almost sticking together. She lightly bit her lip and whispered in his ear, "Husband~"


    Her voice was sweet and charming.


    Elijah shivered!


    From head to toe!


    Then he looked around nervously, especially at Daisy. He didn''t want to be caught in the act.


    Just a moment ago, they were humming and snuggling in the room, and now they were flirting with other women here.


    If Daisy saw this, he was afraid she''d pull out her over a meter long knife!


    She really had one!


    Elijah moved away from Fiona a bit, but before he could speak, he couldn''t help but ask, "Aren''t you a person with boundaries? Your boundaries seem quite wide?"


    Fiona resumed her indifferent look.


    "Please don''t believe in a merchant''s boundaries, especially a woman''s!"


    Moreover, it''s just coquetry, and it doesn''t matter if no one sees it. You can even freeload some benefits!


    A hint of cunning shed in her eyes.


    Elijah was taken aback, then chuckled, "I''m not losing out either way, since I was going to tell you guys anyway!"


    Fiona remained nomittal. She didn''t believe in promises; what she could get her hands on was the most practical.


    Seeing no change in her expression, Elijah looked a bit disappointed. Then he took out a police water bottle from the side pocket of his backpack and pointed to the zombie grass inside.


    "Have you seen this nt?"


    Fiona had actually noticed it in the morning and had been wondering why they were carrying a piece of grass. Now, upon closer inspection, she immediately noticed the nt''s uniqueness.


    The nt itself didn''t look remarkable; there were plenty of roadside flowers and grasses that looked simr, none of which she recognized.


    The only distinguishing feature was the pale patterns on the leaves, as if emitting light.


    It felt as though, on a pitch-ck night, one saw a group of fireflies circling around this nt, asionally disappearing into the leaves.


    The fluorescence made the nt appear bright and dazzling, standing out from the rest.


    "Could this nt awaken abilities in people?" Fiona pondered.


    "Exactly! But not this particr nt, but this type of nt. Their characteristics are obvious, and I believe you can discern them too!"


    "This should be a new nt that emerged after the virus outbreak?!" Though phrased as a question, Fiona''s tone was affirmative, not expecting Elijah to answer.


    "So, what are the conditions required for this nt to be given to me and be your woman?"


    "Um... this particr one has already been reserved!" Elijah didn''t give a clear answer.


    Fiona''s eyes immediately changed again, with a hint of charm in her voice as she said, "Then can I reserve the next one?"


    She''s like a siren! Elijah''s scalp tingled, but what was more nerve-wracking was what came next.


    "What next one?" Daisy walked over, curious.


    "Um, Fiona was asking if she could reserve the next zombie grass!" Elijah coughed twice abruptly.


    "Oh, I see. Zombie grass is not easy to find!"


    "We''ll talk about it once we find it!" Fiona looked at Elijah with a smirk.


    Elijah pretended not to notice and said to Daisy, "I''ve finished exining, let''s get ready to leave!"


    "Yeah!" Having eaten and drunk their fill, Daisy''s energy had recovered, and even her gait was much more natural.


    The two returned to their room, changed back into their anti-stabbing police suits and equipment, grabbed their weapons, and then walked out of the hotel again.


    A electric sightseeing car was already parked at the hotel entrance, and Fiona and the other four women were waiting nearby.


    "There are only these sightseeing cars on the ind now. If you need other vehicles, you can go to the service area by the shore to change!"


    "It''s enough!" Elijah nodded, taking the driver''s seat this time.


    Why not let Daisy drive? He was afraid she''d drive into the sea!

 Chapter 56: Goodbye

    A woman without a driver''s license who is passionate about driving is hard toe by.


    "Well, we''re off. If everything goes smoothly, we''ll be back tomorrow afternoon!"


    "Safe travels!"


    "Take care!"


    The four women chimed in.


    Their words were sincere. Through brief contact, especially with Daisy, they had confirmed that the two of them were trustworthy individuals, unlike Isaac, whose mind was clouded by lust!


    "Fiona, Hannah, Grace, Katherine, goodbye!" Daisy waved to them.


    Elijah slowly started the vehicle and drove towards the outskirts of the ind.


    The sky gradually darkened, making it difficult to see the road clearly.


    But it didn''t affect Elijah''s driving.


    As they got closer to the shore, Elijah''s connection with the mutant female zombies became tighter.


    After confirming Isaac''s escape in the morning, Elijah ordered the female zombies to lie in wait.


    Otherwise, Gabriel and Emily would have long be prey to the zombies.


    Thinking of the two, Elijah also began to receive some information from them through the consciousness seed.


    "Hmm? Why are their heartbeats so fast? Is there danger?"


    Worrying about them, Elijah immediately elerated and soon arrived at the service area by the shore.


    It was even darker by the shore, but a room in the service area was already lit with dim candlelight.


    "Let''s go, let''s say hi to Gabriel and the others!"


    Elijah signaled Daisy to follow him. The two didn''t activate their invisibility but were ustomed to moving quietly, making no sound.


    As they got closer, they could hear voices inside clearly, and Elijah''s face immediately turned strange.


    "No wonder their heartbeats are so fast..."


    At this moment, Daisy also heard a faint moaning of a woman.


    "Puppy love!"


    Daisy muttered to herself, recalling the scene she saw in the morning. She didn''t expect to encounter it again in the evening.


    She immediately pulled Elijah away from there.


    "Hmph, let''s not bother them, let''s go!"


    Before leaving, Elijah took another nce from afar and vaguely saw two figures intertwined.


    He sighed inwardly. Emily was really daring.


    People like her in the apocalypse might not thrive, but at least they wouldn''t worry about food and clothing.


    Elijah didn''t have any strong feelings towards her. People like her would only be moremon in the future.


    Emily just happened to stand out more at this stage.


    But he had subconsciously excluded Emily from Azure Isle.


    At most, he would let her stay in the service area by the shore.


    Oh, and there''s Gabriel!


    Hmm, Emily needed someone to apany her, and he was a perfect fit.


    As a candidate for guarding the gate, he could be trusted.


    Elijah and Daisy reunited with the mutant female zombies and arrived at the electric tricycle.


    Daisy sat in the driver''s seat and started the beloved electric tricycle again.


    Unfortunately, they hadn''t gone far on the main road when the electric tricycle stopped.


    Out of power!


    "What should we do?" Daisy felt a bit reluctant.


    "Leave it here. If you like it, you cane back to the ind to charge itter. For now, let''s switch to another vehicle."


    Elijah also noticed that Daisy had a knack for driving, but she didn''t have a driver''s license. The electric tricycle was fine, but he didn''t dare let her drive a four-wheeled vehicle, fearing she might end up in a ditch.


    "Let''s ride electric bikes instead!"


    Daisy suddenly brightened up when she saw a ck electric motorcycle lying on its side by the roadside, with the key still in it. Nearbyy a corpse that had been extensively eaten.


    The owner of the motorcycle had obviously been unlucky, intercepted by zombies, fell on the road, and then got eaten.


    Even more unfortunate was that they were eaten rather severely, without even the chance to be zombies.


    Elijah looked at the mutant female zombies, then at the electric motorcycle, and finally at Daisy''s expectant eyes.


    He shrugged and said, "Alright."


    "Yay!"


    Daisy happily picked up the electric motorcycle, saw that there was plenty of charge left, and excitedly hopped on.


    "Get on, big brother, I''ll take you for a ride!"


    Elijah facepalmed.


    This girl!


    But he still cooperated and got on, wrapping one arm around her waist and holding both their weapons, while letting the mutant female zombie sit behind them.


    Three people plus equipment were a bit heavy.


    Daisy struggled to get started, wobbling a bit.


    But she quickly got the hang of it and soon drove steadily.


    "Hehe!"


    Daisy was very happy!


    She hummed a song as she rode.


    "Riding on my beloved little motorcycle~ It never gets stuck in traffic~ Riding on my beloved little motorcycle~ I''ll be home in no time~"


    Back to the daytime, when Elijah and Daisy were sound asleep in the afternoon.


    Thirty kilometers away, in the neighborhood where Elijah rented a house.


    Using binocrs, Benjamin secretly observed Be''s house.


    Since yesterday morning when he noticed the electric tricycle downstairs was missing, he had been observing.


    After two days and one night, he was very sure that the man opposite and Daisy had disappeared.


    As for why they disappeared?


    He didn''t care!


    Right now, all he could think of was that there were plenty of supplies and a woman in the opposite building.


    If he could get over there, he could seize those supplies and the woman.


    Unfortunately, although there were no zombies downstairs anymore, he still didn''t have the courage to go out.


    In the building where he was, there were still quite a few zombies wandering around upstairs and downstairs.


    But he couldn''t hold out much longer.


    The food and drinking water at home were running out.


    Just when he was scratching his head in worry, he suddenly heard the sound of fighting in the corridor outside.


    Benjamin immediately crawled to the door and looked out through the peephole.


    He saw a middle-aged man wielding a baseball bat, fighting against the zombies in the corridor.


    The middle-aged man was very strong, wearing a simr tactical vest to Elijah''s, with thick cardboard taped to his sleeves.


    He swung the baseball bat, each hitnding heavily on the zombies'' heads, blood sttering everywhere.


    The zombies couldn''t withstand more than a couple of hits before being knocked down by him.


    Seeing the zombies outside being eliminated by the middle-aged man, Benjamin''s heart stirred. He immediately opened the door and said to the middle-aged man, "Big brother, take me with you. I know where there''s food!"


    Seeing the mop handle in Benjamin''s hand, the middle-aged man didn''t even bother with him.


    Who didn''t know where there was food? Was there a need for him to say it?


    There were plenty of supermarkets outside!


    Benjamin was being deliberate. He just wanted to follow behind the middle-aged man and let him clear the way.


    Just then, the zombies downstairs surged up like sharks smelling blood.


    The middle-aged man faced them head-on, effortlessly dispatching the zombies.


    Benjamin only needed to shout "Come on" and remain vignt against the ones above.


    But he wasn''t overly concerned about the ones above.


    The building he was in had 18 floors. Since this big brother had killed his way down from above, presumably the zombies on the upper six floors had been cleared, otherwise wouldn''t he be blocking his own way back?


    Most of his attention was still on the bottom, watching the middle-aged man deal with the zombies.


    It had to be said, this big brother was really fierce.


    Perhaps he had been a soldier when he was young, or had practiced martial arts, or some other form ofbat.


    A single zombie was nothing to fear, easily dealt with in two or three strikes.


    When there were more zombies, he kicked the extras down.


    Sometimes when it was too dangerous, he would use his arm to block, relying on the thick cardboard and tape on top of it as a shield.


    In any case, he relied solely on a baseball bat, fiercely striking his way down from the twelfth floor to the third floor, his clothes stained with dark blood.

 Chapter 57: Im from the opposite building

    During their journey, two more people joined their group.


    These two individuals, a man and a woman, were not rted. They came from different floors.


    The man was in his early thirties, with short hair, looking like a sessful person.


    He should be a manager of argepany or the owner of a small business.


    The woman was rtively young and looked good. Benjamin had asionally seen her in the elevator.


    However, due to fear, her face was twisted,cking the grace she had before.


    Although the new man and woman both had weapons in their hands, if screwdrivers and kitchen knives counted as weapons against zombies.


    But like Benjamin, they didn''t dare to approach the zombies at all.


    No, there was one difference.


    Benjamin had been observing the zombies all along.


    He was looking for someone.


    Find the old woman on the first floor opposite.


    Benjamin remembered that on the morning the virus broke out, the olddy turned into a zombie and chased after a woman. Later, because there was activity in their building, she entered their building.


    Heaven helps those who help themselves.


    Benjamin soon found the olddy.


    Her stooped body was surprisingly agile, but she couldn''t withstand the middle-aged man, and was knocked down by his two strikes.


    Benjaminndedst, seized the opportunity when no one was paying attention, and rummaged through the olddy''s pockets. Sure enough, he found a bunch of keys, among which was the ess key he urgently needed for the opposite unit.


    Benjamin pocketed the keys, then returned to the group and squeezed into the middle.


    As they were about to reach the first floor, Benjamin was feeling pleased with himself.


    Suddenly, a mutation urred!


    Several zombies appeared out of nowhere upstairs, rushing towards them aggressively.


    "Ah!"


    The woman at the back screamed, being the first to notice the zombies rushing from above, and dashed downstairs in panic.


    Benjamin was pushed to the side by the frantic woman. The other man beside him was also panicked and instinctively followed suit.


    "Damn it!"


    With three deadweights, the middle-aged man was less agile.


    From the top floor to the first floor, continuous high-intensitybat had also depleted his stamina.


    If they weren''t so close to the first floor, he would have wanted to rest.


    But with the sudden turn of events, especially the woman suddenly jumping to his position, affecting his movements, he almost got bitten by a zombie.


    He couldn''t help but curse.


    Clearly, the zombies upstairs were still far away, separated by a floor.


    The middle-aged man felt exhausted. He simply stepped aside and let the woman pass.


    The woman darted to the front, unexpectedly encountering a zombie head-on.


    "Help me!"


    The zombie grabbed the woman and began to bite her.


    The woman''s screams pierced the air, immediately attracting another zombie to pounce on her.


    Seeing the situation turning grim, the middle-aged man turned his head and entered the corridor on the second floor, closing the hallway door behind him.


    Benjamin reacted quickly, following behind the middle-aged man, but narrowly avoiding getting his nose pinched by the suddenly closing door.


    "Big brother, open the door, I haven''t gotten in yet!"


    There was no response from inside.


    Benjamin looked around anxiously.


    There were zombies in front and zombies behind.


    Now the only escape route, the corridor door on the second floor, was firmly shut.


    Benjamin looked at the woman being bitten and the other panicked man, and made a ruthless decision.


    Just one floor!


    He pushed the other man forward forcefully.


    The man couldn''t steady himself and fell downstairs immediately, hitting another zombie on the way down.


    The zombie was excited. Was there food delivered to its doorstep?


    So it fiercely bit the man!


    "Ah~"


    The man''s screams echoed, while he struggled violently, trying to break free from the zombie.


    He was almost out of breath from being trampled on by a foot.


    But it was Benjamin who took advantage of the attack by the two zombies on the others, stepping over them crazily, and sprinting downstairs.


    The zombies from upstairs also arrived.


    If he didn''t run now, he would be finished here.


    Fortunately, the zombies on the first floor and at the entrance of the unit had all been attracted inside.


    Benjamin ran smoothly without any hindrance and reached the front of the opposite unit.


    He immediately took out the keys and stuck them to the ess control of the unit door.


    With a "beep," the unit door opened.


    Seeing zombies chasing from behind, Benjamin didn''t have time to think too much. He pulled open the door and rushed in immediately.


    Then he mmed the door shut.


    "Bang! Bang!"


    The zombies hit the door, making a loud noise.


    Benjamin breathed heavily.


    His heartbeat had never been so fast before.


    It felt like it was about to burst out of his chest.


    But fortunately, he was safe!


    He slumped against the door, sitting on the ground, resting for about half an hour before he felt his strength returning to his body.


    "Now, how to get that woman to open the door!"


    Benjamin stood up, pondering as he slowly climbed upstairs, quickly reaching the fifth floor. He straightened himself up, putting on a harmless smile, and knocked on the door.


    "Hello, I''m from the opposite building, we''ve been in contact before!"


    There was no answer from inside, but instead, the sound of objects being moved could be heard.


    Benjamin didn''t give up and continued, "I''m a teacher at the Neoville City Art Academy. I just escaped from death and didn''t bring anything with me. I''m hungry and thirsty. Could you please give me something to eat and drink?"


    In response, there was a "thud," as if something heavy was being pressed against the door.


    Benjamin''s smile froze on his face. He realized what was happening. The woman inside must have barricaded the door with something.


    "Miss, really, I just need a little water and food!"


    There was no response from inside.


    Benjamin''s expression gradually twisted. "Damn it, you stubborn woman! I know you''re alone inside. Wait until I get in, I''ll show you!"


    Benjamin roared angrily. In response, there was another "thud," as something else was pressed against the door.


    "Damn it!"


    Benjamin was furious. He took two steps back and then kicked the door forcefully.


    "Thud!"


    The security door made a loud noise, but it still stood strong. Benjamin kicked it several times, his feet bing numb, but the door wouldn''t budge.


    "Fuck! Fuck! Fuck! You wait for me!"


    Benjamin was frustrated, but he had no other choice but to circle around in ce.


    "Bark! Bark!"


    At this moment, a small dog on the fifth floor heard themotion and ran out, baring its teeth and barking incessantly at Benjamin.


    Benjamin, already feeling irritated, became even more furious when he saw the dog barking at him.


    "How dare a dog bully me?"


    He took two steps forward, intending to kick the dog away. However, the dog agilely dodged and bit Benjamin''s leg.


    "Ah~"


    Benjamin screamed in pain, shaking his leg vigorously to shake off the dog.


    The dognded steadily on the ground, still baring its teeth and staring at Benjamin. There were traces of blood on its teeth.


    "Damn it!"


    Benjamin cursed, rolling up his pants in a hurry.


    There was a gruesome wound on his calf, blood oozing out continuously, as if a piece of flesh had been torn off.


    Benjamin sucked in a cold breath from the pain. He wanted to seek revenge on the dog, but as soon as he took a few steps, his leg throbbed with intense pain.


    "You all, just wait for me!"


    Benjamin threatened, but in his heart, he regretted being in such a hurry to escape, leaving behind his stick. He needed to find a weapon, as well as water and food, and clean the wound.

 Chapter 58: I wont get rabies

    Benjamin''s mind raced as he contemted the situation. He then made a threatening gesture, causing the small dog to retreat two steps.


    Seizing the opportunity, he dodged past the dog and limped into a household on the fourth floor, hastily closing the door behind him.


    Outside, he could hear the dog''s barking and scratching at the door.


    "Animals will be animals!" Benjamin muttered, ignoring the dog and starting to survey the room.


    He remembered this was Daisy''s home. Theyout of the room was simple and easy to understand.


    Benjamin searched through several rooms, but apart from the locked bedroom, he found no food. Not even a speck of dust.


    No, he couldn''t say there was no food. There was a bag of dog biscuits.


    He nced at the locked door, pinning his hopes on it.


    Benjamin turned the doorknob and pushed the door open, only to find a figure standing before him.


    "Hmm? Someone?" Benjamin was initially startled, but seeing the person unmoving, he rxed.


    At least it wasn''t a zombie; otherwise, it would have attacked him already!


    He carefully examined the person, dressed in a Neir: Automata protagonist costume, holding a curved white long knife. Although he couldn''t see the face, based on the exposed fair skin on the back and the slender legs, Benjamin imagined her stunning figure and breathtaking appearance.


    This was an artist''s self-cultivation!


    Was she Abigail?


    Benjamin quickly recalled. At this moment, he faintly heard the woman murmuring.


    mand..."


    Benjamin looked at the woman''s cosy costume and listened to her words, feeling a twinge of sourness in his heart.


    ying quitevishly, huh?


    All under the master''smand?


    Standing at the doorway, Benjamin envied and resented.


    All he could think of was the man who had intimate contact with Abigail during these days, seemingly the man from the floor above.


    Damn it, why didn''t I encounter such a good thing?


    He suddenly felt that what he had been doing before was outdated.


    But soon, he felt a sense of schadenfreude.


    After all, that man disappeared, and everything in this building was now his.


    But gradually, he also felt something strange.


    Given the noise he made kicking the door and rummaging through the room, and now, even opening the bedroom door, he was only a few meters away from her. Why was Abigail still indifferent?


    mand..."


    Abigail kept repeating this phrase, her back facing him.


    Was she dumb?


    Benjamin put on a gentle smile and softly called out, "Beauty!"


    Abigail''s head moved slightly.


    Seeing a response, Benjamin''s voice became even gentler and more maic.


    "You are... Abigail, right?"


    "I... am... Abigail..."


    Getting confirmation from her, Benjamin continued, "I''m a teacher from your school. Do you remember me?"


    Abigail didn''t answer, repeating the phrase "I am Abigail" instead.


    Is she really dumb?


    Benjamin became bolder. He was about to step into the room when his movement seemed to trigger something.


    Abigail, who had her back to him, suddenly turned around, her expressionless face, but a pair of blood-red eyes staring at him.


    Benjamin''s hair stood on end, and he broke out in a cold sweat. Were those... zombie eyes?!


    There was no mistaking it!


    During the descent with the middle-aged man, Benjamin had carefully observed the zombies. Red whites of the eyes, gray pupils; it was a standard feature of every zombie.


    His body froze in ce, not daring to move.


    Soon, he realized that Abigail wasn''t attacking him.


    His suspended heart rxed slightly.


    But he didn''t dare to step forward again.


    He could see the increasing intensity of the killing intent in Abigail''s blood-red eyes.


    The way she looked at her prey was chilling!


    While keeping an eye on Abigail to prevent any sudden movements, Benjamin slowly retreated, then closed the door firmly behind him.


    Only then did he breathe a sigh of relief.


    "What''s going on with this Abigail? Is she a zombie? But she doesn''t seem to be like other zombies, attacking on sight..."


    Benjamin remembered Abigail''s repetitive words.


    "Could it be that the man upstairs can control zombies? Giving her some kind ofmand?"


    He carefully recalled his actions. Everything was normal outside the door, but as soon as he tried to enter, it was as if he had triggered something...


    "Never mind, she can''te out if the door is closed. As long as I don''t provoke her, it''s fine!"


    After all, his target wasn''t here.


    Benjamin decided to ignore it, retreating to the guest room.


    Although he didn''t find any food, there was a bucket of drinking water.


    Benjamin used clean water to clean the wound on his leg and then bandaged it with a clean towel.


    "Damn it, I have to kill that dog!"


    The wound wasn''t as painful as before, but it still wasn''tfortable.


    "Now there''s no vine to take, I won''t get rabies, will I?"


    Benjamin felt a bit worried. He took severalrge gulps of water to alleviate his hunger. "Thinking about this won''t help. The most urgent matter is to find something to eat. Otherwise, I''ll be weaker and won''t be able to deal with that woman upstairs."


    Benjamin tore apart a mop in the room, leaving only the handle, then walked out into the hallway.


    The small dog was still wandering there, barking furiously as soon as it saw him.


    Benjamin swung the mop handle at the dog, but it agilely dodged.


    At least it kept its distance from him a bit.


    He returned to the first floor, pushing door after door in each apartment.


    Eventually, he found that except for Daisy''s apartment on the fourth floor, all the others were locked.


    He had the key to the apartment of the olddy on the first floor, but upon entering, he found it empty, with no food or drink left.


    It had clearly been searched through. He had no choice but to return to Daisy''s apartment.


    "It seems they''ve searched through this whole building! Now, the only ce to find food is from that woman upstairs!"


    Benjamin sat on the sofa, lost in thought.


    "But she''s blocked the door. How can I get in? No, besides the door, there are windows! All I need to do is hang a rope down from upstairs and break the window to get in..."


    Benjamin''s eyes lit up. "But the sixth floor is also locked, so I''ll need to break in. It''ll take quite a bit of strength... To be absolutely sure, I need to replenish some energy first. It''ll take a lot of strength to go down from the window... As long as I can get into the house, dealing with a woman will be easy!


    I won''t have to worry about food and drink then, and I''ll have a woman to y with..."


    Benjamin kept constructing ns in his mind, then nced at the dog biscuits nearby.


    ...


    In the second-floor hallway, hiding, was the middle-aged man named Christopher.


    He had served in the military before andter got involved in some illegal business with his fellow townsfolk in Neoville city.


    When the virus broke out andmunication was cut off, unsure of the situation, he had been cautious and stayed hidden in his house.


    Now, with food and drink running low, he had no choice but toe out.


    Thanks to years of consistent exercise, his skills hadn''t deteriorated much.


    Dealing with a few zombies was easy for him.


    Through the encounters, he realized that zombies weren''t actually that scary.


    Their movements were stiff, and they were less agile than regr people.


    As long as he protected himself well, dealing with zombies was a piece of cake.


    It''s just that most ordinary people didn''t have the courage to get up close and fight zombies.

 Chapter 59: Coveting

    Christopher naturally wasn''t afraid of zombies; he''d killed living people before, let alone those half-dead creatures.


    Still, just to be on the safe side, he made some preparations.


    For instance, he wrapped cardboard around his arm with tape to make a shield.


    Along the way, he didn''t stop those who joined him.


    He thought they mighte in handy as a shield at a critical moment.


    He was confident in his own strength. He just didn''t expect apse at the crucial moment.


    He didn''t know where the two zombies came from, sneaking up from behind. Fortunately, he reacted quickly, promptly hiding in the stairwell.


    Christopher rested for about half an hour, regaining some of his strength. Listening to the quiet outside, he gently opened the door to the stairwell.


    "Ugh... ugh... groan... groan..."


    Unexpectedly, two zombies were standing guard at the door. Seeing the door open, they immediately lunged towards him.


    "It''s you two..."


    Christopher was taken aback. These two zombies were the man and woman who had been following him.


    By now, they had been gnawed beyond recognition, their flesh a mess.


    Never did he expect them to turn into zombies and continue to guard this ce. What a grudge they must have held!


    Using the partially open door to his advantage, Christopher easily dealt with them, quickly dispatching them.


    "I''ve even helped you two find peace. But what about the other man?"


    Descending the stairs, Christopher encountered two more zombies.


    These were the two who had bitten the man and woman before.


    He was about to finish them off when a loud banging sound came from the opposite side.


    The two zombies immediately ran out of the stairwell, dashing towards the source of the noise.


    "What''s going on?"


    Christopher reached the entrance of the unit and found that the door of the unit in the opposite building was locked, with two zombies already gathered outside.


    Those zombies seemed somewhat familiar, perhaps the same two who had run down from upstairs earlier.


    "I never saw the body of the other person. Could he have run into the building opposite? Was that banging just now someone trying to break in?"


    Christopher pondered to himself.


    He nced outside and noticed several zombies had been alerted by the noise, about six or seven of them wandering around outside.


    "Forget it, it''s not suitable to go out now! Confined spaces are better; open areas are vulnerable to attacks from all sides. I''d better find something to eat and replenish my energy first!"


    Christopher retreated into the stairwell and began to walk back.


    There were some supplies at his home, but it was too far away.


    As he passed through the floors where the three people had followed him, he went in to look around, finding them cleaner than his own home.


    It wasn''t until he entered Benjamin''s home that he eximed, "Damn, this guy has some weird tastes!"


    In Benjamin''s home, he found not much else but paintings, particrly of people in various poses, naked.


    Additionally, he found some strange items: ck tape, handcuffs, ankle cuffs, a whip, candles, and a hollow metal ball with holes.


    "Damn, people really aren''t what they seem. I''ve truly seen it all today!"


    Christopher marveled. That guy who appeared so sunny and handsome turned out to be so twisted.


    "Hmm? And a telescope?"


    At that moment, he noticed a telescope on the balcony. Just from its appearance, it seemed high-end. The telescope was aimed at the opposite multi-story building.


    "Could this pervert have really gone over there? Has he been observing for a while? What could be attracting him over there?"


    Christopher was intrigued. He picked up the telescope and looked across. Indeed, it was a high-quality item, providing a clear view.


    Christopher started from the ground floor, but didn''t notice anything unusual, nor did he see anyone until the fourth floor.


    "Damn! Did he really run over to the opposite side?"


    Benjamin''s figure appeared on the screen, sitting on the couch, eating something!


    "Damn it! Is there really something to eat?"


    Christopher thought this pervert was just fooling around. He stared for a while longer but didn''t see Benjamin making any other moves, so he continued to look up.


    "Hmm?"


    Christopher''s gaze stopped at the fifth floor, where he made a new discovery.


    He saw a woman. He looked at her carefully.


    She was very beautiful, with delicate features, fair skin, and a perfectly proportioned figure.


    Although dressed inly in just a white T-shirt and shorts, the same clothes on another woman might not have been as enticing, but on her, they were particrly alluring.


    "Is she the one attracting that pervert? She''s truly stunning..."


    Christopher swallowed, feeling a bit hot inside.


    If it were any other day, he wouldn''t hesitate to bring back a couple of women to have some fun with.


    But since the virus outbreak, the women he brought home turned into zombies and he had to dispose of them in the stairwell.


    He had been stuck at home ever since, scrimping and saving.


    It had been seven or eight days since hest touched a woman. He was already bursting with pent-up desire.


    And a woman with such a figure, he had never experienced anything like it.


    None of the women he had been with had a body like hers, and those who were as attractive as her oftencked her elegance.


    Christopher felt tempted, but then thought it wasn''t worth the risk.


    Women were everywhere!


    Covering his face, it was all the same!


    "Tsk! That pervert must have been banging on her door earlier, huh? No wonder there was such amotion!"


    Christopher watched the woman standing in the living room, halfway between the living room and the dining room, looking alert.


    She seemed to be holding a knife? Was it a knife? Or a sword? It was hard to tell from the sheath.


    And on the woman''s left side, in the entrance area, two couches were pushed together, blocking the door securely.


    "He couldn''t even kick open the door, what a waste!"


    Christopher sneered. "Wait a minute... is that..."


    Soon, his expression turned from surprise to delight. On the two couches, he found arge amount of food and water.


    Bags of rice and noodles were stackedyer byyer on the couches, and there were boxes of drinks and water.


    "With so many supplies, just this one woman could eat for at least half a year. And this is just what I can see, there must be even more that I can''t see... Damn, I said that pervert wouldn''t risk so much for a woman!"


    Greed shed across Christopher''s face.


    "But, how do I get in? I don''t have a key like that pervert..."


    Christopher carefully examined the building across from him.


    The windows on the ground floor were welded with anti-theft bars. Normally, he could easily pry them open with tools.


    But now, with zombies outside threatening and no tools in hand...


    "I can''t make too much noise; can I only climb to the third floor? There are no anti-theft windows there..."


    Christopher pondered silently.


    Meanwhile, Be across the way was unaware that someone was observing her.


    She was even more on guard now.


    There was a scumbag outside who could break in at any moment.


    Earlier, when she heard screams from the opposite stairwell, she just subconsciously nced over.


    But she didn''t expect to see someone rush from the opposite building to hers and smoothly enter. At that moment, she became alert.


    Elijah had told her that if someone broke into the building, no matter who it was, she should block the door first.


    So she immediately pushed the couches to the door and wedged them tightly.

 Chapter 60: People Doing Dog Things

    Be was afraid that one sofa wouldn''t be enough, so she pushed another one and then began to put things on it.


    Boxes of drinks, bottles of water, bags of rice and noodles were all piled onto the sofa by her.


    During this time, the man indeed came knocking at the door, unexpectedly someone she knew.


    Daisy had recounted his scumbag deeds.


    But not to mention this one-sided acquaintance, even if it were a familiar face, she couldn''t open the door. Unless it was a rtive.


    But here, where were her rtives?


    The only one was still lying downstairs. Moreover, when he had begged for help, Elijah had ignored him, possibly holding a grudge.


    Sure enough, the man outside soon showed his true colors, beginning to curse loudly! Be paid no attention, continuing to move things around.


    In his frustration, the man began to kick at the door. Be felt very fortunate! Thankfully, Elijah had anticipated all of this in advance.


    Next... it would be the windows.


    There was no emergency n for this.


    If there were tools, they could have been used to board up the windows beforehand.


    These were all lessons from Elijah''s past experiences, shared with Be.


    Now she had no tools, she could only rely on herself!


    She opened all the curtains, then locked the windows from the inside.


    Standing in the middle of the room, she could simultaneously keep an eye on the living room balcony windows and the windows of the master bedroom.


    Turning back, she could also see the windows of the second bedroom and the kitchen.


    If the other party really intended to break in through the windows, there would definitely be quite amotion. This would give her some reaction time.


    Be tightly gripped the sheath of the knife in her hand. She could only pray that the other party wouldn''t think of this method!


    ...


    Benjamin rubbed his bulging stomach and took a sip of water. He looked at the empty bag of dog food beside him and reminisced for a moment. Surprisingly, it didn''t taste bad!


    "Ugh! What am I saying, that''s dog food..."


    "Wait, does that mean I''m insulting myself?"


    "Damn it, it''s all because of that woman!"


    With a curse, Benjamin stood up. "It''s time to deal with that woman! Once I catch her, I''ll have some fun..."


    First, he found a bedsheet in the house, then removed the curtains before taking a sturdy stick and walking into the hallway.


    The little dog was still guarding the doorway, barking furiously at him.


    Benjamin ignored it for the time being, waving the stick to drive it away before heading to the sixth floor.


    Breaking into the woman''s house through the door was no longer feasible, so he had to break in through the window.


    Being on a higher level would give him an advantage. So he had two options now: either break into one of the apartments on the sixth floor and use their window to get down, or go up to the roof and descend from there!


    Benjamin had carefully studied the doors on the fourth floor earlier.


    He found that the bedroom doors opened from the outside, making them easier to kick in. But the security doors opened from the inside.


    Trying to kick in a security door would be futile with the door lock and frame in the way.


    Unless he had enough strength to tten the door frame, it would be a waste of effort.


    Benjamin looked at his leg, the ce where the dog had bitten him still throbbing slightly. "Forget it, I''ll go to the roof!"


    On the sixth floor, there were no stairs leading further up.


    However, in the wall between two doors, there was a makeshiftdder made of reinforced steel bars embedded into the wall.


    Above thedder on the roof, there was a hole approximately 80 centimeters long and wide, covered by a sliding iron sheet to prevent rainwater from entering.


    Benjamin first tied the bedsheet curtain, then wrapped one end of the sheet around himself beforeboriously climbing thedder.


    On one side of the iron sheet cover, there was an iron wire wrapped around the nearest steel bar, reinforcing it to prevent the cover from being blown open by the wind.


    Benjamin opened the wound wire, pushed hard, and the iron cover slid along the pulley track, revealing the clear sky.


    Using both his hands and feet, he quickly climbed thest section of the steel bars to reach the roof.


    "Crack!" The sound of his clothes being torn was heard.


    Benjamin felt something tug at him. Turning around, he saw that the iron cover had slid back a little along the pulley track.


    This was probably intentionally designed by the construction workers, with one end lower to automatically slide back.


    However, this also caused the iron wire on the cover to spring back, catching his clothes.


    Plus, he had exerted too much force when leaping out of the well, tearing it slightly.


    Benjamin nced at the small rip in his clothes, less than a centimeter in size.


    Luckily, the bedsheet wrapped around him had blocked the wire, preventing further damage.


    He didn''t pay it much mind, turning around and pulling the curtains up using the sheet.


    Then he began to search for apartment 601''s location.


    Soon, he determined the direction through the building he lived in. He had observed it for several hours every day, so he was very familiar with it.


    Next, he looked around and found that only the position directly facing his building, the second bedroom of the building below, was the most suitable.


    This was because only there were suitable fixed objects for binding.


    It was a sr water heater belonging to an unknown household, rtively close to the second bedroom.


    Benjamin tied one end of the sheet to the support of the sr water heater and pulled it hard. It was sturdy, not budging at all.


    He felt relieved, then double-checked that the sheet and curtains were securely tied.


    Benjamin tied the other end of the curtain to his waist. This way, even if he lost strength or didn''t hold on properly, he wouldn''t fall. Everything was ready!


    Benjamin pulled the tied sheet slowly backward.


    He hadn''t yed rock climbing or rappelling before, but he had seen pigs run, after all.


    When he reached the edge of the roof, he imitated what he had seen in videos.


    He pushed against the wall with his feet, wrapped the sheet around his hands, rxed a bit, and slid down bit by bit.


    Although it was slow, less than a meter in a minute... at least it was done properly and safely!


    Christopher, on the opposite side, saw Benjamin''s slow and steady movements, almost like a turtle climbing.


    He wanted tough but thought that for an ordinary person, it was quite impressive!


    Moreover, this pervert''s mind was quite meticulous, actually thinking of breaking in through the window. However... that woman was not simple either, seemingly already on guard!


    Be heard movement upstairs, the sound of shoe soles rubbing against the walls and ss, quickly identifying the direction.


    Benjamin also wanted to keep quiet, but he couldn''t control himself!


    Time passed slowly. Christopher was almost falling asleep from watching, and Benjamin finally "climbed" to the fifth floor, standing on the window sill.


    By now, Benjamin was already sweating profusely, his arms feeling sore and weak.


    "Finally!" Benjamin thought, about to take out tools from his pocket to break the window.


    But when he looked down, he found that there was a woman inside the window at some point, standing with her arms crossed, quietly watching him.


    "Uh..." Oops, he was found out! Benjamin''s heart skipped a beat! It''s okay, it''s okay, just a woman. Benjamin quickly calmed down.


    If it were a man, he would definitely be very fearful, and wouldn''t even dare to entertain the thought of breaking in through the window. But a woman...

 Chapter 61: Ridiculous

    Benjamin pulled out the small hammer he always carried with him.


    It was one of the only two tools he had at home that he could carry around, usually used for nailing canvases, the other being an X-Acto knife!


    Just as he was about to break the ss, the woman inside finally moved.


    She suddenly took two steps closer and then opened the window from inside.


    "??"


    Benjamin was momentarily confused, then ecstatic. "Finally, some cooperation!"


    But the next moment, his smile froze.


    The woman, from somewhere, produced a long knife.


    The handle was red, the de long and straight, single-edged, and at the tip, it resembled a sword.


    The knife gleamed with the unmistakable shine of metal, unmistakably real.


    He just wasn''t sure if it was sharpened or not.


    A hint of panic shed across Benjamin''s face. He didn''t want to find out!


    "Um... Miss, I''m a bit hungry, I just came to ask if you have something to eat or drink, is that okay?"


    Be looked at him as if he were aplete idiot.


    "Seriously, Miss, I also came to apologize. I was out of line earlier, shouldn''t have cursed or kicked the door!"


    Benjamin put on a sincere smile, usually quite effective with girls. But Be didn''t say a word; instead, she began aiming the knife at him.


    Then she lunged!


    Instinctively, Benjamin dodged to the side.


    Though he sessfully avoided Be''s strike, he forgot he was standing on the windowsill.


    His feet slipped, unable to maintain bnce, and he started falling backward.


    "Eh? Eh! Eh..."


    Benjamin yelled out, luckily managing to grab onto the curtain tightly, preventing himself from falling. But his body was almostpletely horizontal.


    Now the perspectives switched; Be was above, looking down at him.


    Benjamin watched as Be, with a pensive expression, stared at the curtain holding him, her eyes seeming to light up.


    A chill ran down his spine! This woman wouldn''t...


    Be answered with actions! She aimed the knife at the curtain and began cutting.


    "Oh, damn!"


    "No, Miss, don''t do this! It''s wrong! You''remitting murder, it''s illegal!"


    Be ignored him, focused on her task.


    Benjamin was terrified! He was on the fifth floor; if he fell, he''d either die or be severely injured. And there were zombies below.


    "Damn it!"


    Benjamin gritted his teeth, rapidly pushing his feet downward and pulling the curtain down with his hands. Soon, he reached the level of the fourth floor.


    Standing on the fourth-floor windowsill, Benjamin finally breathed a sigh of relief.


    "You bitch, just you wait. I''ll catch you sooner orter, and then I''ll make you pay!"


    After cursing, Benjamin saw the window on the fourth floor open and moved to kick open the screen window. But before he could act, a figure emerged from the shadows inside.


    Another woman, a beautiful one. She was dressed as the protagonist from NieR: Automata, holding a white long knife, slowly approaching.


    Her crimson blood-red eyes fixed on Benjamin, filled with a thirst for blood!


    "...Master...mands... hunger..."


    Benjamin was dumbfounded! He hadpletely forgotten about this!


    Immediately, his face turned terrified as he shouted, "Don''te any closer!"


    As Benjamin retreated, he found himselfpletely out of ground. His body plummeted suddenly, followed by a loud "thud."


    The curtain stretched straight, suspending him in mid-air, then he crashed violently against the wall.


    Benjamin''s face mmed directly into the wall, and because of the inertia, it immediately turned into a blur of flesh and blood.


    "Ahh~"


    Benjamin screamed, tears and mucus mixed with blood covering his face. But it wasn''t over yet.


    Because of the force of the fall, there was a sudden "ripping" sound, as if something had been torn apart. Benjamin''s body dropped a bit further.


    Upstairs, Be looked at the rope strangely. Howe the slit she had just cut didn''t widen? And where did that tearing sounde from?


    On the rooftop, where the rope met the eaves. There was originally a tiny gap there, and as Benjamin slowly moved downward, it gradually widened.


    Now, with the sudden force of the fall, the rope couldn''t hold anymore.


    It tore open more than two-thirds, with just a little bit left intact. And as Benjamin struggled, the remaining part began to break.


    Facing downward, trembling hands carefully touched his face. "My... nose, my face..."


    Then he felt a sudden looseness around his waist, the tightness of suspension disappearing. His body fell weightlessly downward.


    The ground came closer and closer. A putrid, decaying corpse came into view. Then, with a loud "thud," everything went ck, and he felt nothing more.


    Meanwhile, Be listened as the screams disappeared and nced outside. Benjaminy face down on the ground, blood pooling around him. Themotion attracted nearby zombies, all pouncing on his body, tearing and biting.


    Be breathed a sigh of relief, the danger was over. Unable to bear watching anymore, she closed the curtains.


    Across the street, Christopher lowered his binocrs and chuckled. "Damn, falling asleep and getting a pillow delivered! And there''s the key, too!" He was sure the psycho had the key. If not, climbing up wouldn''t be a problem! As for those zombies, he didn''t care!


    "But, it''s a bitte today. After cleaning up the zombies, it''ll be dark!" Christopher watched the sun sinking and felt today''s action was too risky.


    "Let''s wait until tomorrow! But, didn''t expect there to be another woman on the fourth floor, and she''s hot too! Looks like I''m in for a treat, heh heh..."


    Elijah and Daisy rushed through the night, taking less than two hours to return to the old city area.


    Daisy''s little motorcycle malfunctioned after leaving the coastal road. Because they often traveled on sidewalks, the bumps and vibrations were loud, easily attracting zombies.


    Unable to speed up and shake off the zombies, they reluctantly abandoned the motorcycle and started walking.


    Soon, they arrived at the lingerie shop where they had previously stayed. Daisy nced at the nearby police station and asked, "Elijah, should we go in and take a look?"


    "Forget it, let''s save time! Besides, I''m starting to sense Abigail. If I''m not mistaken, she should be awake!"


    "Really?" Daisy was excited.


    "I can''t be sure yet, just a feeling! After all, the distance is still too far!"


    Elijah closed his eyes and sensed.


    They were about seven to eight kilometers away from Be now. At this distance, he could only vaguely sense the other''s condition.


    Effective control required being within five kilometers.


    "Then let''s hurry!"

 Chapter 62: lets hurry up

    Daisy''s enthusiasm immediately soared. The two of them sprinted all the way, taking nearly an hour to reach the entrance of Daisy''s school.


    "I sensed it!" Elijah suddenly stopped.


    "Sensed what?"


    "Abigail has indeed awakened. I can sense her ability!"


    They were now less than two kilometers away from their home, the limit of Elijah''s ability simtion.


    When he had entered within five kilometers earlier, he had already noticed a change in Abigail''s body condition.


    But zombie mutations were different from humans; some might not awaken abilities but merely enhance physical strength, bing more deformed.


    At that time, Elijah couldn''t sense any ability, so he couldn''t confirm whether Abigail had awakened one. Now, there was no doubt.


    "Let me try to see what ability she has!"


    The two of them hid in a corner. Elijah released Daisy''s invisibility and attempted to simte Abigail''s ability.


    The flow of energy within Abigail''s body was different from the others.


    Daisy''s was mainly in her limbs, the female zombie''s around her eyes and ears, Charlotte''s was the most mysterious, within her dangerous brain nerves, and Hannah''s was around her kidneys.


    The location, path, and manner of energy usage seemed to determine the manifestation of their superpowers.


    Elijah had wondered if recording the flow of their energy and then reproducing it could grant him their abilities. He had tried, but unfortunately failed!


    It wasn''t that it couldn''t be reproduced, but it was tooplex. He relied solely on the automatic simtion of the seeds of consciousness.


    When he tried to consciously remember, he found that the pathways involved in each ability were incrediblyplex.


    He alsocked relevant knowledge about human meridian acupoints. In the end, he could only reluctantly give up.


    Foolproof simtion was the most convenient. With just a thought, the energy within his body immediately followed Abigail''s, filling his skin.


    "This ability... feels somewhat familiar!" Elijah opened his eyes, somewhat surprised.


    "Daisy, cut me with a knife!"


    "Huh? Elijah, are you okay?" Daisy touched his head.


    "Could Abigail''s ability be making people dumb?"


    "What? I''m testing the ability! Use the knife to cut me!"


    "Oh, I see."


    Daisy took out the short knife she had taken from Charlotte before.


    "Then I''ll do it!"


    After confirming again and seeing Elijah nod, Daisy used the knife to make a shallow cut on his outstretched arm. Daisy felt as if she had sliced through tough leather; the sharp de only left a shallow scratch on his skin.


    "Huh? Nothing happened! What kind of ability is this? It seems like I''ve heard of it somewhere!"


    "It''s simr to that Isaac who escaped, he had a simr ability!"


    Elijah reminded her.


    Daisy suddenly realized. "The defensive-type superpower you mentioned, right?"


    "Yes, it seems Abigail has awakened a simr ability. Her skin has be extremely tough, making it difficult for ordinary knives and zombie bites to prate."


    "That''s great! But I wonder if Abigail has regained her sanity?"


    "She probably hasn''t..."


    Elijah paused.


    "After reconnecting with Abigail, I didn''t sense the same resistance as with this female zombie here."


    He pointed to the mutated female zombie beside him.


    "Okay..."


    Daisy felt a bit disappointed.


    "Anyway, awakening to an advanced level is still a good thing. Maybe if we give Abigail more corpse cores and she advances again, there will be changes!"


    Elijah reassured her.


    "Yeah, Elijah, let''s hurry up, I can''t wait to get back!"


    "No need to rush. Now that we''ve confirmed that both Abigail and Be are safe, let''s make sure we''re prepared!"


    Elijah switched back to Daisy''s ability.


    "Let''s first go find Charlotte and have her get ready! Then we''ll clear out the entrance of the residential area and find a car!"


    "Okay, in that case, let''s split up. I''ll go find Charlotte, and you head back to the residential area!"


    "Sounds good!"


    This way, they could be more efficient. It wasn''t toote yet, they could still get some sleep tonight and set off early tomorrow!


    After discussing, they separated. Daisy sneaked into the school, while Elijah, with the mutated female zombie, continued walking back, keeping an eye out for nearby vehicles.


    To transport the weapons from Charlotte''s house, they needed a truck, and for safety, it had to be an enclosed one to prevent zombies from injuring anyone inside.


    There were plenty of trucks on the road, but none were satisfactory. Either the vehicles were damaged, or they were filled with too much cargo. Elijah even saw a truck filled with snacks that tempted him to drive away.


    This reminded him that when they settled down in Azure Isle, trucks on the road would be a good option for gathering supplies.


    As he passed by the nearest intersection, a car parked outside the bank caught his eye.


    "An armored truck..."


    Elijah walked up to it and found the door wide open, with the driver nowhere to be seen. The rearpartment door was also open.


    "This must have been a cash transport vehicle that got caught in the virus outbreak!"


    There was only an ATM machine here, no counter, so Elijah quickly understood what was going on.


    He looked inside the car and found the keys still in the ignition, immediately overjoyed. He carefully examined the vehicle.


    It was over five meters long, almost two meters wide, and about as tall.


    Apart from the driver''s seat in the front row, the passenger seat could amodate two more people.


    Behind the driver''s seat was another row of seats, with enough space for three people, and even squeezing in four wouldn''t be a problem.


    There were also shooting holes on the ss of the second row of doors.


    Further back was the steel-built cargopartment.


    The entirepartment was seamless, except for the rear door, and there was a small door on the far right of the second row of seats that led inside.


    The more Elijah looked, the more he liked it.


    "Just you wait! Bulletproof ss, reinforced body... Not to mention zombies, bullets won''t even pierce through!"


    He then went into the rearpartment and tried cing the spear inside. It was too long to fit straight, but it fit diagonally.


    "Not bad, just right!"


    Elijah nodded in satisfaction. This way, he wouldn''t worry about not fitting Charlotte''s weapons.


    After all, there weren''t many weapons over two meters long. If they couldn''t fit, he could open the small door leading to the second row of seats inside the cargopartment.


    With one end inside thepartment and the other end reaching the second row, it would work.


    He left the spear there and closed all the doors. Elijah sat in the driver''s seat, and the mutated female zombie sat in the passenger seat as he tried to start the car.


    The engine hummed to life.


    "Roar... Grr..."


    Seeing the light and hearing the sound, nearby zombies immediately became agitated, rushing towards the car.


    Elijah ignored them and turned the direction.


    "Bang! Bang! Bang!"


    Running over a few obstructing zombies, Elijah drove the car onto the main road, then immediately switched to Abigail''s ability, carrying two short hammers obtained from Charlotte''s ce as he got out of the car.


    Seeing living creatures, the zombies immediately charged forward.


    Elijah stood firm, unafraid. Not to mention the stab-proof suit and bulletproof vest he was wearing, just Abigail''s defensive superpower alone meant he didn''t have to worry about getting scratched.


    Swinging the short hammers, Elijah smashed the nearest zombie''s head.

 Chapter 63: Something might have happened

    "Bang!"


    With a muffled sound, the zombie''s head copsed like a deted ball, and its body was thrown aside due to the tremendous force.


    Elijah''s other hand wasn''t idle either, smashing another zombie.


    "Bang! Bang!"


    Elijah swung left and right, the thirty-plus kilograms of the two short hammers seemed nonexistent in his hands, creating a whistling sound as he swung them.


    Any zombie that approached him was met with a deadly blow to the head.


    asionally, if any zombies managed to get through, they couldn''t even pierce his body, not with his reinforced skin.


    Soon, the ground around him was littered with corpses, and he was covered in dark bloodstains and white brain matter.


    "Is that all? That felt damn good!"


    Elijah swung the short hammers excitedly, a look of exhration on his face.


    "It''s all about defense superpowers! Just go all out!"


    This frenzied ughter gave him a sense of excitement and satisfaction he had never experienced before.


    In both his past and present lives, Elijah had always avoided such confrontations, feeling somewhat constrained.


    He had often fantasized about being able to rampage like a berserker one day.


    And now, he had just realized it!


    The only downside... Elijah looked at his clothes.


    They got dirty too easily!


    And it was only feasible for now.


    In another couple of months, there would be more and more mutated zombies on the streets, some of them quite formidable.


    By then, his current level of defense wouldn''t suffice.


    "I need to quickly improve my abilities! Once I reach Tier Three, Abigail can advance to Tier Two, and her defense will increase significantly again... So I need to continue gathering corpse cores!" MVLeMpYr-official-text


    Elijah looked around, ensuring there were no more zombiesing, and started collecting the cores.


    "Oh? Is this an armored car?"


    Soon, he found the body of an armored car driver among the corpses.


    "Too bad there''s no gun..."


    Elijah searched through the body but didn''t find any firearms that the driver might have carried. Instead, he found the keys on the armored car''s door.


    "Not bad, not bad! Although I can pick locks, having the keys is much more convenient!"


    Elijah happily pocketed the keys and resumed collecting the corpse cores.


    From the recent skirmish, he had obtained four corpse cores from over a dozen zombies.


    Elijah moved the obstructive bodies aside to ensure they didn''t hinder passage, got back into the car, and headed towards the residentialpound.


    The road leading to thepound entrance was heavily congested, so Elijah followed the pre-nned route and drove onto the sidewalk.


    Despite the bumps, he managed to reach thepound entrance smoothly.


    This short distance attracted another dozen or so zombies, trailing behind them.


    Elijah parked the car and continued on foot, quickly clearing out the zombies and collecting two more corpse cores.


    "Next up is clearing the road at thepound entrance!"


    Elijah entered thepound, having already observed the situation, and headed straight to the car blocking the entrance.


    With his immense strength, he began pushing it backward.


    These were mostly sedans or SUVs, not too heavy overall. As long as they weren''t braked or damaged beyond use, pushing them was quite effortless.


    "Oh, Elijah, I saw a lot of corpses on the way here, did you kill them?"


    At that moment, Daisy appeared silently beside him like a ghost.


    "Yes, I did. What took you so long?"


    If it weren''t for the psychic link that allowed him to always know Daisy''s location, he would have been startled.


    "I helped Charlotte move all the weapons to the first floor. It''ll be easier to load the car tomorrow!"


    "Well done, very considerate of you! I''ve finished here as well. Let''s go back so you can see the car I found!"


    Elijah grabbed Daisy''s hand and led her to the front of the car.


    "An armored cash transport vehicle?"


    "That''s right! Get in!"


    "There are so many seats inside, just enough for all of us!"


    Counting on his fingers, Daisy realized.


    Elijah thought about it and indeed!


    The mutated female zombie, Charlotte, Abigail, Daisy, Be, plus himself.


    Four people and two zombies, just the right number.


    Thinking of Be, Elijah''s heart stirred.


    Now that he had fulfilled his promise, could he do as he pleased today?


    The two got into the car and entered thepound. They hadn''t even reached the building when they noticed several zombies loitering at the entrance.


    "Why are there so many zombies at the entrance?"


    "Something might have happened!"


    Elijah remained calm. He could sense that Be was upstairs and in good condition.


    "Let''s leave the car here for now and clear out the zombies first!"


    Elijah parked the car, locked it, and then hurried with Daisy towards the building.


    This time, Elijah still relied on Abigail''s abilities, so when the zombies heard movement, they immediately rushed towards him.


    "Be careful!"


    Elijah warned Daisy as he swung his short hammer into the midst of several zombies, knocking them out one by one with great force.


    Daisy watched in astonishment.


    This wasn''t killing zombies; it was like smashing watermelons!


    After Elijah finished cleaning up, Daisy finally managed to kill one that slipped through the cracks.


    "Elijah, you''re amazing! I want to do it like that too!"


    "Don''t envy me. You''re even more amazing. Do you know how many people envy your abilities?"


    "But I can''t kill zombies as fast as you!"


    Daisy pouted.


    "It''s different skills. You''re an assassin, I''m a warrior!"


    Elijah said as he searched for corpse cores, piling up the useless bodies on the side.


    There were the bodies he had stacked before, also where Alexander''s body contributed to the growth of zombie grass.


    "I wonder if there''s more zombie grass growing!"


    Elijah looked around but didn''t find any more zombie grass, nor did he notice any new bodies lying there.


    Feeling somewhat disappointed, he opened the unit door with Daisy and started walking upstairs.


    "Woof! Woof!"


    Before they reached the door, a small dog happily ran out and began circling Daisy.


    "Wow!"


    Daisy picked up the dog, looking joyful.


    "Have you been good these past few days?"


    "Woof! Woof!"


    The little dog barked twice, wriggled out of Daisy''s arms, and ran into the house.


    "Hmm? What''s going on?"


    "Let''s go inside and see!"


    The two entered Daisy''s house and saw the little dog circling around a bag.


    "You finished a whole bag of dog food? That''s supposed tost you three days..."


    Daisy looked puzzled.


    "A big eater raised a little eater. The first thing you do when youe home is eat!"


    Elijah chuckled.


    "I... I''m not a big eater!"


    Daisy retorted unhappily.


    Then she red at the puppy.


    "I left so much for you, and you finished it all. I''ll starve you for half a day, no, a day!"


    After saying that, Daisy ignored the dog and turned to look at Abigail.


    The puppy squatted there and purred innocently, looking at Elijah.


    "Uh, your owner won''t feed you, and there''s nothing I can do about it!"


    Elijah said, following Daisy toward the guest room.


    As the guest room door opened, Abigail stood there quietly as usual.


    The moment Daisy stepped into the bedroom, Abigail suddenly turned her head.


    When she saw Elijah, her tightly closed mouth suddenly opened, and a word slipped out.


    "Hungry..."


    "Huh?"


    Daisy was puzzled for a moment, then turned to seek confirmation from Elijah.


    "Abigail just spoke, right?"

 Chapter 64: Then she slowly changed out of her clothes

    Elijah was also a bit stunned.


    "It seems so!"


    Immediately, a look of surprise appeared on Daisy''s face as she ran up to Abigail.


    "Abigail, what did you just say? Have you regained your memory? Do you still recognize me?"


    Abigail remained expressionless, nced at Daisy, and spoke again, "Abigail... hungry..."


    This time, both of them heard it clearly.


    "Are you hungry? I have some corpse cores here!"


    Daisy quickly took out two corpse cores from her pocket and fed one to her.


    The hard corpse core dissolved in Abigail''s mouth like candy, disappearing quickly.


    "Abigail, do you still recognize me?"


    Daisy looked at her expectantly.


    But Abigail quieted down and stopped speaking.


    Expectation turned into disappointment.


    Daisy murmured softly, "I''m Daisy, we grew up together since we were little..."


    "Daisy..."


    Daisy looked pleasantly surprised, nced at Abigail, then looked at Elijah.


    "Elijah, did Abigail just call me?"


    "That''s right!"


    Elijah breathed a sigh of relief; this was the first time he had encountered such a situation. A zombie could actually speak, and even retained memories?


    "Master..."


    At this moment, Abigail looked at Elijah again, and what she said stunned them both!


    "What do you call him?"


    Daisy thought she misheard.


    "Daisy..."


    Abigail looked at Daisy, called her, then looked at Elijah.


    "Master..."


    This time, both of them heard it clearly.


    Daisy looked at Elijah incredulously.


    "Elijah, what did you do to Abigail?"


    "Uh... I don''t know either, I''m confused too!"


    Elijah looked innocent.


    He had just hinted to Abigail before leaving that she couldn''t leave the room. As for before that...


    It seemed that it was when he first saw Abigail dressed up in cosy. He had thought it would be great if Abigail wasn''t a zombie, so they could engage in some beneficial physical activities together...


    Could it be that those thoughts somehow influenced her?


    He couldn''t admit that!


    Elijah kept hisposure.


    Daisy looked at him suspiciously, seeing that he really didn''t know, she attributed it to the possibility of the contract?


    "Abigail, his name is Elijah, not master!"


    Daisy corrected Abigail!


    "Elijah... master..."


    Daisy tried several times, but couldn''t correct her, feeling a bit angry, she looked at Elijah with increasingly dangerous eyes.


    "Well... since Abigail is fine and has recovered some consciousness, I''ll go upstairs first!"


    "Hmph! Go ahead!"


    Daisy thought he was annoying and suspected he was up to something, so she couldn''t correct Abigail. It was better if he left.


    Elijah turned and walked out of the room, feeling relieved.


    He hadn''t expected such a change in the advanced zombies after the contract.


    Not only did they have some consciousness, but they also didn''t overly resist hismands.


    Unlike wild mutant zombies, which were much harder to control.


    With more corpse cores in the future, he could cultivate a group of zombies to see if this was amon phenomenon or if Abigail was unique...


    Lost in thought, Elijah reached the fifth floor and unlocked the door with his key.


    "Huh?"


    The moment he opened the door, he was stunned. A wall made of drinks, water, rice, and noodles appeared in front of him, along with a sofa...


    But soon he realized.


    "Someone has been here..."


    This is what Elijah instructed Be to do in case someone intruded into the building before he left.


    "No wonder there were so many zombies downstairs!"


    At that moment, hearing the sound of the door opening, Be walked out with a shlight in hand. When she saw Elijah, she couldn''t help but stand still, covering her mouth, her face full of joy!


    "You... you''re back?!"


    "I''m back!"


    "Um..."


    Be rushed over, wanting to hug Elijah, but when she reached the door, she was blocked by the sofa!


    "I... let me clean up a bit!"


    She hastily picked up the drinks, wanting to clear the way for Elijah toe in.


    "No need to rush!"


    Elijah reassured her gently.


    "I came back to take you away. If you don''t go, I won''t go anywhere!"


    "Yeah!"


    Be calmed down a bit.


    "Has anyone been here?"


    Elijah also started moving the drinks to the corridor. Anyway, they were leaving tomorrow, so it didn''t matter where they were ced.


    "Yeah, the scumbag who used to live across, he asked for help once! I''m fine, he couldn''t get in, and he fell off the building and died outside in the end!"


    Be briefly recounted what happened, and the two quickly cleared the area in front of the door.


    "As long as you''re okay!"


    Before Elijah finished speaking and closed the door, Be''s soft lips were pressed against his.


    After a long while, they parted.


    Elijah looked at Be''s slightly flushed face and felt extremely content.


    However, what came next was the key point.


    He hadn''t forgotten Be''s promise.


    But before that...


    "Help me change out of these clothes. I can''t feel your body even through the bulletproof vest!" the-ce-MVLeMpYr


    Upon hearing this, Be skillfully helped Elijah remove his equipment one by one.


    "Bulletproof vest, and a handgun... Did you guys rob a police station or something?"


    Be didn''t pay much attention at first, but gradually, she became more and more surprised!


    She didn''t have the night vision abilities of Elijah and Daisy, so she didn''t know what she was handling until after.


    "We''re upholding justice!"


    Elijah briefly exined what happened at the police station to her.


    "While I was there, I brought back a gift for you!"


    After removing all the equipment, Elijah felt much cooler. He turned and took out a police water bottle from the side pocket of his backpack to show Be.


    "Zombie grass!"


    Be eximed!


    "Is this for me?"


    She looked at Elijah, her beautiful eyes filled with surprise and indescribable tenderness.


    "Yes, it''s for you!"


    Elijah handed her the water bottle.


    "It''s already grown its fourth leaf. If you want to awaken your abilities, there shouldn''t be any problem now!"


    Be took the water bottle, wanting to say something.


    "I..."


    But she couldn''t find the words.


    "Alright, you don''t need to say anything. I''ll go clean up, and then wait for me in the room..."


    The night had deepened.


    Be watched Elijah walk into the bathroom and silently returned to the bedroom.


    She ced the zombie grass on the bedside table and lit a candle.


    Then she opened the wardrobe.


    Looking at the array of clothes, she picked out the blouse, zer, skirt, and ck stockings she wore that day.


    Then she slowly changed out of her clothes.


    In the dim candlelight, a beautiful career woman soon appeared in the mirror.


    Hazy and charming.


    Elijah walked into the bedroom and immediately stared.


    It seemed she still remembered the words she said when I left.


    Elijah couldn''t hold back his excitement and walked forward eagerly.

 Chapter 65: Bella Awakens

    The 10th day of doomsday!


    Be and Elijah got up early to exercise.


    Then Be put on her favorite shorts, stepped into the kitchen with her clean and slender legs, and prepared breakfast.


    Today she needed to prepare multiple servings in anticipation of her possible awakening.


    Elijah watched her graceful figure.


    He couldn''t help but sigh.


    She excels in both the hall and the kitchen!


    What more could a husband ask for!


    If only Daisy could be as obedient and cooperative!


    Although Daisy has a solid foundation, she hasn''t used dance moves much.


    There will be an opportunity to try it out for sure!


    Some people just can''t stop nagging.


    Just as Elijah was thinking about Daisy, he saw her running upstairs.


    Elijah opened the door in advance, and Daisy came in, ignoring him and heading straight to the kitchen.


    Instead, the little dog barked at him twice.


    "Be! I missed you so much!"


    In the kitchen, Daisy hugged Be tightly.


    Be put down what she was doing and hugged her back.


    "Missed me, or missed the food I make?"


    "Both!"


    Be smiled.


    "Alright, don''t disturb me while I''m cooking, it''ll be ready soon!"


    "Okay! I''ll wait for you outside!"


    Daisy happily walked out of the kitchen, and when she saw Elijah, she immediately pouted and hummed.


    "What''s wrong?"


    Elijah was puzzled.


    Could it be that Be was too open yesterday, and she heard something?


    "You must have done something to Abigail!"


    Daisy huffed.


    She slept with Abigailst night, corrected her for a long time, but she still didn''t correct her.


    "... "


    Elijah wiped the sweat from his forehead, thinking it was something serious!


    "Oh, by the way, do you know what happened to that scumbag across the street?"


    Elijah shifted the focus.


    Daisy looked curious.


    Then he repeated what Be said yesterday to her.


    "He actually wants to bully Be? Hmph, he deserves to die!"


    "I didn''t expect him to have the guts toe downstairs. Their building''s elevator doesn''t work, there must be many zombies in the hallway! And they even found the key to the unit door ess control!"


    "Maybe they got it from a corpse of a resident who left our building!"


    Daisy''s logic was clear.


    "That''s the only possibility!"


    The two chatted for a while, and Be finished cooking.


    Daisy helped set the table.


    The three of them didn''t start eating immediately, but all stared at Be.


    Be then took out scissors, imitating Elijah''s actions from before, and cut the zombie grass in the police kettle.


    "I''ll eat..."


    "Eat, eat!"


    Daisy stared at her expectantly.


    Elijah nodded too.


    Seeing this, Be stuffed the whole zombie grass into her mouth and slowly chewed.


    Bitterness spread, furrowing Be''s brows.


    Soon her mouth became icy cold again, making her feel a bit better.


    But then, the bitterness intensified.


    Be felt like she was drinking a ss of bitter melon juice mixed with mint.


    She forced herself to chew and swallow.


    The chill went down her throat to her stomach, immediately turning into a ball of fire.


    The me was burning hot but didn''t feel ufortable, quickly melding into her body, forming a warm current.


    It began to roam through her body incessantly.


    A hunger from the depths of her soul surged.


    Be immediately paid no heed and began to eat with gusto.


    "How is it? How is it? Any changes?"


    As soon as Be paused for a moment, Daisy eagerly asked.


    "What a strange sensation!"


    Be closed her eyes, feeling it deeply.


    "There''s an energy within me, something I feel I can harness. It''s like an instinctual knowledge, born within me without any need for learning."


    As Be spoke, she picked up the fruit knife from the table and swiftly cut her finger, causing blood to spill out instantly.


    "Oops! Be, what are you doing?"


    Daisy was taken aback, unable to react in time to Be''s swift action.


    Elijah, however, understood and didn''t intervene, as he was simting Be''s abilities.


    "Don''t worry, watch!"


    Elijah calmed Daisy down and pointed at Be''s wound, gently wiping it with a tissue.


    As the blood was wiped away, the skin underneath appeared unharmed, as if there had never been a wound.


    "Wow! Is this self-healing? Super regeneration?" Daisy eximed.


    "You''ve watched too much anime!" Elijah jokingly tapped Daisy''s head. "It''s healing!"


    Be finally spoke up, suppressing her almost jubnt outburst.


    She exined to Daisy, "I feel like I can heal injuries that aren''t too severe. For more serious ones, I can only provide relief."


    "Yay! That''s amazing! With Be around, we don''t have to fear getting hurt anymore!"


    Daisy was even happier than Be, feeling this sense of being needed without being a burden. It felt really good to Be.


    Be murmured to herself as she looked at the remnants of the zombie grass, feeling a strong intuition that it was on the brink of death.


    Could she possibly save it?


    Without further ado, she grabbed the watering can containing the zombie grass, ced her hands on it, and activated her ability.


    Energy flowed from her body like water, nourishing the remaining stems of the zombie grass.


    The severed sections of the zombie grass hardened with white sap, while beneath the soil, the roots continued to grow, entwining around the now significantly smaller corpse core.


    The visible part of the corpse core shrank until it disappeared entirely.


    At the junction of roots and stems, a new green sprout struggled to break through the soil.


    Elijah and Daisy watched Be''s actions, sharing a nce filled with surprise and excitement.


    They nervously watched Be, seeing her face gradually pale.


    Daisy was concerned and wanted to intervene but was afraid of disturbing her, potentially ruining everything.


    Finally, Be lowered her hands, utterly exhausted, and slumped into the chair. "Be, are you okay?" Daisy asked, concerned.


    "I''m fine," Be smiled wearily, looking at the zombie grass. A vibrant green sprout waved in the wind. "It worked!"


    But the one truly overjoyed was Elijah.


    Confirming that the zombie grass was sprouting again, resurrected from the dead, he hugged Be tightly. "Be, you''re amazing! I love you!" Elijah showered her face with kisses like raindrops.


    "Oh, stop it, Daisy''s still here," Be protested, shy yet immensely satisfied. This profound sense of fulfillment filled a void in her heart, calming her restless soul.


    In a slightly tipsy state, she caught a glimpse of Daisy. The little girl pouted, her expression a mix of happiness and annoyance, conflicting yet fascinating.

 Chapter 66: How did you get in

    Be hadn''t forgotten that Daisy was supposedly Elijah''s girlfriend, although the extent of its truth was uncertain.


    And she had also hinted at her own rtionship with Elijah.


    -read-first


    But that didn''t mean she could do whatever she wanted in front of the official girlfriend!


    Originally, it was just herck of security that had led her subconsciously into the intimate rtionship with Elijah.


    Now, the confidence brought by her abilities made her care less about upying Elijah''s thoughts.


    After all, it was just a human-shaped massager. She could do it herself!


    Now, she cared more about the cozy atmosphere that felt like a family.


    She didn''t want to ruin it!


    She struggled a bit, and Elijah let her go, his face still showing traces of excitement.


    Be gave him a look and nodded in Daisy''s direction.


    Elijah realized his mistake and cursed inwardly.


    He looked at Daisy, her little face pouting, looking away angrily. He was too smug!


    Damn it, it was already done anyway.


    Having multiple women in the apocalypse was as normal as it could get.


    Sooner orter, this truth had to be revealed.


    Be was very understanding of the situation. And there was Emily... Well, that had nothing to do with him!


    Elijah, in a fit of pique, hugged Daisy tightly.


    He kissed her fiercely on her puffy cheeks and rising lips.


    This was fair distribution, everyone gets their share of affection!Everyone''s hearts are bnced now!


    "Mmm~" Daisy struggled a bit but couldn''t break free.


    She nced at Be, who was watching the scene with a smile, not a trace of anger in her expression.


    Daisy felt shy and quickly closed her eyes.


    Elijah didn''t dare to go too far either. After kissing her for a while, he let go of Daisy and immediately changed the subject.


    "Daisy, you know how important Be''s ability is for us!"


    Daisy wanted to pretend to be angry, but when she heard this question, she immediately thought about it carefully and became happy.


    "Does this mean we''ll have an endless supply of zombie grass in the future? Everyone can awaken their abilities and advance to the second level!"


    "Yes, this can make us safer and improve our lives in this apocalypse," Elijah nodded. "Now Be is even more important than me. I hope you can protect her on our way back to Azure Isle!"


    "No problem, Be, you don''t have to worry. I''ll protect you on the way!" Daisy reassured Be, patting her chest.


    "Well, I trust you! Come on, let''s continue eating!" Elijah joked, finally letting go of the tension from earlier.


    Be smiled, relieved, and picked up her chopsticks.


    After the treatment just now, she felt hungry again!


    After breakfast, Elijah found the earliest zombie grass, transferred Be''s ability to it, and found that the remaining roots had diedpletely.


    He dug it out, buried four corpse cores in it, then transferred the newly grown zombie grass from the police kettle and used Be''s healing ability to ensure its safety.


    The roots of the zombie grass touched the corpse cores and immediately began to absorb them. The newly grown leaves swayed gently, radiating vitality.


    "No problem now!" Elijah breathed a sigh of relief.


    This way, they had a stable source of zombie grass that would mature in about six days, enough for one person to advance to the second level.


    If it was just awakening abilities, it would take about three days!


    And all they had to pay were a few corpse cores.


    Of course, the key was Be!


    "In my past life, I heard of healing abilities, but none were as miraculous as Be''s. I never heard of being able to heal nts," Elijah found it unbelievable, but it could also be because of his limited exposure or the other party''s secrecy.


    "Anyway, let''s not think about that. Next is packing up..." Daisy had already gone downstairs.


    Elijah specifically instructed to bring her cosy costumes as well.


    He received slightly disdainful looks from both Daisy and Be. That''s when Elijah realized those clothes belonged to Abigail.


    Before the apocalypse, Abigail was a content creator on a short video tform.


    With fair skin, a beautiful appearance, and long legs, she excelled in cosy and dressing up, attracting arge following of older admirers.


    She became friends with Daisy, who came from a wealthy family with a mansion.


    Abigail''s family was also well-off, so she didn''t need to make money this way.


    She simply enjoyed dressing up and portraying different characters.


    Daisy dressed Abigail as the protagonist from the game "NieR: Automata," hoping to trigger some memories through cosy.


    Last night, Daisy and Abigail talked about many things from the past. Of course, one spoke while the other listened.


    Although Abigail didn''t show much change, merely recognizing Daisy and not saying much, Daisy remained optimistic, feeling that the day of her full recovery wasn''t far off.


    Meanwhile, across the street at Benjamin''s house, Christopher, having eaten and prepared himself, saw an opportunity.


    "Though I don''t know where all the zombies outside went, this is a rare chance!"


    He observed that the zombies downstairs were gone and paid no attention, thinking that something might have happenedst night to draw them away.


    He saw this as an opportunity and immediately geared up.


    He also packed some of Benjamin''s items meant for women in his bag, thinking they mighte in handy when dealing with the two women across the street.


    Christopher made his way downstairs without encountering any zombies.


    Quietly, he approached Benjamin''s ce, finding Benjamin''s corpse already partially devoured.


    Suppressing his disgust, he began searching the body and quickly found a utility knife and two sets of keys.


    One set was definitely for Benjamin''s home, and the other was likely for the building.


    He pocketed both sets and moved to the front door of the apartment building, trying each key. Soon, with a "click," the door unlocked.


    He carefully opened the door and closed it quietly behind him before proceeding upstairs.


    Based on his observation from yesterday, the woman on the fifth floor was too cautious and had kept Benjamin outside.


    However, the woman on the fourth floor... Since Benjamin had been on the fourth floor and had safely reached the rooftop, she shouldn''t pose much of a threat.


    Christopher had only taken a quick nce yesterday.


    Zombies disliked sunlight, and Abigail usually stayed near the bedroom door where the sunlight couldn''t reach her, making her invisible from the outside.


    So, neither Benjamin nor Christopher noticed her during their observations.


    If Benjamin hadn''t fallen down the stairs yesterday, Christopher wouldn''t have known about the woman on the fourth floor.


    And this morning, he didn''t see Daisy and Elijah during his observation because Daisy had already gone to the fifth floor for breakfast.


    Be habitually closed the curtains, making observation impossible.


    Arriving on the fourth floor, Christopher saw a woman inside sorting clothes and assumed she was the same woman he had seen yesterday.


    "Who are you? How did you get in?" she asked.

 Chapter 67: Old Acquaintances

    Daisy was highly alert, especially when she saw the stranger in front of her, particrly noticing the baseball bat in his hand. It was stained with thickyers of red, white, and ck.


    Having experience dealing with zombies, she quickly recognized what those colors represented. She immediately grabbed the knife at her side.


    "No need to be nervous, I''m from the building across the street. I just came over to ask if you guys have any food left here? We''ve run out at my ce!" Christopher noticed the woman''s wariness and found it strange.


    "How did that psycho manage to eat cookies on the fourth floor yesterday without any trouble?" he thought. He looked at the knife in the woman''s hand, well-crafted and not fake, so he tried to reassure her.


    "From across the street? Do you know that scumbag Benjamin?" he asked.


    "Benjamin? Scumbag? I don''t know him! Wait... are you talking about that weird painter?" Christopher seemed to have a realization, then looked angry. "Damn it, we went downstairs together yesterday.


    I was leading the way, and that psycho was hiding behind, not doing anything. Whenever there was danger, he pushed me towards the zombies to shield himself. If I hadn''t been lucky, I would''ve been eaten by zombies yesterday! Have you seen him? Did hee to this building yesterday? Where is he now?


    I''m going to kill him!" Christopher heard Daisy''s tone, seeming to despise the psycho, so he adapted on the spot.


    "He''s dead!" Daisy said tly, not entirely believing the statement, but it did exin how Benjamin had arrived.


    "Dead? That''s great! Did you do it? It''s so satisfying. I must thank you properly."


    Christopher excitedly took a couple of steps forward.


    When he was just two or three meters away from Daisy, he suddenly elerated.


    As a former soldier, Christopher had never stopped training himself.


    Within this distance, he was confident he could subdue any untrained ordinary person, especially a woman.


    Sure enough, the woman couldn''t react in time.


    He used a single-handed grappling technique, easily seizing the woman''s wrist.


    Next, with a pull and a twist, he could easily subdue her, letting him do as he pleased.


    "Hmm?" Christopher''s movement suddenly stopped! He hadn''t pulled her!


    Refusing to believe it, he tried to pull harder! But the woman remained unmoved!


    "Is she really that strong?" Christopher was bewildered! But he quickly reacted. Since he couldn''t pull her, he''d resort to more force.


    He swung the baseball bat in his right hand towards the woman. Even a zombie''s hard skull couldn''t withstand two hits.


    "Bang!" The woman used the sheath of her knife to block with one hand.


    "How is this possible?" Christopher waspletely shocked this time!


    "I knew you weren''t a good person!" Daisy snorted lightly.


    Although Christopher''s actions seemed fast, from Daisy''s perspective, they were quite ordinary and easily blocked by her. As for the hand that was caught...


    Daisy flipped her wrist, immediately turning the tables and grabbing Christopher''s hand, while simultaneously applying pressure with her five fingers.


    "Ow! Ow! Ow!" Christopher felt as if his arm was caught in a vise, experiencing intense pain.


    "Please spare me, miss! I give up! I, Christopher, have made a grave mistake, I underestimated you!" Christopher pleaded, while his other hand released the baseball bat to show surrender.


    "ng!" The bat hit the ground.


    As his free hand pretended to attempt to break free from Daisy''s grip, he got closer to her.


    But as he neared Daisy, the hand suddenly shed with the glint of a de, stabbing fiercely towards Daisy''s arm.


    Instinctively, Daisy let go and stepped back.


    Christopher immediately picked up the baseball bat from the ground and took two steps back.


    Only then did Daisy see that he had a utility knife in his hand, which she hadn''t noticed before.


    "How sneaky!" Daisy,cking experience inbat, hadn''t expected such a move.


    It was fortunate she reacted quickly and avoided being cut.


    "Damn bitch, you''re stronger than I thought!"


    Christopher looked at the bruised and purple marks on his arm, his mouth twitching slightly.


    Damn, it hurt like hell!


    "Damn it, from now on, I won''t hold back!"


    He tightly gripped the baseball bat with both hands, took two steps forward, and swung fiercely towards Daisy''s head.


    This was his full-strength blow.


    He didn''t believe this woman could withstand it.


    Sure enough, the woman agilely dodged to the side.


    "I was waiting for you to dodge!"


    Christopher changed his vertical swing into a horizontal sweep, his movements fluid, his techniques grand and powerful.


    It seemed like he was wielding not a baseball bat, but arge tiger-headed sword.


    "Bang!" Daisy once again timely used the sheath to block.


    But the tremendous force made her retreat two steps.


    Christopher was about to pursue his advantage, and Daisy seemed ready to counterattack with her knife.


    Suddenly, a voice rang out.


    "Why is there so muchmotion downstairs? Isn''t that Christopher?" Daisy immediately sheathed her half-drawn knife.


    "Elijah!"


    "Who are you? How do you know me?" Christopher was startled. He hadn''t noticed when a stranger appeared at the door, let alone recognized him.


    "Come here, Daisy. You have no realbat experience, just strength and speed. You can handle zombies, but you''re no match for him!"


    Elijah''s words made Daisy obediently move to his side, although she felt somewhat aggrieved. She hadn''t even drawn her knife yet.


    If she did, she could chop him into pieces in no time.


    "Do you know him, Elijah?" Daisy asked.


    "Well, let''s just say we''ve met before." Elijah squinted, sizing up Christopher. This man had once been his "friend" in a previous life, and one of the main reasons for his demise.


    In their previous life, Elijah had met Christopher at a gathering ce in the suburbs.


    At that time, Christopher was already the leader of a small team, with several brothers working for him, controlling many resources and information.


    Elijah bought a lot of supplies and information through him.


    For example, he learned about Charlotte''s body forging technique through Christopher''s introduction.


    Later, when he found out that the two came from the same neighborhood, Christopher became much warmer towards him, often treating him as a brother, and frequently shared some questionable rumors with him.


    Christopher even tried to recruit Elijah into his team, but Elijah refused.


    He was determined to use his abilities to recruit a group of loyal followers and be the leader himself.


    Why should he subordinate himself to others?


    Moreover, Elijah also disapproved of their methods. However, they still maintained a rtively friendly cooperation.


    They say familiarity breeds contempt. It wasn''t until just before Elijah''s death in the previous life that he truly saw Christopher''s true colors.


    At that time, he was seeking a spiritual nt that could advance to the second-tier superpower level, which wasmon in the gathering ce.


    Everyone who understood the effects of spiritual nts was desperately searching for one.


    One day, while purchasing supplies, Christopher mysteriously revealed to him the location of a Crystal Grass.


    Crystal Grass! It was a spiritual nt even more potent than Zombie Grass.


    It was said that mature Crystal Grass could even help people advance to the third tier.


    And third-tier superpower holders!


    At that time, there were very few in the entire Neoville City.


    Each one of them was famous and powerful, controlling vast territories, possessing massive resources, and countless beautiful women throwing themselves at them.


    Power, wealth, fame, beautiful women!


    They had almost reached the pinnacle, bing the emperors of the apocalypse, deciding life and death with a single word!


    Elijah was instantly tempted!

 Chapter 68: Who said were family

    Not only Elijah, but anyone in the apocalypse who saw Crystal Grass would fight tooth and nail to obtain it.


    Elijah understood that this matter was definitely not that simple, otherwise Christopher wouldn''t have casually told him about it.


    Indeed, in their subsequent conversation, Elijah understood the reason behind Christopher''s generosity.


    ording to him, the Crystal Grass was located within a group of zombies in the city area.


    Several mutated zombies and even second-tier zombies were waiting nearby for the Crystal Grass to mature.


    Many teams had tried various methods to obtain it but had all failed.


    Several ability holders had even died there.


    Typically, when an ability holder died from a zombie bite, they would be a mutated zombie.


    This caused the zombie group there to grow stronger, with more mutants, making it increasingly difficult to obtain the Crystal Grass.


    However, what was difficult for others to cross was just a piece of cake for Elijah because he didn''t need to go in himself.


    He could control the zombies.


    By using the controlled zombies properly, he could safely infiltrate the zombie group and find an opportunity to obtain the spiritual nt.


    The prerequisite was to have enough visibility.


    Luckily, the Crystal Grass was located in a small square behind a building where Elijah could clearly see it and the surroundingyout from the building.


    Otherwise, it wouldn''t have been easily discovered by anyone.


    Although Elijah was tempted, he felt that everything was too coincidental and didn''t act rashly.


    After all, there were still several people who knew about his abilities, such as Christopher.


    Was Christopher deliberately revealing this information, waiting to take advantage of him after he seeded?


    No one could say for sure.


    After the apocalypse, he never hesitated to use the worst thoughts to guess people''s hearts.


    Elijah endured for a few days without making a move, and everything remained calm.


    In the end, unable to resist his greed, he sent members of his own team to investigate on-site.


    Everything was just as Christopher had said.


    Elijah couldn''t resist any longer and personally scouted the area, using a telescope to see the soon-to-be-mature Crystal Grass.


    Excited, he began to n his actions.


    Everything went smoothly.


    He hid in the building, used the telescope to observe, and directed the zombies to infiltrate the zombie group.


    Then, amidst the screams of a group of mutated zombies, he sessfully picked the Crystal Grass.


    By controlling the zombies, he managed to evade pursuit several times.


    As a precaution, Elijah didn''t immediately let the controlled zombies hand over the Crystal Grass to him.


    Instead, he controlled them to go to a certain ce, and he went to retrieve it himself.


    During the transfer, a group of people who had long been lying in ambush suddenly attacked him.


    Among them was Christopher, whom he recognized, and the leader was none other than Nathan, the actual controller of the western suburbs of Neoville City, and one of the few third-tier superpower holders in Neoville City.


    He was also Matthew''s top henchman, nicknamed "Lost Morals" Nathan.


    Nathan, on behalf of Matthew, had recruited Elijah several times, but Elijah had always refused.


    The reason was simple: judging from Matthew''s nickname, Elijah knew the style of this group of people.


    But why was Nathan so eager to recruit Elijah?


    Elijah could guess the reason roughly.


    After all, the most famous thing "Lost Morals" did was the zombie flesh business, not the literal flesh, but the kind where bodily fluids were exchanged.


    Who dared to touch a zombie?


    Who wasn''t afraid of bing a zombie through bodily fluid exchange?


    But they dared to!


    They specifically captured attractive female zombies and took various safety measures to entertain their guests!


    This kind of thing was fresh! And after the apocalypse, without the restraints ofw and morality, there were many perverts.


    There were even people who came to try it themselves andter gained fame.


    At first, Elijah didn''t believe it until he heard it from an eyewitness, his "master," Keymaster.


    Before meeting Elijah, Keymaster had wandered in the west city for a while.


    He happened to hear about it and went to try it out, then often boasted about it as a strange tale to tell them.


    "The taste of zombies is really good!"


    So, when Elijah received the first solicitation, he suspected that the other party knew about his abilities.


    He wants to recruit me to help with this kind of work because my superpower is just perfect for their business!


    Killing zombies is for survival.


    Elijah doesn''t have a moral burden. He doesn''t even consider killing for his own safety a big deal.


    But ying with corpses in such a perverted way, he just can''t do it!


    So, he didn''t hesitate to refuse!


    But why would Nathan be mixed up with Christopher?


    Elijah couldn''t figure it out.


    Because they didn''t find the Crystal Grass on him, Christopher pressured him to hand it over.


    read-first-on-MVLeMpYr


    Elijah learned about the cause and effect under these conditions.


    Matthew had been looking for superpower holders like Elijah.


    Christopher immediately sold him out when he first learned about Elijah''s superpower.


    That''s why Nathan came all the way to recruit him.


    But he didn''t expect Elijah to refuse outright. So, when their recruitment failed, they turned hostile.


    Christopher, seeing this, thought it was better to make use of Elijah.


    He convinced Nathan to set a trap for Elijah after getting him to help obtain the Crystal Grass, and then kill him.


    Most of what Christopher told Elijah was true. However, the Crystal Grass was actually discovered by Christopher''s men.


    The casualties were also his men.


    When Christopher saw the surroundings, he immediately thought of Elijah''s ability, knowing he could safely obtain it. Sure enough.


    But he didn''t expect Elijah to be so cautious. After obtaining it, Elijah wasn''t in a hurry and didn''t even have it on him.


    Elijah knew he was as good as dead, so he didn''t go for the Crystal Grass and led them in different directions.


    The ultimate goal was a group of mutated zombies that several zombies he controlled were leading.


    If he was going to die, they would die together!...


    "Now that we all know each other! We''re practically family!" Christopher put on a fake smile.


    "Who said we''re family?" Daisy snorted.


    "Tsk, I know exactly what kind of person you are. No need for this fake niceness," Elijah shook his head.


    As one of his biggest enemies in his past life, Elijah hadn''t sought revenge on him these days for two reasons: first, his own strength wasn''t enough, and second, he didn''t know where Christopher lived.


    Although the other party imed to be from the same neighborhood in his past life, who knew if it was a lie?


    Or a deliberate attempt to get closer to him!


    So, Elijah didn''t waste time looking for him.


    After all, his trajectory was confirmed.


    There were only a few ces in the suburbs of Neoville City where he could survive.


    When things settled down, it wouldn''t be toote to seek revenge.


    He just didn''t expect Christopher wasn''t lying about the neighborhood.


    Since they''ve met now, he couldn''t let him off.


    The past causes, the present effects.


    Some things were already predetermined.

 Chapter 69: Farewell

    "Guys, there''s no need for this, right? Even though you outnumber me, the oue of a fight might not be in your favor. At least I can guarantee that both of you won''te out unscathed! I admit I was at fault first, so I apologize to thedy. I don''t have much on me right now, nothing topensate you with. Don''t believe me?


    Take a look!" brought-to-you-by-MvLeMpYr


    Christopher said, opening his backpack and pouring out a pile of items. Among them were handcuffs, leg irons, a whip, candles...


    Daisy''s face flushed as she muttered, "You rascal!"


    "Miss, this is called ambiance! I''m not lying, am I? I really am very sorry! There''s no need for us to resort to violence. It''s not good to harm each other. With so few survivors left, as fellow humans, let''s spare each other.


    Let me go, and I promise not to bother you again!" Christopher''s expression was sincere.


    "Fair point! There''s really no need for this!" Elijah nodded, then pulled out a handgun.


    A gunshot rang out.


    "You..." Christopher looked bewildered as he clutched his chest, a bullet hole appearing in his shirt, blood seeping out rapidly, soaking his clothes.


    "You see, this way is much simpler, and we won''t get hurt either!" Elijah stepped closer, looking at Christopher with a mix of puzzlement and defiance.


    "Only you are getting hurt!"


    "Why..." Christopher didn''t understand. He didn''t even know the person in front of him, so why did he shoot him so decisively?


    Elijah didn''t exin but leaned close to his ear. "I was nning on capturing you to let you experience being torn apart by zombies, the agony of dying. Your words enlightened me. I''m not alone now, no need! Thanks, buddy! Farewell!"


    At least in the previous life, he had helped himself in many ways. Even though it was bought with money, it was a mutually beneficial transaction. Elijah gave him a quick and clean death with a shot to the head!


    "Bang!"


    Christopher fell to the ground,pletely lifeless.


    "Not scared, are you, Daisy?" Elijah holstered his gun and turned to look at Daisy.


    "Hmph, I''m not that cowardly! He really wanted to kill me just now. Letting him die like this is too kind; I should have dismembered him!" Daisy gestured with the knife in her hand.


    Sure enough, he didn''t misjudge her! Elijah smiled.


    Daisy was naturally suited for surviving in the apocalypse, whether it was her superpowers or her thick skin.


    However, she stillcked experience and was somewhat naive.


    With more practice, she could definitely venture out on her own.


    "Alright, are you done packing? Be upstairs is very worried about you, as well as your little dog. If it weren''t for it blocking the way, she would have followed me down!"


    "It''s all because of you and your insistence on these clothes!" Daisy looked at him disdainfully.


    "Uh..." Elijah awkwardly picked up Christopher''s baseball bat. "This thing might still be useful; someone might like it. I''ll keep it. And these things on the ground..."


    As Elijah bent down, he suddenly felt a cold glint.


    "Elijah, what are you up to?"


    "Ah, nothing, just thought these things were a bit of an eyesore, so I''ll toss them aside!" Elijah held up a pink toy with a string, replying somewhat awkwardly.


    "Hmph, men''s mouths, full of lies!" Daisy continued packing clothes, her eyes asionally ncing at him.


    "Tch, why would I lie to you? Do I need these toys?"


    Elijah snorted disdainfully. "Yesterday was just a warm-up. I didn''t dare to use my full strength. Next time, I''ll show you what I''m capable of!"


    With a hint of regret, he kicked the pile Christopher had poured out into the corner.


    "There... there won''t be a next time!"


    Daisy muttered, ignoring him.


    At least they got past that topic.


    They finished packing up their belongings and moved to the unit door.


    Back on the fifth floor, Be breathed a sigh of relief seeing both of them unharmed.


    The little dog kept circling around Daisy, wagging its tail furiously like a fan.


    Daisy briefly exined what had happened.


    Knowing it was Benjamin''s gang, Be was very grateful that Elijah and the others hade back.


    Otherwise, on their own, their chances would have been slim.


    The three of them moved the belongings from the fifth floor downstairs again, mainly food, a generator, drinks, and water.


    Finally, Be reluctantly nced at the room, locked the door, and headed downstairs.


    "Daisy, you stay here to protect Be. I''ll go start the car."


    The two gunshots just now might have attracted zombies.


    Elijah switched to Abigail''s defensive ability and opened the door.


    Sure enough, there were a few zombies attracted outside.


    Elijah wielded a short hammer to kill them one by one, then walked to the armored truck and opened the door.


    The mutated female zombie was still in the car.


    This was his precaution from yesterday. Usually, he would have the mutated female zombie guard downstairs.


    Unexpectedly, the temporary change allowed Christopher to sneak in.


    This served as a wake-up call for him.


    There was no foolproof n in this world. One must always have a backup n.


    Starting the vehicle, Elijah drove the armored truck to the front of the unit door.


    While the mutated female zombie kept watch, the three quickly loaded the supplies into the vehicle.


    Once everything was packed, Elijah sat in the driver''s seat, the mutated female zombie and Abigail sat in the passenger seat, while Daisy apanied Be in the second row.


    "Everyone strapped in? Let''s go!"


    "Alright! Let''s go!" Daisy replied happily, while Be smiled faintly.


    Elijah skillfully maneuvered the vehicle, turned around, and headed towards the gate of the residential area.


    They encountered no obstacles along the way.


    Unbeknownst to them, countless eyes watched them from high ces through windows.


    As they drove out of the residential area, heading towards an unknown future, the patience for rescue seemed to diminish due to their actions during these ten days of apocalypse.


    Countless people, because of them, mustered the courage to open their doors and bravely step out.


    Regardless of life or death, in this messed up world, they had to face it themselves.

 Chapter 70: Facing it head-on was too dangerous

    "Screech!"


    The armored truck emitted a loud brake sound,ing to a steady stop in front of a residential building.


    "Don''t move! I''ll take care of the zombies behind!"


    Elijah instructed, grabbing the two short-handled hammers from the passenger seat and jumping out of the car.


    Starting from the residential area, they followed the nned route and smoothly made their way to the school, parking in front of Charlotte''s house.


    The only trouble was attracting many zombies along the way, intermittently following them.


    Although many were lost along the way, there were still a dozen or so when they arrived at the school.


    "Will he be in danger?" Be was very worried, pressing against the ss to look outside, but due to the angle, she couldn''t see much.


    "Don''t worry, Elijah will be fine!" Daisy reassured her gently.


    This was Be''s first time going out since the virus outbreak.


    She saw that there wasn''t a single person outside, only zombies and congested vehicles everywhere.


    The entire city had be much more dpidated than she remembered,pletely different from her impression.


    Fortunately, Daisy was there, constantly talking, which kept her emotions stable, but she was bing more and more dependent on the two of them.


    If she were alone, she really didn''t know how she would survive.


    Outside the car, Elijah saw the zombies rushing towards him, wielding the hammers.


    His movements were agile, and his strikes were fierce, effortlessly dispatching the zombies one by one.


    Charlotte, on the second floor, witnessed the whole process.


    It was her first time seeing Elijah hunting zombies.


    Although Elijah''s movements seemed erratic, relying entirely on instinct, Charlotte''s focused gaze held a hint of admiration and a desire to try it out herself.


    "This guy seems to have figured out the zombies'' movements, even forming instincts. So he''s always able to avoid zombie attacks at critical moments and effortlessly take them down with a single blow. It seems extremely dangerous, but in reality, he''s inplete control. I wonder if he can maintain this level when fighting humans!"


    Charlotte lightly bit her lip, tightening her grip on the knife.


    After watching himpletely eliminate the zombies, Charlotte looked away and walked downstairs.


    "Daisy,e down and help!"


    Confirming there was no danger, Elijah let Be stay in the car while Daisy helped with the dismemberment, gaining a few more corpse cores.


    Charlotte also opened the gate and began to move weapons outside.


    After cleaning up the bodies and clearing the road, Elijah and Daisy also helped.


    Soon, all the weapons were loaded.


    Besides weapons and apanying maintenance tools, Charlotte didn''t bring much personal stuff.


    "Is everything loaded? If it is, we''ll set off!"


    "All set!" Charlotte replied lightly, sitting in the back row with Daisy.


    Elijah started the car, and Be and Charlotte introduced themselves to each other.


    Elijah didn''t return by the original route; there must be zombies still following them.


    He took a different route, circling around and returning to the school gate.


    "Uh-oh!" As they approached the school gate, Elijah''s expression turned grim.


    "The group of zombies we led away from the school gate has returned!"


    "What?" Daisy leaned forward against her seat.


    Sure enough, she saw many zombies blocking the school gate again.


    "Maybe we made too much noise when we entered and attracted them back!"


    "What do we do now?"


    "We can''t stop here, or more wille. Let''s go all out!"


    With a determined expression, Elijah stepped on the gas pedal forcefully.


    The engine roared, and the armored truck elerated suddenly.


    The zombies ahead turned their heads towards the sound.


    "Bang! Bang! Bang!"


    Before the zombies could react, the armored truck had plowed into the group, knocking down several zombies in quick session.


    The horde immediately boiled over, and the rest of the zombies all crazily rushed towards the armored truck.


    Elijah focused intently on the steering wheel as the armored truck, amidst the jolts from crushing the zombies, sessfully burst out of the school gate and onto the main road. Suddenly, his vision cleared.


    "We''ve broken through the zombie horde! Thankfully, there aren''t too many zombies around, only about fifty or sixty!"


    There were only a few zombies ahead, and as long as he had a little more time, he could shake off the zombies chasing them from behind.


    At that moment, a figure suddenly darted out from the left side of the road and violently collided with the rear of the armored truck.


    The tremendous force caused the armored truck to lose control, almost flipping over. Fortunately, Elijah remained calm and managed to stabilize the vehicle.


    "What was that?" Be eximed, while Daisy and Charlotte looked outside with solemn expressions.


    Now that the car was tilted due to the recent encounter, they could see from the side window the original rear of the car.


    In front of the chasing zombie horde, a tremendously muscr figure was lying on the ground, shaking its head as it got up.


    Although this figure vaguely resembled a human, its hands and legs were disproportionately muscr, bulging more than its head, and its clothes were almost torn apart, indicating the exaggerated muscles underneath.


    "Damn, it''s an awakened strength-type mutant zombie!"


    Elijah took a quick nce and immediately adjusted the direction, elerating the car abruptly.


    He understood that it was this creature, with muscles but no brains, that had just used its body to crash into his car.


    Strength-type mutated zombies were the ones Elijah least wanted to face.


    Unlike Abigail and perception-type mutated female zombies, their abilities were indeed powerful, but their physical strength didn''t change much.


    But that thing just now was different.


    It possessed extremely abnormal strength and physical abilities, decent speed, and strong defense due to its exaggerated muscles.


    The only downside was its underdeveloped brain.


    Facing it head-on was too dangerous; ambushes or long-range attacks were the best methods.


    But now that he was driving, this was the thing he feared the most.


    "Brace yourselves; it might get a bit bumpy!"


    Elijah warned, then saw in the rearview mirror the mutated zombie elerating and leaping towards them.


    Elijah had just started, and the speed hadn''t picked up yet.


    As the mutated zombie was about to strike, Elijah quickly turned the steering wheel.


    The armored truck swayed left and right like a drunken person, narrowly avoiding the attack. discover-MVLeMpYr-novels


    Missing its target, the mutated zombie crashed onto the road, creating a depression in the asphalt and forming spider-web-like cracks.


    Elijah was speechless, thankful that they hadn''t been hit.


    He pressed down on the gas pedal, elerating with all his might.


    The mutated zombie behind shook its head, feeling a bit dizzy from the rebound, then turned its gaze back towards Elijah''s group and resumed its pursuit.


    At this point, Elijah finally breathed a sigh of relief.


    They had finally managed to pick up speed.


    Although the zombie had just gotten closer, it was quickly pulled away again.


    Despite its speed, it ultimately failed to catch up with the speeding car, gradually falling further and further behind.


    "Phew." Elijah finally felt he could rx a bit.

 Chapter 71: Arrival

    "Was that guy just now the mutated zombie you guys talked about?" Charlotte asked, her eyes bright as if she had discovered an interesting toy.


    "That''s right! Just like humans, mutated zombies have all sorts of abilities. Some are particrly difficult to deal with. The one just now is one of them. You can only kill it from a distance.Close range... even those with the same power system may not be able to deal with it!"


    Elijah nced back at Charlotte.


    "Oh, by the way, you mentioned giving me a surprise earlier! What''s the surprise?"


    "Once we reach our destination, if it''s really as good as you said,e to my room tonight, and I''ll show you!" Charlotte said, a hint of suggestive smile ying on her face.


    "What surprise? Can Ie along to see it?" Daisy asked curiously without much thought.


    Be, on the other hand, nced oddly at Elijah and Charlotte, then turned indifferent. "Sure, you can, but I''m afraid you won''t see it," Charlotte replied with a slight smile.


    "Oh,e on, don''t make it so mysterious!" Daisy grumbled.


    "Oops! Seems like it might not be appropriate for a man and a woman alone together. Since you''re so curious, Daisy, why note along and watch from the sidelines?"


    "Hmph! I''m not curious..."


    ...


    Having shaken off the mutated zombies, the road ahead was calm.


    asionally, a few zombies caught up, but Elijah paid them no mind, instead driving steadily.


    Soon, they reached the coastal highway.


    Here, the safety was even higher.


    After nearly two hours, they finally arrived at the service area on the shore of Azure Isle.


    Driving into the parking lot, Gabriel and Emily, seeing the unfamiliar vehicle approach, were very cautious.


    It wasn''t until they saw Elijah that they came over with smiling faces to open the door.


    The bridge to Azure Isle was behind the service area, surrounded by houses and walls.


    To enter the ind, one could only pass through arge gate specifically for vehicles or through the parking lot in front of the service hall,plete the procedures, and then transfer to a sightseeing tram to enter the ind.


    Naturally, Elijah and his group didn''t need to transfer; they drove the escort vehicle straight in.


    As the gate closed, Gabriel came over with a grin. "Elijah, when did you leavest night? I didn''t see you guys!"


    Elijah''s expression was strange as he nced at Emily beside him. Damn, he''s flirting, as if he would see us!


    "Hmph! Do we need to tell you when we left?" Daisy wasn''t polite to him at all; it was good enough that she didn''t scold them to their faces!


    "No need! No need!" Gabriel immediately shrank back when he heard Daisy speak up.


    "Ahem, don''t say that, we''re all family now!" Elijah hurriedly cated. "Gabriel, Emily,e over to the ind in the afternoon, and we''ll have a meeting together!"


    "Alright, big brother!"


    "That''s settled then, we''ll head into the ind!"


    "Take care, big brother, Daisy sister!"


    Elijah continued driving forward and soon reached the bridge.


    The corpses haphazardly strewn on the bridge were now gone, leaving only mottled ck-red bloodstains. Elijah nodded to himself.


    Fiona and the other women are quite efficient; they''ve cleaned up the bodies so quickly!


    "Wow! It''s so beautiful!" Be eximed, looking out at the vast sea, her mood immediately lightening.


    "It''s not bad!" Charlotte nodded. "Hehe, when we get to the ind, you''ll find it even better!"


    The group chatted andughed, quickly arriving on the ind. The vehicle stopped in front of the luxury hotel, where Fiona and her group had been waiting.


    Elijah got out of the car, opened the door, let Be and the others out, and introduced everyone to each other.


    Fiona watched as the women and the dog got out of the car one by one, her worry finally easing.


    But her expression became even stranger.


    The dog immediately got out of the car and started running around happily.


    Be and Charlotte looked at the four women, who were also observing the neers: two women, two zombies, and a dog.


    Atst, they all unconsciously looked at Elijah, except for Daisy, who greeted him happily and asked, "Elijah, where are we staying next? Is it this hotel or should we check out some other vis?"


    "Are there still zombies on this ind?" Elijah asked Fiona.


    "No, we only have those people here. We''ve already checked the bodies and confirmed there are no stragglers," Fiona replied without looking at the two zombies, then turned away.


    "Alright then, why don''t you show us around the ind first?" Elijah suggested.


    "Sure, this way. Let''s take the sightseeing tram," Fiona replied.


    "Okay!"


    They walked over to a row ofmuter sightseeing trams parked nearby and chose thergest one.


    Fiona sat in the driver''s seat, Elijah sat in the passenger seat, and the others took their seats casually. Abigail also climbed aboard.


    The mutated female zombie, however, was ordered by Elijah to guard the bridge.


    Fiona noticed this and understood that although Abigail was a zombie, her status was not ordinary, especially since Daisy kept subconsciously paying attention to her and asionally chatting with her.


    Fiona started the tram, heading north first.


    "Our current position is to the west of Azure Isle. Here, we''ve built this seven-story luxury hotel to amodate regr guests," Fiona began exining the ind''s situation as she drove.


    "Hmm, by ''regr guests'', you don''t mean regr as we understand it, do you?" Elijah interjected.


    "Those who can''t afford to rent an entire luxury vi are considered regr guests in our eyes," Fiona replied calmly.


    "Fair enough," Elijah didn''t interrupt further, allowing Fiona to continue. discover-MVLeMpYr-novels


    "To the west, there''s the only bridge leading out of the ind; I don''t need to borate on that!"


    As the tram traveled along the tree-lined road, Fiona suddenly pointed ahead.


    "The north side of the ind is quite steep and not suitable for recreation, so we''ve built a seawater purification system here to supply fresh water to the entire ind, as well as produce some byproducts such as salt."


    As she finished speaking, a unique-looking building appeared ahead. It didn''t look like any industrial facility from the outside; both its architectural style and exterior color blended well with the surrounding environment.


    "By the way, the engineer responsible for maintaining this ind''s facilities has unfortunately turned into a zombie!" Fiona continued.


    "If this seawater purification system breaks down, won''t the whole ind be without water?" Elijah frowned, feeling troubled. He didn''t understand this stuff, and neither did Be, Daisy, or Charlotte.


    "Don''t worry, we have someone who knows a bit about it, Grace!" Fiona said, turning to Grace, who was sitting in the back.


    "Grace is the daughter of the engineer I mentioned earlier. Her father nned to work for a few more years and then have Grace take over after he retired. So Grace knows a bit about all the equipment and facilities on this ind!"


    "Hello, everyone," Grace greeted the others nervously.


    Elijah gradually began to understand. Was Fiona subtly showcasing the value of their group?

 Chapter 72: Are you considering all of us your lovers

    Hannah was both an ability user and a pastry chef, making her a valuable asset both inbat and logistics.


    As for Grace, she was currently the only person among their group who could maintain the ind''s equipment.


    Whether it was true or not, since Fiona dared to say so, she must have some abilities. She had be indispensable on the ind.


    Fiona, needless to say, with her appearance, temperament, intelligence, and wit, was someone whom nobody would want to let go of.


    As for the remaining Katherine... she must also have some unique qualities. Even if she didn''t, Fiona would arrange for her to have some.


    Understanding this, Elijah put on a warm smile and said to Grace, "From now on, we''ll rely on you to maintain the equipment on this ind!"


    "It''s... it''s my duty!" Grace nodded quickly.


    "Moving forward, you''ll see the ind''s only pier!"


    Everyone looked ahead and first saw a row of cottages along the shore, followed by a row of luxury yachts neatly parked at the pier!


    "Wow, yachts!" Daisy cheered. "We can go out to sea in the future!"


    Elijah was also very excited.


    He nced around at the several women, each of them beautiful and graceful, with charming figures and unique personalities.


    If they all boarded the yacht and changed into swimsuits...


    "Do you know how to operate a yacht?"


    Fiona''s question snapped Elijah back to reality.


    "Um... no! But it shouldn''t be too difficult, right?" Elijah replied uncertainly.


    "It''s indeed not difficult!" Fiona nodded.


    "So, does that mean you can operate it, Fiona?" Daisy asked, leaning affectionately towards Fiona.


    "Exactly, I''ll take you out to sea in the future!"


    "Yay!"


    Ugh, this woman, she''s always hinting at their value.


    Elijah rolled his eyes. "In addition to yachts, there are also facilities for near-sea activities such as diving equipment, kayaks, surfboards, and motorboats. If you want to y in the future, I''ll teach you!" After Fiona finished, she pointed in the direction of the ind.


    "The closest one from here is this vi!" Everyone focused their gaze and indeed saw a luxurious vi nestled among the trees.


    "Let''s go take a look!" Daisy was very excited, and Be looked expectant. Fiona had no objections, so she turned the tram towards the vi.


    As they got closer, the appearance of the luxury vi came into view.


    It was a three-story vi, with the first floor being thergest, the second floor slightly smaller, and the third floor even smaller, forming a staggered and well-structuredyout.


    There wererge viewing tforms on the second and third floors, allowing people to rx in the breeze and enjoy the surrounding scenery.


    The overall exterior of the vi did not appear luxurious but rather modest and exquisite.


    It blended harmoniously with the surrounding environment, giving off a natural, rxed, casual, and rustic vibe.


    When they reached the front of the vi, there was a corridor extending from the entrance specifically for parking the tram.


    As they walked a few steps forward, they could see arge swimming pool in front of the vi, with sparkling blue water shimmering in the sunlight.


    There was a row of lounge chairs around it for people to rest on.


    "Wow, such a big swimming pool!"


    The group gathered excitedly by the pool, imagining swimming here in the future.


    Elijah also looked forward to it.


    This was paradise!


    "The vi is fully equipped with everything, including kitchen utensils, refrigerator, washing machine, air conditioning, and television..." Fiona continued leading everyone into the vi.


    "...You can just move in with your bags, just like going back home!"


    "Not bad, not bad!"


    Elijah looked around upstairs and downstairs, bing more satisfied the more he looked.


    "Are the other nine vis the same?"


    MVLeMpYr-unofficial-chapter


    "Yes, except for slight differences in appearance, the internal configurations are basically the same."


    "Which one is the best?"


    "They all have their own characteristics, and there''s no ''best'' one."


    Fiona paused for a moment and continued, "Like this one and another nearby vi, they''re closest to the pier, convenient for customers who like to go out to sea. There are two vis on the far east, with higher terrain, allowing guests to watch the sunrise and sea views..."


    "Okay,dies, let''s continue exploring other ces!"


    Elijah called out to everyone, and they set off again.


    This time, they headed east and soon saw the two vis Fiona had mentioned.


    To the east of the ind, the terrain became elevated, and the coastline was lined with rocks.


    Elijah saw several towering wind turbines here.


    In addition to these, there were also several tforms in precarious positions where one could witness the majestic sight of the waves crashing against the rocks.


    Further south, the terrain gradually leveled, and a vast golden sandy beach appeared along the coastline, with azure blue seawater.


    "So, this is the origin of the ind''s name, right?"


    "Exactly! This beach upies the entire southern coast of the ind, and it''s the biggest highlight of this ind. The surrounding waters are not deep, and the color is as clear as the sky..."


    The women got off the tram and cheered as they ran onto the beach,ughing freely.


    "The other six vis are all near this beach. Do you still need to go and see them?"


    "No need, let''s just rest here for a while." Elijahy down on a beach chair, with Fiona lying beside him.


    "What is Katherine good at?"


    Upon hearing Elijah''s seemingly random question, Fiona didn''t seem surprised.


    She looked at the people frolicking on the beach and teased, "I never thought all yourpanions are women, even the controlled zombie is female! No wonder you promised not to let other men onto the ind without our consent! I can tell that Be has a special rtionship with you. Is she your lover?"


    Fiona didn''t wait for Elijah to answer, although it was just spection, she said it with certainty.


    "As for Charlotte, your gaze towards her seems unusual, and then there are the four of us! Tsk tsk, on an ind with seven women and one man. Are you considering all of us your lovers?"


    "They are family."


    Elijah didn''t feel embarrassed at being exposed. Instead, he emphasized, "Okay, family, same thing."


    "Then do you agree?"


    Elijah stared at Fiona.


    "That depends on your performance..."


    "Alright, we''ll wait and see!" Elijah turned his gaze back to Katherine not far away.


    "Going back to the previous topic, what can Katherine do?"


    "Since they''re all your lovers, does it still matter?"


    "They are family! Since they are family, there should be division ofbor, and everyone should contribute to this family."


    "I originally wanted to save this forter."


    Fiona hesitated for a moment but continued, "Katherine is a horticulturist. Originally, she and her mother were responsible for the nning and maintenance of the ind''s vegetation."


    "Huh, yourpany really values nepotism, huh?"


    "We don''t exclude internal rmendations as long as the person has genuine talent. Don''t underestimate Grace and Katherine because of their young age; they both graduated from prestigious universities and have been working with their parents on other real estate projects of ourpany for two or three years..."


    "Um..." Elijah, a graduate of a mediocre university, was suddenly speechless!


    Looking at it this way, it seems that these women have higher education than him! But in the apocalypse, qualifications don''t matter; whoever has the power is the boss. And these women are now all under his control.


    Thinking this way, Elijah suddenly felt relieved.

 Chapter 73: Crystal Grass

    Seeing Elijah speechless, Fiona continued, "Not far from the east side of the hotel, we''ve built a greenhouse flower room. Firstly, it''s for cultivating some fresh flowers for our beloved guests, and they can also be transnted to other areas on the ind. At the same time, we''ve nted some green organic vegetables and fruits inside, reassuring our guests that they can enjoy them!"


    "Ah, I see. Katherine can manage these from now on, and we''ll have fresh vegetables to eat," Elijah responded.


    "Exactly!"


    In fact, someone else was responsible for the nting and management, but they had already died and turned into a corpse.


    But Katherine was somewhat rted to nting, so it should be fine!


    Fiona nodded to herself.


    She had worked hard to increase their assets, just like Grace, who mainly dealt with electricity maintenance.


    But there were manuals and such for everything; learning and adapting was quite simr... right?


    Anyway, there was somemunication with former colleagues, so she knew at least a bit.


    It was definitely better than letting Elijah and the others manage, as they didn''t understand anything!


    These thoughts only briefly crossed Fiona''s mind before she returned to the matter she was initially pondering.


    After hesitating for a moment, she eventually spoke up.


    "Actually, this morning when Katherine went to pick vegetables, she saw a nt in the flower room that resembled the one you showed me yesterday... the one that can glow."


    "What?" Elijah suddenly sat up straight. "Are you sure?"


    "I''m very sure! I went to see it myself. It''s indeed a glowing nt, and there seemed to be fireflies around it," Fiona described its appearance roughly, making Elijah''s heart race with excitement.


    He had seen that nt before! And it had cost him his life! Crystal Grass!


    Elijah couldn''t wait; he grabbed Fiona''s smooth hand and was about to go.


    "Take me to see it!"


    "Wait, what about the others?" Fiona stumbled as she was pulled, looking at him reproachfully.


    But in her mind, she thought that the nt seemed important.


    At least more important than the one that could awaken abilities!


    She considered hiding it from Elijah, but she didn''t know its purpose or how to use it.


    She feared consuming it recklessly might lead to serious consequences.


    It was better to tell Elijah.


    If this nt could awaken abilities, considering they already had one, it wouldn''t be right to keep it to themselves.


    And if it was as valuable as the current situation suggested, Elijah would owe thempensation...


    Fiona was confident in her ability to judge people; she believed Elijah wasn''t short-sighted.


    So she took a gamble!


    At the very least, they would still have one nt that could awaken abilities!


    "Yes! What about the others?"


    Elijah realized he was too impatient.


    He turned to the other women and said, "Ladies, let''s go. Let''s move on to the next ce."


    "What ce?" Daisy came running barefoot.


    "Fiona said there are six more vis nearby. Further west, there''s a sunny flower room with many flowers and vegetables. Let''s go see the flower room first, then pick one of the vis to move into!"


    "A flower room? Count me in!" Daisy eximed eagerly.


    The group got back into the car, and Fiona led them straight to the flower room. Passing by several vis on the way, Elijah noticed they weren''t far from the beach.


    He made up his mind to choose one of these vis; that way, they could easily see the beautiful women ying on the beach in their swimsuits.


    Soon, under Fiona''s driving, they arrived at a tall ss structure.


    The flower room was entirely made of ss, about four meters high, a hundred meters long, and twenty to thirty meters wide, making it quite spacious.


    Inside, various beautiful nts were clustered together,peting for fragrance and beauty.


    In addition to that, there was arge area of vegetables and fruits, some grown in soil, and some looked very advanced, being grown without soil, hanging in the air.


    As soon as the women entered, they were dazzled by the flowers.


    Meanwhile, Elijah pulled Fiona along, asking her to lead the way to the nt resembling Crystal Grass.


    After walking a few steps, Elijah''s attention was immediately drawn to a small nt no bigger than a palm.


    Its leaves were tiny, not even as big as a thumbnail, but fleshy and sulent, resembling a sulent nt.


    Its translucent emerald green color gave it the appearance of fine jade.


    Though its leaves were small, they were numerous, with many branches sprouting from its small body, resembling a blooming hydrangea flower, delicate and exquisite. -exclusive-content


    Around these leaves, ayer of faint light wandered, visible even during the day, as if emitting fireflies and attracting some invisible energy.


    "Indeed, it''s Crystal Grass..."


    Elijah forcibly suppressed his excitement.


    "It''s still in its seedling stage, with only one aperture!"


    Elijah approached for a closer look. In the lush foliage, he noticed a small aperture at the center.


    It was said that mature Crystal Grass had seven apertures at the center, resembling the seeds of a lotus flower, hence its other name, Seven-Aperture Crystal Grass!


    When consumed by a second-tier ability user, there''s a chance to advance to the third tier.


    Even if it''s immature Crystal Grass with more than four apertures, consuming it as a first-tier ability user almost guarantees advancement to the second tier, unlike mature zombie grass, which still carries a risk of failure.


    "Wow! Another new spirit nt!"


    Daisy eximed, attracting the other women to gather around and observe.


    "Is this what they call spirit nts?"


    Charlotte had only heard of them before, and today was her first time seeing one, her face showing a look of confirmation.


    "Is this nt called spirit nts?"


    As the discoverer, Katherine only knew its characteristics and didn''t know its specific name or function.


    It was only after Fiona''s rough description that she coincidentally found a match.


    Now that it''s confirmed, she was curious about its actual function.


    "Yes, this grass is exquisite and delicate. Let''s just call it Crystal Grass!"


    Elijah made the final decision.


    "Be, go find a flowerpot!"


    "Alright!" Be understood what Elijah intended to do.


    She found an empty flowerpot nearby and discreetly buried a corpse core in it while no one was paying attention.


    Elijah had given her these corpse cores because her ability could prevent zombie grass from being identally damaged or killed.


    After burying it in some soil, Be brought the flowerpot over.


    By now, Elijah had begun to dig up the Crystal Grass.


    Using a dagger, he dug out a portion of the soil around the Crystal Grass and ced it in the pot Be brought.


    "Alright, Be, hold onto this Crystal Grass for now, and be sure not to let it die!" Elijah''s expression was solemn as he instructed.


    Be nodded. "Don''t worry, I''ll keep a close eye on it!"


    Elijah then turned to Fiona.


    "Thank you for providing this Crystal Grass. I won''t take it for nothing; I''ll give you another er!"


    Fiona''s face lit up with joy.

 Chapter 74: we need to plan ahead

    "Alright, let''s pick a ce to stay next!"


    The group filed out and returned to the sightseeing car, heading back to the six vis they had just passed.


    They looked at several in a row, each vi exuding its own unique charm, making it difficult to choose.


    In the end, Elijah made the decision. He chose the one in the middle.


    The reason he liked this mansion was simple; besides being close to the beach, it had an indoor swimming pool.


    Positioned on the third floor, there was an infinity pool with three transparent ss walls, offering a clear view from inside out, as if floating in the air.


    However, from the outside, nothing could be seen.


    In the future, he could frolic in it with Be and Daisy to his heart''s content!


    "Elijah, which room are you taking?"


    With the vi decided, the group began selecting rooms. Daisy asked Elijah first, and all the female gazes turned towards him. Elijah rubbed his nose and chuckled.


    "I don''t need to choose first, you all can pick!"


    "Then Be, you go first!"


    Daisy took Be''s hand, and they started exploring the several rooms.


    The vi had two bedrooms on the ground floor, four on the second floor, and one on the third floor, all with private bathrooms, some even with walk-in closets.


    The choices overwhelmed them. In the end, Be chose a room on the east side of the second floor, while Charlotte chose one on the west side.


    The two middle rooms on the second floor were left for Daisy and Elijah.


    However, Elijah''s thought was that he didn''t need a room; sleeping with Be or Daisy would be just fine.


    While they were choosing rooms, Fiona stood beside Elijah, smirking.


    "Hmm, are you going to struggle tonight, deciding which room to sleep in?"


    "There are still four empty rooms here. If you four move in too, I won''t have to struggle, one room per day! Won''t repeat for a week!"


    Elijah shrugged, and Fiona, defeated by his thick skin, stopped bothering him. Instead, she turned to the three women behind her.


    "Now that they''ve chosen the vi, let''s pick the one next door for ourselves, so we can watch out for each other!"


    "Okay, Fiona!"


    "We''ll pack our bags ande overter!" check-out-MvLeMpYr


    The three women agreed. With rooms chosen, Fiona led everyone back to the hotel entrance, while Elijah drove the escort car back to the vi.


    Fiona, along with Hannah, Grace, and Katherine, packed their belongings to move next to Elijah''s group.


    Actually, they didn''t have much to pack.


    When the virus broke out, Fiona had brought Hannah to check out the future work environment and inspect the work.


    They hadn''t brought any luggage, which was why they had been wearing the hotel''s reception clothes all along.


    Their own clothes were dirty, and since there were plenty of spare reception clothes at the hotel, they had no choice but to wear them.


    Grace and Katherine did have some spare clothes, but not many.


    The four women quickly packed up and drove back to the vi area.


    After putting away their luggage, they went to help Elijah''s group.


    By this time, Elijah''s group had finished moving their luggage and were now transporting supplies and weapons.


    "Why so many weapons? Are these all real?"


    Fiona was very surprised.


    "Yes, they are. After we finish moving, you can choose one you like as a weapon!"


    "Then let us help you!"


    The four women couldn''t carry anything too heavy, so they helped move supplies like rice, noodles, oil, and water.


    All the supplies were ced in the kitchen and an adjacent vacant room.


    The weapons were temporarily ced in the basement, lined up neatly.


    With so many hands, the work went quickly, and soon everything was unloaded.


    "Ah, finally, we can rest!"


    Daisy happilyy down on the soft sofa.


    "I''ll go make lunch, it''s already noon!"


    Be said and walked briskly into the kitchen.


    "I''ll help you!"


    Hannah, who had been silent all along, spoke up.


    "Alright, thank you very much!"


    "I''ll help too, I''ll help too!"


    Katherine and Grace also hurried over.


    "Ah, I really want to help, but I don''t know how!"


    Daisy looked somewhat frustrated as she nced at the kitchen.


    "Everyone has things they''re good at; I''m not good at it either."


    Fionaforted her.


    "That''s true!"


    Daisy immediatelyy down t.


    "Since we have the time now, let''s have a little meeting in advance. When Gabriel and Emilye in the afternoon, we''ll have a formal one."


    Elijah nced at Fiona and Charlotte.


    "Alright, what''s the order?" Fiona said indifferently.


    "Now that we have settled on where to stay, it''s time to make long-term ns! Firstly, the issue of ind security."


    "The only road leading to the outside is that bridge, and there are hardly any zombies nearby. What security issue could there be?" Charlotte asked, puzzled.


    "I''m not worried about zombies; my concern is mainly about people." Elijah recounted Isaac''s situation. "As the saying goes, ''A gentleman''s revenge is ten years in the making, while a viin''s revenge is from morning till night.'' So we have to be cautious of Isaac."


    "That makes sense, but the key is how to guard against it?" Fiona joined the discussion.


    "If we utilize my abilities, it''s actually quite simple. I can still contract with nine zombies. If we spread these zombies around easily essible areas like the bridgehead, the dock, and the beach, we can effectively guard and intimidate intruders to a certain extent. However, doing so would mean I''m essentially tethered to the ind!


    I''ve tested it before; if zombies are more than five kilometers away from me, I can''t effectively control them, and they might attack people on the ind."


    "Isn''t it nice to stay on the ind? You have so many beautifuldies apanying you!" Fiona joked.


    "Please don''t test my weaknesses!" Elijah gave her a re and smirked.


    "Which brings us to the second point, gathering supplies! How long will the ind''s suppliesst us?"


    "If it''s just the four of us, we have plenty of vegetables, and the staple foods are not heavily consumed. We should be able tost for about a month, but with you all..."


    Fiona paused without finishing, the implication was clear.


    "So, we need to n ahead! There aren''t many people daring to venture outside now, so we need to seize this opportunity to gather as many supplies as possible. Whether it''s for personal use or for exchange with others. More supplies are better than none. Among us, only Daisy and I can go out for action while ensuring our own safety. The rest of you, not to belittle you, are too weak!"


    Charlotte''s eyes narrowed upon hearing this, but she didn''t immediately speak. With outsiders present, she had to keep herposure and give this man some face.


    "What are your thoughts then?" Fiona understood that since this man spoke like this, he must have a way to deal with it.


    "The best way is to quickly enhance your strength! Rather than just guarding against thieves, it''s better if each of you can take down the thieves, then there''s nothing much to worry about."


    "How do we quickly enhance our strength then?" Fiona''s mind raced, recalling the discovery she made while moving the weapons earlier, feeling a bit hopeful.


    "I''m sure you''ve noticed that Daisy''s and my powers are extraordinary!" There''s definitely some inside information here! Fiona nodded to herself.

 Chapter 75: Im Shallow

    "That''s right, I was just about to ask on behalf of Hannah. As awakened individuals, howe your and Daisy''s powers are so strong? Hannah is only slightly stronger than us, perhaps not even as strong as aborer," Fiona said.


    When they were moving weapons, Fiona and the others saw a huge axe.


    They were curious if it was real, and if it was, how heavy it was.


    So they tried to lift it, but it didn''t budge.


    Daisy saw it and picked it up effortlessly, stunning them.


    That''s when they learned that Daisy not only had a unique awakened ability but also had such incredible physical strength.


    However, what surprised them even more was when Daisy mentioned Elijah could lift it with one hand, just to y around.


    At that moment, Fiona suspected if Elijah''s group had some method to enhance their strength. She looked at Elijah with anticipation.


    "When someone awakens their ability, their physical qualities are greatly enhanced, far surpassing those of ordinary people. However, this change doesn''t happen overnight; it requires time and gradual umtion. Besides that, it can only be achieved through targeted training..."


    Elijah briefly exined the changes after awakening.


    These weremon knowledge in his past life, but no one knew them now.


    "So, do you have targeted training methods?" Fiona instantly understood.


    "Yes, let me introduce you again!"


    Elijah pointed at Charlotte.


    "Charlotte is not only an awakened individual but also a martial arts teacher. She has a set of body forging techniques that can quickly enhance the strength of awakened individuals. My idea is to let her train all of you. Whether awakened or not, everyone should quickly master these techniques. At the same time, I want Charlotte to be in charge of the ind''s security."


    Elijah paused, took out a handgun from his body, ced it on the coffee table, and slid it in front of Charlotte.


    "I believe with this handgun, it will be difficult for ordinary people to hurt you!"


    Elijah didn''t ask her if she knew how to use it.


    He understood Charlotte''s abilities. Her mental introspection allowed her to be more familiar with her body than anyone else.


    In terms of controlling and using her muscles and bones, no one was better than her.


    And as for the handgun, it was just about being fast, urate, and stable.


    It was a piece of cake for her.


    Charlotte picked up the gun and skillfully yed with it.


    As a martial arts enthusiast, she didn''t reject modern weapons.


    On the contrary, she knew more about them than Elijah did; it''s just that she didn''t dare to collect them.


    Otherwise, her arsenal would have more than just those cold weapons.


    "Do you two have any objections?"


    Fiona curiously looked at Charlotte, who naturally had no objections and even eagerly anticipated it.


    "Sounds good! I''ve already observed that there are cameras at various intersections on the ind, and there are speakers for ying music. If it''s just for vignce, these are enough! We only need one person to watch over them. If we find any strangersing in, we''ll immediately notify everyone to hide, and I''ll handle it!"


    Charlotte''s voice was cold, calm, and confident, leaving Fiona with no doubt. She was a woman who could do what she said!


    "The surveince is on the first floor of the hotel, with a dedicated control room, and the speakers are there too! Usually, there are people monitoring them."


    Fiona confirmed the feasibility of Charlotte''s n.


    "Alright, that settles the ind security issue. As for the coastal service area, let Gabriel and Emily pay attention to it. If the situation is critical, they can withdraw directly to the ind." MVLeMpYr-reader


    With one arrangement confirmed, Elijah breathed a sigh of relief.


    "Regarding the second point I mentioned earlier, Daisy and I will go out tomorrow to gather supplies, and you all should quickly enhance your strength on the ind."


    "Where are you going to collect supplies? Have you chosen?" Fiona asked.


    "I''m not very familiar with the area around here. Do you have any suggestions?"


    "I actually know of a good ce." Fiona chuckled lightly. "From our coastal service area, about three or four kilometers westward, there''s argeprehensive mall. The underground is arge supermarket, the first floor has mobile phones, electronics, jewelry, cosmetics, and the second floor has a children''s yground, children''s clothing..."


    Fiona knew everything about everything and quickly exined the productyout inside.


    "Do you live there? You seem quite familiar!" Elijah thought this kind of socialite wouldn''t go to such amon supermarket.


    "My family doesn''t live there, but ourpany owns that mall property!"


    "..."


    I''m so shallow!


    "Usually, malls open after 9 a.m., so when the zombie virus broke out, there shouldn''t have been any customers inside, only staff..."


    Elijah pondered for a moment.


    "With such arge supermarket, even if there are about a hundred staff, it''s not too many. It''s a good solution. It''s also close by!"


    With another task arranged, Elijah looked even more rxed.


    "How many corpse cores did you collect from yesterday?"


    "We collected five!"


    Fiona took out a bag from her purse containing five sparkling crystals.


    Elijah didn''t hesitate to take them.


    He didn''t have many now.


    Zombie grass and Crystal Grass were big consumers; they had to feed them every few days.


    "It looks like we need to specifically gather some corpse cores," Elijah calcted in his mind. "After three days when it grows four leaves, it can be used. You guys can decide who to use it on by then."


    Fiona stared at the zombie grass with bright eyes, noticing that it wasn''t the same one she saw yesterday.


    It had just grown its second leaf, and the first leaf hadn''t fully grown yet.


    She wondered where they got this one from.


    Though she thought about it, she replied seriously, "Okay!"


    "This ispensation for your contribution of Crystal Grass. The five corpse cores can also be exchanged for a zombie grass, but we''ll talk about itter when we have more."


    What a pleasant surprise! Fiona thought he was going to take them for free!


    Most of those corpse cores were obtained from the zombies Isaac and his group killed.


    They were originally unexpected gains. But with Elijah''s words, she immediately understood the value of corpse cores.


    It''s definitely not just for feeding zombies, right?


    And judging from his confident demeanor, she could be sure they would get more zombie grass in the future.


    Did he perhaps master the nting method?


    Elijah couldn''t have imagined that his brief remark would be guessed by Fiona almost perfectly.


    "We''ll keep this zombie grass for now and give it to you after three days," Elijah said as he put the zombie grass back in its ce.


    Afterward, the three of them discussed some personnel arrangements, with Daisy just idly listening.


    Finally, when lunch was ready, everyone gathered in the dining room.


    The vi was designed considering the possibility of having many people, with two dining tables: a small square one for four people, which could also be used for office work, rxation, or tea, and arge rectangr one thatfortably seated ten people.


    As the dishes were brought out, the meal was more sumptuous than ever before.

 Chapter 76: One Trap after Another

    Ten days into the apocalypse, Elijah and the others had finished all the vegetables they had on hand, except for potatoes.


    Usually, they had canned meat, mushrooms, pickled cucumbers, and various other preserved foods.


    They rotated their meals, as having the same thing every day wouldn''t be enough.


    But now, on the table, there were stir-fried shredded pork with green peppers, tomatoes and eggs, "di san xian" (a Chinese dish with potatoes, eggnt, and bell peppers), beef stew with potatoes, and so on.


    Although it looked simple andcked extravagant dishes orrge amounts of meat, it was the most abundant meal the group had seen in recent days.


    Apart from rice, there were also pancakes and pan-fried dumplings made by Hannah, along with some pastries she had made earlier.


    The only downside was perhaps theck of variety in ingredients.


    This reminded Elijah that eggs and milk could still be found, but meat would soon be scarce.


    They could only rely on canned sausages and preserved meat; fresh meat was unattainable.


    It seemed they would have to start raising poultry and livestock themselves in the future.


    Daisy had been eagerly eyeing the food and wasted no time picking up her chopsticks once everyone was seated.


    "Finally, time to eat! I''m starving! Don''t be polite, everyone''s family here!"


    Her impatience brought smiles to everyone''s faces, instantly lightening the atmosphere.


    "Be''s dishes are as delicious as ever!"


    "Hannah''s cooking is also excellent!"


    Daisy''s praises flowed continuously, without reservation.


    Lunch was quickly devoured, and all the women seemed very satisfied with their meal.


    After lunch, Fiona, Daisy, and Charlotte volunteered to help clean up the dishes while Be, Hannah, and the other two rxed.


    After the cooking session at noon, Be, Hannah, Grace, and Katherine had be acquainted.


    Especially with Hannah, the two of them discussed pastry-making techniques during the meal.


    Hannah, usually reserved, was now seenughing and chatting with Be from time to time, catching Elijah''s attention frequently.


    "How about that, Hannah looks pretty when she smiles, doesn''t she?" Fiona teased him.


    "I''ll tell you a secret, Hannah has never had a boyfriend before. Do you have any thoughts?"


    Elijah nced at her, wondering why she would even sell out her own friend and what she was scheming.


    "I''m most interested in you right now! I heard you''ve never had a girlfriend either? Hmm~" Elijah gasped suddenly. "You two beautifuldies, not young anymore, and never had boyfriends? Could it be you two are into same-sex rtionships?"


    Fiona didn''t seem offended by his words, instead, she wore a seductive smile.


    "Aren''t we both yours now?"


    "Then when I go to your room that night, we shouldn''t just talk, right?"


    "Okay! As long as you promise me one thing!"


    "What?"


    Elijah seemed eager, but his mind was suspicious. This woman always had something up her sleeve.


    "Tomorrow, when you go to that mall, there''s amercial building next to it. Can you help me find someone there?"


    "Is it your family member?"


    "Yes!"


    This woman''s schemes were likeyers of traps.


    She must have been nning this ever since she heard about our expedition to gather supplies!


    Elijah fell silent for a moment.


    "You don''t have to go to such lengths. If you''re looking for family, just tell me directly, I won''t refuse."


    Fiona''s coquettish expression faded upon hearing this, reced by a genuine smile. "Thank you."


    "No need for thanks. So, about tonight, is it still on?" Elijah questioned.


    Fiona rolled her eyes. Just a moment ago, she was feeling some affection for him.


    "Yes! Once you''re back safely,e to my room tonight!"


    Fiona snickered inwardly. What will you do then, with both Hannah and me sleeping in the same room?


    If there''s nobody else in the room, how will you handle it?


    Fiona showed Elijah the exact location and a photo of the person she wanted him to find.


    As he suspected, it was Fiona''s father, the chairman of Prosperous Strength Group.


    "Don''t get your hopes up too high," Elijah advised. "Office buildings are dead zones, densely popted with zombies. Even if you manage to survive, there won''t be much food or water. Those who can escape from there are either incredibly lucky or have a strong will to live."


    "I know, but I still want to make sure," Fiona replied determinedly.


    Elijah didn''t say anything further.


    At this moment, Gabriel and Emily finally arrived. Fiona had left a message for them at the hotel entrance, informing them that everyone was here.


    When Gabriel and Emily entered, Elijah pped his hands to gather everyone''s attention.


    "Now that everyone''s here, let''s officially hold a meeting. Firstly, we''ll introduce ourselves to each other, and secondly, we''ll announce our future ns and personnel arrangements!"


    Elijah briefly introduced Be and Charlotte to Gabriel and Emily.


    Learning from Daisy''s lesson, Gabriel was very humble and addressed each of them respectfully as "elder sister."


    Once everyone was acquainted, Elijah announced the matters discussed at noon with Fiona and Charlotte and assigned specific tasks to everyone.


    Elijah and Daisy formed one group and were temporarily responsible for gathering supplies outside.


    Abigail and the mutated female zombie would apany them.


    Grace was in charge of maintaining the ind''s facilities, while Katherine was responsible for vegetable cultivation and care.


    Be served as a part-time doctor and was responsible for cooking for everyone, with Hannah assisting her.


    It was then that everyone learned Be''s awakened ability was healing.


    Especially witnessing her demonstrate it publicly, with wounds healingpletely without a trace, brought joy to everyone, particrly Grace and Katherine, who secretly pulled Be aside to confirm something.


    Elijah overheard bits about past injuries and scars and whether they could be healed.


    Scars couldn''t be healed; wounds had to be remade.


    Women would endure any suffering for beauty, even Charlotte seemed tempted. Elijah shook his head. source-at-NovelBin


    He intentionally showcased Be''s ability and assigned her to logistics to maximize her safety.


    Her ability to heal spirit nts was crucial.


    Hannah''s ability was well-suited forbat, so Elijah nned to train her as a reservebatant, with Charlotte overseeing her development and personally mentoring her for a while.


    For now, she would focus on training and assist with cooking. Charlotte was in charge of ind defense and training everyone.


    Fiona oversaw material management and, when Elijah was away, managed everything on the ind with Charlotte.


    Gabriel and Emily were responsible for defense and vignce in the coastal service area, managing their own food.


    There was a cafeteria on the coast, and they would be allocated some supplies.


    Since neither of them were ability users, and there weren''t many hands avable, their main task was vignce.


    If things went awry, they could immediately retreat to the ind.


    "That''s about it! If anyone has any good suggestions, feel free to speak up."


    "No more. Can we move on to learning some body-enhancing techniques? I''m eager to get started!" Fiona rubbed her hands together.


    Elijah had already discussed what he had just mentioned; she was just eager to move on to the next step.


    "Alright, then Charlotte will take over from here."


    Elijah smacked his lips, feeling a bit reluctant, but stepped back, leaving Charlotte to take charge.

 Chapter 77: If you win against me

    Charlotte first led everyone to the basement, where they looked at the array of weapons disyed on the floor.


    "You each pick a weapon. Alongside learning body-enhancing techniques, I''ll also teach you how to use these weapons."


    "So many weapons!" Gabriel eximed, suddenly understanding where Elijah and Daisy had gotten the weapons they were carrying.


    "Can we pick any?" he asked.


    "Yes, choose whatever interests you. Practice with it for a while, and if it doesn''t suit you, you can change it," Charlotte replied.


    So everyone stepped forward, picking up their preferred weapons.


    Unexpectedly, Hannah was the first to choose, opting for a broadsword.


    The broadsword, also known as a pudao, originated in ancient China.


    Elijah often saw it in martial arts novels, mostly used by martial artists.


    The one Hannah chose was a short-handled broadsword, about one and a half meters long in total, with a de of around 70 centimeters.


    While it wasn''t a long weapon by length, it was longer than most short weapons.


    It looked simr to arge sword but had arger de proportionally.


    It required two hands to wield, using the weight of the de itself for strikes.


    Charlotte nodded in approval upon seeing Hannah''s choice.


    Swordy was easy to pick up and suitable for chopping down zombies, even more so than the Tang sword Daisy had chosen.


    Gabriel quickly made his choice, selecting a spear, much like the one Elijah used, but made of white waxwood instead of metal.


    Soon, everyone else had made their selections.


    Although there were a variety of weapons, not all were practical. NovelBin-original


    Some weapons weren''t suitable for fighting zombies, like nunchucks, which could easily injure oneself if not handled properly, along with whips, sticks, and so on.


    In the end, Fiona chose a longsword, Grace picked arge cleaver, Katherine opted for a machete, and Emily chose a steel trident, which could coordinate well with Gabriel, with one prong blocking while the other stabbed.


    After selecting their weapons, Charlotte led everyone to the asphalt road outside the vi.


    The ind''s abundant foliage provided shade, making the weather feel pleasant rather than hot. The sea breeze added to the refreshing atmosphere.


    "Daisy, you''ll demonstrate first. Pay close attention, everyone!" Charlotte instructed as she arranged everyone into two lines.


    Then Daisy stepped forward to begin practicing, with everyone following along, practicing each move and then receiving pointers and corrections, including from Elijah and Be.


    The whole afternoon was spent barelypleting one set of movements. Fiona, Hannah, and Emily learned the fastest and best.


    Especially Hannah, who felt her physical strength increasing noticeably, was motivated.


    Grace and Katherine''s progress was average; they needed more practice to be familiar with the movements.


    Gabriel had the slowest progress, barelypleting the movements and making many mistakes.


    However, Emily pledged to guide him in strengthening his exercises when they returned home.


    Later that evening, the two of them left for the coast.


    "Finally, we can rest properly! Hey, how about we go swimming?" Daisy suggested cheerfully, stretching after a satisfying meal.


    Elijah''s eyes lit up at the suggestion.


    "We don''t have swimsuits, so let''s forget it," Fionamented.


    Elijah was even more disappointed than them! How could they not have swimsuits? No, tomorrow''s first priority would be to gather swimsuits!


    "Alright then! Be, Charlotte, you two have swimsuits, right? Let''s go swimming upstairs!" Daisy suggested enthusiastically.


    "I''ll pass! Didn''t bring one!" Charlotte declined.


    "I''ll apany you!" Be couldn''t bear to see Daisy disappointed and pulled her along.


    "Yeah!" Daisy cheered.


    "Then we''ll go back to rest for now!"


    Seeing the living room empty, Fiona and the other three women bid farewell and returned to their vi. Elijah, however, prepared to head upstairs.


    Heh heh, both of them in swimsuits would be quite a sight! Can''t miss it! Plus, both of them are well-acquainted with Elijah!


    Who knows what might happen in the pool?


    "Wait, I have something to tell you," Charlotte suddenly called out to him.


    "What is it? Oh, right, you mentioned giving me a surprise earlier!" Elijah suddenly remembered.


    "Do you want it now? If it''s not urgent, we can wait," he offered.


    "It''s not about that," Charlotte replied, expressionless.


    "What is it, then?" Elijah asked, puzzled.


    "At noon, you said we were all too weak. I can''t agree with that!" Charlotte stated.


    "Oh, that thing? I misspoke. You don''t need to worry about it," Elijah shook his head.


    It''s been a long time already; I should hurry upstairs!


    "I care very much!" Charlotte insisted.


    "Uh... you really don''t need to," Elijah said, ready to leave, but Charlotte grabbed his arm.


    "While I admit you''re strong, I don''t consider myself weak. Strengthparison needs to be tested to know for sure!"


    "Miss, there''s no need for this, right?" Elijah felt a bit awkward.


    "If you can''t satisfy me, don''t even think about going upstairs!" Charlotte''s words seemed highly ambiguous.


    But looking at Charlotte''s serious expression and the unprecedented brightness in her eyes, Elijah knew she wasn''t joking.


    "I''ve been practicing techniques to kill zombies. We can''t bepared!" Elijah tried to exin.


    "Are you afraid of hurting me?" Charlotte felt underestimated.


    Her expression grew colder!


    "I didn''t mean that!" Elijah quickly rified.


    "Are you just trying to see them in swimsuits and have some fun? If you win against me, I''ll let you see!" Charlotte''s words took Elijah aback.


    "That''s... not necessary..." Elijah was shocked.


    "Do you agree or not?"


    "You don''t have swimsuits, do you?" Elijah asked.


    "You''d be more excited if we didn''t wear swimsuits, wouldn''t you?" Charlotte''s expression remained neutral.


    "Uh... well, I think sparring appropriately can benefit both of us. Where should we go? It''s not convenient to spar here!" Elijah suggested.


    Even someone asposed as Charlotte couldn''t help but roll her eyes at his words.


    "Let''s go to the beach outside!"


    "That''s a good idea, but let''s agree beforehand, no weapons. I''m afraid I might identally hurt you!" Elijah''s expression became more serious this time.


    He wasn''t joking around. When he wielded weapons, it was to stab or strike zombies in the head. In a fight against humans, the enemy didn''t matter; if he didn''t control himself, there would be no room for regret.


    "Alright! Just fists and feet, then. But without weapons, you''re even less likely to win against me!" Charlotte agreed.


    "Why does that sound like you''re hoping I win?" Elijah muttered.


    The two of them headed towards the beach. Along the edge of the sand, there were rows of sr-powered streetmps, faintly illuminating the surroundings. They stayed away from the sea, as it was too dark and not suitable for sparring.


    "Huh? Isn''t that Elijah and Charlotte?" On the third floor of the vi, in the infinity pool, two figures akin to mermaids swam gracefully in the water.

 Chapter 78: shes relentless

    The vi had three floors, with an endless pool.


    Daisy wore a white floral one-piece swimsuit. thank you for using mv _l _e _mpy _r


    The top was a halter, while the bottom was a skirt that barely covered her thighs.


    Her two long, slender legs moved happily in the pool.


    Be, on the other hand, wore a fairy-like pink one-piece swimsuit.


    Her bottom was also a skirt, but the top was different.


    Two cups crossed at her chest, as if two pieces of fabric were tied together at the back.


    Decorative ribbons adorned her shoulders, giving her a truly ethereal appearance.


    She moved through the water like a mermaid.


    Upon hearing Daisy''s words, they both looked towards the beach and indeed saw two figures¡ªElijah and Charlotte¡ªstanding on either side of a sr-powered streetmp, facing off solemnly.


    "Do you think they''re going to fight?" Be asked, somewhat worried.


    "Heh, it''s quite possible!" Daisy chuckled mischievously.


    She remembered well the way Charlotte had been looking at Elijah, there was something off about it, like the gaze of a predator eyeing its prey.


    "Charlotte has always been obsessed with martial arts. Her criteria for finding a boyfriend is someone who can spar with her."


    Daisy didn''t finish her sentence as the two figures on the beach finally made their move.


    The slender Charlotte took the initiative, fully utilizing the advantage of her long legs,unching a series of high kicks.


    Elijah, taken aback, retreated two steps to avoid them.


    When she attempted a third kick, he instinctively blocked with his hand and then countered with a kick of his own, which Charlotte deftly intercepted with her hand.


    However, Elijah''s strength was formidable, and Charlotte struggled to block his attacks.


    Taking advantage of the situation, Elijah swung his left arm horizontally towards her head.


    Unfazed, Charlotte swiftly reacted, blocking with an outer forearm block with her right hand, then swiftly bringing her left hand forward to strike Elijah''s abdomen.


    At the same time, her right hand delivered a straight punch to his face, leaving him momentarily stunned.


    Charlotte paused briefly, then delivered another mid-level straight punch with her left hand, striking Elijah''s abdomen again, followed by a forward elbow strike with her right arm, hitting him in the face.


    Her movements were fluid and fast, raining down blows upon Elijah.


    Caught off guard, Elijah grabbed onto Charlotte''s clothing in a panic. With a tearing sound, Charlotte''s shirt ripped as Elijah crashed heavily to the ground.


    In his confusion, Elijah instinctively grabbed at Charlotte''s shirt.


    With a loud tearing sound, the fabric ripped apart as he fell to the ground, leaving Charlotte momentarily exposed.


    Reacting quickly, she covered herself and refrained from further pursuit.


    As Elijahnded, he quickly rolled to his feet, retreating a few steps, feeling fortunate that he had activated Abigail''s defensive abilities in advance, enhancing his resistance to attacks.


    Otherwise, just these few blows would have left an ordinary person dazed and unable to get up.


    Charlotte''s strength was considerable, especially her punch and elbow strike, both of whichnded squarely on his face.


    Elijah could feel blood trickling from his nose. She was clearly out of his league.


    "I''m no match for her," Elijah sighed. But soon, he was drawn to Charlotte''s movements.


    His grab had torn Charlotte''s shirt cor. As he fell, the fabric tore further, leaving only a small piece still attached to the bottom of the shirt.


    Charlotte instinctively covered her chest but quickly dropped her hands and removed the tattered shirt, revealing a beige sports bra and her muscr physique.


    This was the first time Elijah had seen how ample her chest was beneath her loose clothing.


    He quickly wiped away the blood from his nose, his spirit reinvigorated.


    "I can still fight!"


    Their first sh seemed long in Be''s eyes, but in reality, it waspleted in a short moment.


    To her, it appeared as though Charlotte had suddenly advanced, kicked Elijah a few times, dodged his counterattack,nded several punches, and then performed a shoulder throw, knocking him to the ground.


    But for Elijah, it was far from that simple. Charlotte''s movements were fluid and fierce, unlike anything he had encountered before. In closebat, he waspletely outmatched.


    "I need to find a way to use my strengths!" Elijah thought, but before he could formte a n, Charlotte had discarded her shirt and was charging at him once again.


    "Damn, she''s relentless!" Elijah was momentarily distracted by her physique and received two kicks before snapping back to attention.


    Charlotte was tall and slender, with long, powerful legs that moved swiftly and forcefully. Elijah could only block and defend passively.


    Charlotte''s skin wasn''t as fair as Daisy''s or Be''s, but it had a shiny, tight, and stic quality,plemented by the asional tension in her muscles, giving her a unique athletic allure.


    "No, now''s not the time to be noticing these things. I need to think of a winning strategy. Winning gives me all the time I need to look!"


    Another punch to the head brought Elijah back to his senses.


    "I need to limit her movements, prevent her from unleashing her fighting skills. That''s my chance at victory."


    Thoughts raced through Elijah''s mind, and in an instant, he had an idea.


    I might not know any fighting techniques, but I sure can get rough!


    It boils down to four words: relentless perseverance!


    I''m stronger than her, so all I have to do is tie up her limbs!


    With that thought in mind, Elijah acted.


    After a few rounds, during which he endured a barrage of blows, he became familiar with some of Charlotte''s moves. He seized the opportunity when she attempted another straight punch.


    Completely abandoning defense, he took the hit and grabbed her wrist forcefully.


    Charlotte''s one hand was caught, and she attempted to free herself with a hook punch.


    Elijah, relying once again on his resistance to attacks, endured it and seized her other wrist, which he had been waiting for the chance to grab.


    With both her hands caught, Charlotte remainedposed.


    She attempted a knee strike, but Elijah blocked it with a downward pressure, rendering her efforts futile.


    She struggled to free her hands but couldn''t budge them, as if caught in a vice.


    Seeing Elijah''s smug smile, Charlotte snorted disdainfully. Then, she suddenly headbutted him in the nose.


    Elijah winced as tears welled up in his eyes. "You... have no honor!" he wanted to say. But before he could, his feet were forcefully swept from under him, sending his body tumbling backward.


    If he had released his grip, he might have had a chance to regain bnce or support himself uponnding.


    But Elijah didn''t do that.


    He knew that if he let go, a vignt Charlotte wouldn''t give him another opportunity.


    They would fall together!


    With his hands firmly gripping Charlotte''s, as their bodies fell, Elijah exerted all his strength to pull her down with him.


    Charlotte tried to stabilize herself, but Elijah''s strength was far greater, and eventually, she was pulled down,nding on top of him.


    In that moment of impact, Elijah wrapped his legs tightly around Charlotte''s lower body, immobilizing her legspletely.


    He was afraid that she would use some ground joint techniques, such as naked choke, triangle kill, etc. So, he acted preemptively.


    In close-quartersbat, he feared no one. Be and Daisy could attest to that!

 Chapter 79: please teach me martial arts

    Charlotte swung her arms left and right, trying to break free from Elijah''s grasp by elbowing his body, while her legs thrashed about wildly, and her body rolled uncontrobly.


    But no matter how she struggled, Elijah remained silent, clinging to her like an octopus.


    "You... you scoundrel!" Charlotte huffed.


    "As long as I win!"


    Elijah chuckled, though he was in considerable pain.


    Yet, despite being entwined in this intimate manner, their skin pressed against each other, they found a bizarre pleasure in it.


    Their current position was extremely ambiguous.


    To any onlooker unaware of their fight, it might seem like they were engaged in inappropriate activities.


    "Are they okay?" Inside the nearby vi, Daisy and Be continued observing the two''s battle.


    Seeing them fall to the ground and not get up, Be couldn''t help but feel concerned.


    Daisy snorted. "What could happen to them? They''ve even taken their clothes off!"


    "Let''s stop watching them and continue swimming!" she added.


    ...


    On the beach, Elijah noticed Charlotte''s struggles cease, her chest heaving with heavy breaths.


    Unable to resist, he nced at her.


    Up close, Charlotte''s chest was indeed quite sizable, not inferior to Be''s, slightly less than Daisy''s.


    Due to her tall stature and usual loose clothing, he hadn''t noticed before.


    "Have you seen enough?" Charlotte''s emotions calmed down, and she spoke lightly.


    "I can never see enough!" Elijah blurted out.


    Charlotte was momentarily speechless.


    "Let me go!"


    "No, not until we determine the winner!" Elijah justified confidently.


    "Is that still important?"


    "Of course, it''s about our agreement!"


    "You... You''ve seen and touched enough already! You''ve gone far beyond our agreement!" Charlotte retorted irritably.


    "That''s different. The agreement was to see swimsuits or no clothes at all. But you''re still clothed, aren''t you?"


    Elijah retorted, but before he could finish, he heard a grinding sound.


    Looking at Charlotte, he saw her teeth sh white as she suddenly bit into his shoulder.


    "Ow... assault!" Elijah eximed.


    "Ptui! Ptui! Ptui!" Charlotte''s bite felt like biting into leather, mixed with a mouthful of sand, making her teeth ache.


    "Why is your skin so tough? No wonder you didn''t react much to being hit." She suddenly realized.


    "It didn''t say we couldn''t use abilities..." Elijah smirked.


    "Indeed, it didn''t. Originally, if you had won with real skill, maybe I''d even consider being your woman..." Charlotte''s words made Elijah perk up.


    "What?"


    "Don''t think your thoughts are unknown to others," she continued. "Look at your team, especially on this ind. Among eight people, seven are women. Even the controlled zombies are female. Be and Daisy seem close to you. Fiona is also ambiguous with you.


    And then there''s how others perceive me. Which woman here doesn''t know what''s going on? Even Daisy can see a bit of it. However, knowing doesn''t mean eptance. If you want me to willingly ept, you must first defeat me!"


    "Really?"


    "I don''t dislike you. Otherwise, do you think you could easily entangle me like this? And I can''t break free? Just as you dare not use weapons against me, I also can''t use real force against you. Of course, there are reasons for that, too. Your physique is too strong, especially your strength and resistance to attacks, rendering my usual methods ineffective."


    "I always said realbat isn''t so civilized! Eye gouging, nose picking, groin kicking, chokeholds... You have to resort to extreme measures for them to be effective!"


    "So, can you let me go now?" Elijah pondered for a moment before releasing her.


    "Charlotte, please teach me martial arts!" Elijah''s expression was earnest.


    "What are you plotting now?"


    "I just want to improve myself!" Elijah said, ncing at her legs.


    He had a deep appreciation for them after their recent entanglement.


    Those long legs would be quite a force if he could manage to get them on his shoulders.


    "Tsk, learning skills from me, then defeating me, and making me your woman? That''s quite an idea... Do I need to praise you for being so cunning?" Charlotte chuckled lightly.


    "Do you agree to it?" Elijah didn''t expect his little scheme to fool Charlotte.


    "I agree, but I''m still annoyed about earlier. I need to vent some steam by beating you first!" Charlotte wiggled her wrists, feeling a bit stiff from being clenched by him.


    "Uh... how about we use a different method ofbat? One that will ensure your enjoyment!" Elijah rubbed his nose, which still throbbed slightly.


    Charlotte, upon hearing his suggestion, remembered their previous mental sparring and felt a slight tremor in her body.


    That was one reason she didn''tpletely reject Elijah.


    Stay with m _v _l _e _mp _y _r.


    The imprint on her mind was too deep, giving her an inexplicable fondness for him.


    But she had her principles; she wouldn''t let him have his way easily!


    "Humph, if you win, you can do as you please! When I said I wanted to fight you earlier, it wasn''t about seeking revenge opportunistically. You have strongbat instincts. I don''t think traditional methods of teaching would suit you. Your growth in realbat will be much faster!" Charlotte remarked.


    Elijah found her reasoning surprisingly sound. "Alright then! How do we proceed?"


    Charlotte couldn''t help but smile faintly.


    "It''s simple. I''ll attack, you defend. Since your defense is so strong, I can use some moves without worrying. After a few rounds, I''ll exin the principles of my actions to you."


    Elijah took a deep breath. "Okay, let''s do it!"


    He assumed a defensive stance, and Charlotte''s gaze immediately changed, sharper than when they began their practice.


    She didn''t give Elijah much time to prepare.


    Coming at him with two high kicks aimed directly at his face, followed by a spinning back kick, all targeting vital areas!


    Unlike the earlier moves that were aimed at his chest, Elijah felt the pressure. He struggled to defend against Charlotte''s relentless assault.


    After blocking a move simr to a groin strike, he couldn''t help but protest, "Don''t hit there! What if something gets damaged?"


    "Quit the nonsense! If anything breaks, Be can fix it!" Charlotte snapped.


    Damn it! Elijah regretted his decision!


    In the moment he was distracted, Charlotte delivered a powerful punch that sent him flying.


    "Bang!"


    Elijah crashed to the ground, feeling as though his insides had been rearranged. If it weren''t for Abigail''s defense ability, he might have met his maker right then and there!


    Gasping for air, Elijah struggled to his feet. "Next, I''ll exin the moves I just used to attack you..."


    As Charlotte approached him, she began to exin in detail, asionally demonstrating the moves and dissecting countermeasures.


    This fresh perspective opened Elijah''s eyes.


    Some of the actions he had instinctively performed aligned with the principles she exined.


    "Shoulder and hip aligned, elbow and knee aligned, hand and foot aligned. As long as you can achieve these points..." Charlotte''s guidance thrilled Elijah, making him eager to start the second round.


    The result was another round of brutal defeat for him.


    After practicing untilte into the night, Charlotte finally stopped, not entirely satisfied.


    Through a night of intense sparring, Elijah experienced rapid growth.


    From initially panicking to now being able to hold his own and asionally counterattack, he made Charlotte suffer.


    She didn''t possess Elijah''s formidable defensive abilities.


    Elijah believed that with a few more days of such training, he could engage Charlotte in a more evenly matched fight. Winning was just a matter of time.

 Chapter 80: Give You Some Encouragement

    "Let''s call it a day. I''m satisfied. Let''s continue tomorrow. I''m waiting for you to defeat me!"


    Charlotte didn''t forget to give him some encouragement and expectation as they walked back together.


    "Practicing martial arts is helpful for killing zombies. Weapons are an extension of the limbs. In the past, your martial skills were all used for weapons. So the better your martial arts skills, the more adept you''ll be with weapons..." They chatted as they returned to the vi.


    Most of the lights inside were dimmed.


    Be and Daisy were already asleep.


    Elijah felt a bit disappointed that he missed seeing the two of them in their swimsuits.


    Turning his attention to Charlotte, Elijah noticed her half-naked upper body covered in sand, obscuring her skin and the beautiful scenery of the surroundings.


    Elijah felt even more regretful.


    "With all that sand on you, all dirty, shall I help you wash it off?" Charlotte rolled her eyes and didn''t respond, returning to her room.


    "It would be so nice if you didn''t have to do it yourself!" Elijah muttered.


    Then he wondered, where would he sleep?


    He remembered his luggage was ced in the first room on the left on the second floor.


    But sleeping alone seemed boring. However, looking at his dirty clothes, he decided to return to his room first and freshen up.


    After entering the bathroom and looking at himself in the mirror, Elijah realized how beaten up he was.


    His face, hands, legs, and body were bruised.


    Under the protection of Abigail''s defensive abilities, being beaten up like this showed that Charlotte had gone all out.


    But it was all worth it.


    Elijah felt that not only had hisbat experience improved, but even his physical fitness had also increased, despite not practicing any physical training.


    Overall, it was a good thing.


    After a simple wash, Elijah changed into fresh clothes and walked out of the room.


    He first went to the room furthest to the west and tried the doorknob. It didn''t budge.


    "Huh? Why did Be lock the door? That''s not a good habit!" He sighed and returned to the next room, sessfully entering.


    The air conditioner was on inside, and Daisy was lying quietly on the bed, already asleep, still in her dominant sleeping position.


    Elijah pushed her legs inwards and climbed into bed, embracing her.


    Her smooth, cool skin felt veryfortable in his arms.


    "Mmm..." Daisy woke up, her eyes blurry as she saw Elijah, pouting.


    "Big Radish!"


    "Huh? What do you mean?"


    "Aren''t you with Sister Charlotte? I even saw you two taking off your clothes and rolling around on the beach!"


    "Uh, we were just sparring! Look at how she beat me up!" Elijah pointed to the bruises on his face.


    "Hmph! Serves you right!" Daisy said, poking him with her finger.


    "Ouch..."


    "Does it hurt a lot?"


    It didn''t really hurt much, but when you get poked, it hurts even if it didn''t hurt before! Elijah didn''t say anything, pretending to be pitiful.


    "Then let me blow on it for you!" Daisy''s rosy lips approached his face and gently blew on it.


    The warm wind blew across his cheeks, carrying a sweet scent. It tickled.


    "How''s that? Feeling better?" Daisy asked.


    "Much better, but it still hurts here!" Elijah pointed to another spot.


    Only then did Daisy notice the bruises all over his body.


    "Oh! Sister Charlotte was so harsh. Ask her to go easy tomorrow..."


    "Hmm?" Realizing she misspoke, Daisy nced aside.


    "Um... Well, Charlotte mentioned that she wanted to find an opportunity to spar with you, and I advised her to go easy on you... I didn''t expect that you two, in the midst of sparring, would end up rolling around on the beach!" Daisy exined confidently.


    Elijah couldn''t help butugh at the situation, understanding what happened.


    "Look at how she beat me up so badly, you owe me somepensation!" Elijah joked.


    "Then let me blow on it again!" Daisy offered.


    "Blow on here!" Elijah pointed to his mouth.


    "You see, it''s swollen!" Daisy examined closely and indeed found a bit of swelling and a tiny wound, which Elijah actually got from falling down.


    "Alright then..." Daisy leaned close to his mouth and gently blew on it.


    Elijah closed his eyes and enjoyed the moment, eventually leaning in closer.


    Day 11 of the apocalypse! Early in the morning! After a beneficial activity for both body and mind, Elijah and Daisy finished freshening up and walked out of their room.


    Outside, it was already bright. Be was busy in the kitchen, and Hannah seemed to have arrived at some point and was helping her with breakfast.


    "Morning, Be, Sister Hannah!" Elijah greeted.


    "Morning!"


    "Why are you up sote today? Not like you!" Be teased.


    Daisy blushed slightly and nced at Elijah. It was all because of this guy, making her practice dance basics so early in the morning.


    "Where are Charlotte and Fiona?" Elijah changed the subject.


    "They went for morning exercises early. Since Hannah is helping me with breakfast, they didn''t join!" Elijah felt relieved upon hearing this.


    He stepped out of the vi and indeed saw several women practicing martial arts at the training spot from yesterday.


    This made Elijah feel a bit ashamed. Since advancing to Tier 2, had he been neglecting exercise?


    No, he did morning exercises every day!


    It was quite tiring! And at night, he had to be Charlotte''s punching bag!


    Thinking this, his guilt dissipated.


    He began observing the results of the women''s exercises.


    They were quite impressive, elegant and pleasing to the eye.


    But their clothes were somewhat obstructive.


    Yesterday, he learned that Fiona and the others didn''t have suitable clothes for exercise, so Charlotte lent them some of hers.


    However, Charlotte was tall and broad-framed, and the clothes immediately concealed their beautiful figures.


    Swimsuits, yoga clothes, they must be prepared.


    Fiona and the others needed spare clothes, and they also needed women''s underwear, casual wear, sanitary pads... Various needed supplies shed through Elijah''s mind, giving him a headache.


    Having so many women around was indeed troublesome!


    If they were men, they''d only need two sets of clothes.


    There weren''t so many requirements in the apocalypse.


    But women were different, especially his women.


    Breakfast was quickly prepared, and the women who had gone outside to exercise were called back.


    Everyone happily ate breakfast together.


    After a brief rest, Elijah and Daisy prepared to go out to collect supplies. They left everything on the ind to Fiona and Charlotte.


    "Alright, just do what you need to do. Don''t worry about us. We''ll try toe back in the evening, but if we don''t, don''t worry, we''ll be back at thetest by tomorrow," Elijah instructed.


    Then, bidding farewell to the women, Elijah and Daisy boarded the transport vehicle with Abigail and the mutant female zombie and headed towards the ind.


    Passing by the service area, Gabriel and Emily were practicing martial arts. They ran over when they saw Elijah.


    "Big brother, are you going out?"


    "Yeah, Daisy and I are going to the nearby mall to collect supplies. You guys take care of things here!"


    "Got it, you guys be careful!" experience mvle,mp|y|r


    The transport vehicle continued on.


    There weren''t many zombies near the service area, as Fiona had led the women and Gabriel''s group to clear them out before Elijah and Daisy arrived yesterday.


    Elijah drove smoothly until they reached the coastal road, where they encountered some zombies.


    "We need to clear the way from here to the supermarket gradually, so it''s easier to transport supplies backter."


    "Elijah, should I drive?"

 Chapter 81: Can I join you guys

    Elijah hesitated for a moment.


    After some thought, he realized that they would inevitably need to transport supplies back in the future, so it would be more efficient for each of them to drive a car.


    Moreover, with the roads now empty and suitable for reckless driving, it was the perfect opportunity for Daisy to learn.


    "Alright then!" Elijah pulled the car over to the side of the road.


    He began by teaching Daisy about the elerator, clutch, and brakes, then simted shifting gears.


    Once she had practiced enough, he started the vehicle in first gear and they began to move slowly.


    Daisy had a natural talent for driving and picked it up quickly.


    They drove south for about a kilometer until they reached an intersection.


    "Fiona said if we go west from here for about three or four kilometers, we''ll reach that mall. There should be quite a few zombies on the way. When we attract them, you stay in the car, and I''ll go down to clear them out. You can get out of the car to help me keep watch afterward."


    "Okay!"


    Having just learned to drive, Daisy was still excited and eager to spend more time driving, so she didn''t object.


    Sure enough, as soon as they turned into the intersection, a dozen or so zombies were immediately attracted to them.


    Elijah instructed Daisy to stop the car, then opened the door and took out his metal spear.


    The zombies, upon seeing Elijah, became even more excited and lunged towards him.


    With a thrust of his spear, Elijah pierced the head of the lead zombie, causing it to fall to the ground.


    Elijah didn''t even bother to look at the fallen zombie; instead, he quickly retracted his spear and attacked the others.


    Thanks to his strong recovery ability, the bruises fromst night had healed already. However, a night of fighting had not been in vain.


    Shoulder and hip aligned, elbow and knee aligned, hand and foot aligned...


    He adjusted his movements ording to Charlotte''s teachings and immediately felt morefortable using the spear in his hand.


    Especially when he thrust the spear, he subconsciously applied the force technique Charlotte had taught himst night.


    Without using much strength at all, the spear pierced through the zombie in front of him like a swimming dragon.


    "You can do it like this too?"


    It was as if he had found a novel toy. Elijah enthusiastically experimented with the technique.


    Soon, a dozen or so zombies were eliminated by him without a trace.


    Seeing that there were no new zombies being attracted, Elijah let Daisy keep watch while he began to crack open the skulls of the zombies one by one.


    "Lucky! There are actually four corpse cores!"


    Elijah collected the corpse cores happily and got back into the car.


    "Daisy, let''s go!"


    "Okay!"


    Daisy started the car, and they continued on their way.


    This road was not as spacious as the coastal highway. It was littered with wrecked cars, blocked vehicles, and bodies that had been devoured and left in ruins.


    They stopped and started along the way, killing the zombies attracted to them and moving the obstructing vehicles.


    By the time the morning had passed, they hadn''t even covered half the distance.


    "Elijah, I always feel like someone is watching us!"


    Daisy said to Elijah as he retrieved the corpse cores.


    Elijah looked around.


    There were many storefronts on both sides of the road, behind which were two residential areas.


    The buildings facing the street in the residential areas were all very tall, offering a clear view of their surroundings.


    "We''ve been cleaning up zombies here all morning. People in the two residential areas might have noticed us. But don''t worry about it. Let''s take a break, have something to eat, and then continue forward."


    "Okay!"


    The two of them returned to the car.


    They opened a foam box containing food prepared by Be and Hannah.


    There were pastries, steamed buns, and side dishes.


    Despite it beingte morning, the food still retained some warmth.


    Daisy picked up a small piece of cake and ate it with delight, her eyes squinting with happiness.


    "Hannah''s cakes are delicious!"


    " sure !" Elijah picked up a piece too.


    After eating a few pieces of cake in session, Daisy felt thirsty, so she took out a bottle of cold drink from another foam box.


    "This is refreshing!" After taking a big gulp, Daisy let out a satisfied sigh.


    Just then, there was amotion outside the car.


    A man suddenly appeared from somewhere and ran to their car.


    He was a young man, probably in his twenties, with unkempt hair and a scruffy appearance, as if he hadn''t been out for a long time.


    He cautiously approached Elijah''s car, constantly looking around, and lightly tapped on the car door.


    Elijah didn''t open the door but silently looked at him.


    "Sir, I... I saw you guys fighting zombies just now, you''re amazing! Can I join you guys?" The man''s eyes showed nervousness, anxiety, and a hint of anticipation.


    "What skills do you have?"


    "Skills?" The man was taken aback. "Gaming skills count?"


    ...


    "Sorry, buddy, we don''t take men without skills! Women can! Hmm! And they need to be pretty!"


    "Big brother, I''m really good at killing zombies in games!"


    ...


    "Alright then! If you can bring me five of these, I''ll consider letting you join me." Elijah took out a corpse core and showed it to him through the ss. "Some zombies have these in their heads!"


    "If this guy can really bring out five corpse cores, it means he has killed at least a dozen zombies. No matter how he did it, as long as he can kill that many, it means he has crossed the threshold of survival in the apocalypse. We can use some extra help, especially since Gabriel and the others are guarding the service area and manpower is thin."


    "Zombies can drop stuff?"


    The man seemed to be reconsidering. "Skills? Can you have superpowers like in the games? No wonder you guys are so strong!" He looked excited. "Big brother, can you tell me how to get skills?" chapter source m vl _emp-y,r


    "Not convenient!" Elijah could tell; this guy was a gaming enthusiast! He probably lived alone, which was why he hadn''t been attacked by other zombies and survived until now.


    "Roar!" Just then, there was a zombie roar nearby. The man was startled and said nervously, "Where can I find you guys after I collect five of these?"


    "We''ll probably pass by here often in the near future. If you really collect them, we''ll stop when we see you!"


    "Okay!" The man said and quickly ran off, afraid that zombies might notice him.


    "So timid, can he really kill enough zombies to collect five corpse cores?" Daisy rolled her eyes.


    "Doesn''t matter. If he really collects them, just give them to that kid Gabriel to carry. Alright, let''s continue!" After a small episode, the two continued on their way.


    The further west they went, the more zombies there were.


    Elijah began to struggle with the cleanup.


    But they could already see the mall in the distance.


    It was an eight-story building withrge brand advertisements on the outside, situated at a corner of a crossroads with streets facing south and west.


    Diagonally opposite it was amercial office building, which was Fiona''s father''s location.


    After clearing out another wave of zombies, Elijah got back into the car and noticed they weren''t far from the entrance to the parking lot.


    He said to Daisy, "Turn right and let''s take the side road. We don''t need to go all the way to the mall entrance. There are too many zombies there. We''ll enter from the entrance of the parking lot a little ahead."


    "Okay, Elijah, hold on tight then!"

 Chapter 82: Who are you people

    Daisy turned the direction and entered the side road. Not long after, they saw a sign for a parking lot, with arrows indicating the direction.


    At this oment, two zombies appeared in front of them. Daisy didn''t pay them any attention and rammed into them head-on.


    "Bang! Bang!" Two sounds. The zombies were crushed under the car.


    Then Daisy sharply turned the steering wheel and drove into the entrance of the parking lot.


    "Not bad, getting more skilled!" Elijah praised her for this maneuver.


    "Hehe, I''m a genius!"


    "Bang!" The parking barrier was also rammed through by her.


    Because it was amercial area, there were arge number of zombies gathered at the intersection ahead.


    The loud noise here startled them, and they began to swarm towards this side, growling and agitated.


    "Oh no, this is trouble!"


    Daisy frowned as soon as she saw the densely packed zombies.


    At first nce, there were at least hundreds of them.


    "Indeed, this time there are quite a few..." Elijah also frowned slightly.


    Although he was powerful, his stamina was limited, especially while driving Abigail with her defensive capabilities, which consumed a lot of energy.


    Once surrounded, and if there were mutant zombies hidden among them, it would be dangerous.


    "Let''s head inside. Fiona said that''s the unloading area!" Elijah suggested.


    Inside the parking lot, if they turned left, they could reach the entrance of the mall.


    Normally, it would be better to be closer to the entrance of the mall for shopping.


    But now, with more and more zombies gathering near the main entrance due to its proximity to the intersection, they couldn''t risk going there.


    If they went straight from the entrance of the parking lot, there would be an alley leading to the back of the mall, where the unloading area was located.


    It was adjacent to the warehouse and provided ess to the inside of the mall.


    "Sounds good!" Daisy stepped on the gas, driving straight ahead. Soon, they reached the unloading area and arrived at the warehouse entrance.


    Elijah, Daisy, and Abigail got out of the car, leaving the mutant female zombie inside.


    Since it was a zombie, other zombies wouldn''t attack it.


    They could leave it to watch the car and keep an eye on the surroundings.


    "Oh! There''s an electronic lock! What do we do? Elijah, can you open it?" Daisy eximed.


    At this moment, zombies were rushing towards them from afar, and the sound of their running was already audible.


    There were definitely a lot of them, with even the fastest dozen or so zombies having already run into the alley.


    "I''ll take a look!" Elijah remained calm.


    Indeed, there was an electronic lock on the warehouse door that required the correct password to enter.


    Elijah sighed in relief; at least it wasn''t a fingerprint lock, or they would have had to break in!


    He remained calm and picked up some dirt from the ground, sprinkling it over the keypad.


    Then, with a gentle blow, he immediately identified the four digits that were frequently pressed.


    Next, he began to try differentbinations, but there were still too many possiblebinations for four digits, and entering the wrong password too many times would lock them out.


    So, he didn''t act immediately but continued to observe.


    Soon, he noticed that one of the four digits stood out much more prominently than the other three.


    This was because when people started entering the password, they often applied more force, making the marks deeper.


    As they gained experience, the force used on the subsequent digits would be rtively lighter, resulting in shallower marks.


    Now, he only needed to arrange thest three digits!


    Without hesitation, Elijah began to enter the password!


    The first attempt was unsessful.


    At this moment, the nearest zombies were less than ten meters away from them. Daisy was already preparing for battle. Again!


    Elijah tried for the second time, but it was still wrong! With the zombies getting closer, Elijah calmed himself and made a third attempt.


    With a "ding!" sound, the electronic lock lit up green! The lock was sessfully opened!


    "Daisy, let''s go!" Elijah turned the doorknob and opened the door.


    Daisy and Abigail entered in single file, with Elijah following closely behind, immediately locking the door behind them.


    "Bang! Bang! Bang!" The zombies followed closely behind, continuously banging on the door and roaring.


    However, they were all separated from them by the iron door.


    "Phew... Finally made it in!" Daisy breathed a sigh of relief.


    "Who are you people?" Suddenly, a shlight shone towards them.


    There was no lighting in the warehouse except for a little lighting in through the small windows on the walls, making it quite dim inside. But it didn''t affect visibility.


    Elijah and Daisy felt a bit ufortable under the shlight.


    When they adapted to the sudden light, they saw four people staring at them.


    There were two men and two women, each holding weapons.


    "Who are you people?"


    "How did you know the password?"


    The one speaking was a middle-aged man with a Mediterranean hairstyle, slightly overweight, and oily-faced.


    He seemed like an experienced middle management type.


    "We are survivors here to find some supplies," Elijah replied indifferently.


    He didn''t pay attention to the other''s attitude but carefully observed the four of them.


    Beside the middle-aged man was a tall, muscr man holding a steel wire, stained with dark red blood, clearly not someone to mess with.


    Behind him, a woman was cowering, also holding a weapon but clearlycking courage, not much of a threat.


    It was the other woman beside the middle-aged man who caught Elijah''s attention the most. She was quite distinctive.


    She was not very tall, with a childish face, making her look very young, but... her chest size was... even more exaggerated than Daisy''s.


    At least a D cup, if not an E cup!


    However, her figure didn''t appear chubby; she was slim where she should be and had well-proportioned legs, though not as slender as Daisy''s.


    In addition, she was holding a long-handled fire axe, which, like the steel wire, was covered in dark red blood.


    A blend of elements made her give off a discordant yet strangely harmonious feeling.


    Unlike the muscr man, she kept her distance from the middle-aged man, obviously not wanting much contact with him. Interesting...


    Elijah wasn''t sure about the situation with the four people, whether they had any abilities. Without acting rashly, he decided to probe first.


    "Survivors?" The middle-aged man frowned.


    The zombie virus had been raging for eleven days, and they were no longer in the panicked state they were at the beginning, having figured out some things.


    For example, having more people around was not necessarily a good thing.


    Just like in the beginning, there were not just the four of them surviving, but also several others.


    All of them were supermarket employees who had fortunately survived and avoided attacks from their colleagues.


    Gradually, the few of them gathered together, clearing out a safe area under his leadership.


    There was plenty of supplies here, and they were not worried about food and water.


    They thought they could settle down and wait for rescue.


    But they didn''t expect that one of the survivors would suddenly turn into a zombie and bite several others.


    Fortunately, he was sleeping in his office at the time and narrowly escaped.


    As a result, only the four of them remained.


    They learned from this lesson and started sleeping separately, and they had been peaceful since then.


    However, they didn''t expect the warehouse door to suddenly open today.


    Seeing the surging horde outside, the middle-aged man was almost scared witless. Fortunately, they managed to close the door in time after entering.


    Just from the howling outside the door, they estimated that there were probably hundreds of zombies outside.


    If they had identally let them in, they would have been done for.


    So, under the influence of these two factors, the middle-aged man instinctively resisted them.


    "I am the manager here, and I make the decisions here. You three...," the middle-aged man intended to refuse them, but when he nced at the three, especially Daisy and Abigail, he suddenly paused.


    "Huh, these two women are too beautiful, aren''t they?"

 Chapter 83: Thats a brilliant idea

    Olier''s attention was particrly drawn to the woman dressed in cosy.


    She seemed quite yful, and it would be quite enjoyable to spend a night with her in that outfit.


    And the other woman was also impressive!


    She was more beautiful than a female celebrity! Her legs were long and slender.


    Before Elijah and Daisy left, Daisy had given Abigail a pair of colored contact lenses, so at first nce, it wasn''t immediately apparent that she was a zombie.


    Moreover, Abigail was wearing a NieR: Automata protagonist cosy costume, which was incredibly eye-catching.


    Oliver''s opinion suddenly changed.


    "You three... if you want to stay, it''s not impossible, but you have to listen to me."


    Oliver, with his big belly and tilting head, continued in a leadership tone, "You came in from outside, so you must know the situation. Supplies are precious here. So, you can''t just freeload here; you have to prove your worth. In short, we don''t keep idle people here."


    Daisy looked at this guy as if he were an idiot.


    Everyone knew it was the apocalypse; who cared if he was a manager or not?


    Whoever had the stronger fist was the boss.


    Daisy wanted to give this guy a kick and wake him up. But Elijah, sensing her intentions, pulled her back.


    Daisy didn''t understand and looked at Elijah.


    Elijah muttered to her quietly, "Let''s assess the situation first." Daisy settled down after that.


    Seeing the exchange of nces between the two, Oliver muttered a few words to himself but didn''t voice any objections.


    Thinking they had agreed to his new rules, he couldn''t help but show a satisfied smile.


    "Now that you two don''t object, you''re one of us. Follow the arrangements, and I guarantee you''ll have good food and clothing, worry-free!"


    Oliver introduced himself, "I''m Oliver, the purchasing manager here."


    He then pointed to the burly man beside him.


    "This is Patrick, our security guard. He''s remarkable. He used to be the boxing champion in our district and is very skilled at fighting zombies. He''s the one who led the cleanup of the nearby zombies."


    Oliver emphasized Patrick''s introduction, implying that they should obey or face consequences.


    "This is Natalie, the supermarket''s stocker."


    Oliver pointed to the middle-aged woman beside Patrick, briefly introducing her before turning to the other girl.


    "And this one is Lily, our intern. Although she hasn''t graduated yet, she''s very capable!"


    When Oliver introduced Lily, he couldn''t help but show a hint of lecherousness.


    Her chest size contrasted sharply with her petite figure, which was quite impactful.


    Oliver had been eyeing her for a while, subtly suggesting that he could help her quickly be a regr employee and even quickly rise to management.


    Unfortunately, this girl was oblivious to his hints. Despite his clear implications, she just didn''t seem to understand.


    After the virus outbreak and a week of waiting for rescue that never came, Oliver gradually realized that the end of the world might have arrived.


    So, he started to scheme again.


    He had been giving the three of them tasks under his leadership.


    Initially, he assigned Lily to do some heavy lifting and hinted that if sheplied with him, he could make her life easier.


    But unexpectedly, this girl had quite a bit of strength and effortlessly lifted heavy objects. She also ignored his hints.


    Since yesterday, he had changed tactics, assigning her to work with Patrick to clear the warehouse path to the supermarket and mall, a dangerous job.


    He even deliberately hindered her progress, implying his intentions more directly this time.


    Latest updates from m _vlempyr.


    However, she continued to y dumb.


    If it weren''t for Elijah and the others suddenly appearing, he would have considered using force today!


    But their appearance only reinforced his determination.


    The apocalypse has been going on for eleven days now!


    For the survivors out there, food and water should be the top priorities.


    If they have to trade with their bodies... I''m sure some would agree.


    Especially since he has more than just food and water! He has an entire mall filled with supplies.


    Oliver decided to take it easy on Lily for now; after all, she''s one of us and tends to listen to orders, doing whatever she''s told.


    He nned to start with these two new women, using his power and resources to enjoy himself.


    As for the other man... If he behaves, having an extra pair of hands wouldn''t hurt.


    To take control of the entire mall, they still need to clear out the numerous zombies inside.


    But if he dares to resist... Well, then Patrick will take care of him!


    Once Elijah and the others introduced themselves, Oliver instructed Lily, "Lily, you take these three to a ce to rest, following the rules!"


    "Sure thing, manager!" Lily nodded and gestured for Elijah and the others to follow. Daisy and Elijah exchanged a nce and followed along.


    Once they were out of earshot, Oliver turned to Natalie, "You, go back now and prepare a day''s worth of food and water for them. Once Lily settles them in, have her deliver it. And remember, don''t overdo it."


    "Got it! Understood!" Natalie nodded anxiously and carefully retreated.


    With everyone gone, only Oliver and Patrick remained in front of the warehouse doors.


    Oliver pulled out a pack of cigarettes and offered one to Patrick, who skillfully epted and let Oliver light it for him.


    "Patrick, I remember I arranged this job for you originally, right?"


    "Yes, Oliver! I''ve always remembered your kindness!" Patrick took a deep drag, exhaling slowly, smiling in agreement.


    "You''ve done well over these years, I''ve been watching. It wasn''t in vain that I arranged this for you. I was actually thinking of rmending you for the position of security team leader, but then this damn disaster happened!"


    "Thank you very much!"


    "That''s in the past now, let''s talk about the present." Oliver blew a smoke ring.


    "You''ve seen how chaotic it is outside now, with zombies everywhere. No cell signal, water, or electricity. I reckon the whole world is in chaos; otherwise, it wouldn''t havested this long without any signs of rescue. Luckily, we have plenty of supplies here. With what we have, we could survive for four or five years, no problem for a year or two at least.


    But we need rules; we can''t just help anyone whoes seeking aid. Otherwise, even with all these supplies, it won''t be enough to feed everyone, right?"


    Oliver stared at Patrick, who, being savvy, understood the unspoken implication and nodded in agreement, smiling.


    "That''s right, Oliver. Whatever ideas you have, count me in. I''ll support you all the way!"


    "You''re a smart guy, my friend. As long as you stick with me, you won''t be shortchanged. Here''s what I''m thinking: when more peoplee, the men will work asborers, and as for the women... well, we''ll have some fun! What do you think?"


    Oliver finished with a sleazy smirk spreading across his pudgy face.


    "That''s a brilliant idea!" Patrick''s face mirrored the sleazy grin as he nodded in approval.

 Chapter 84: What are you even thinking

    However, soon he furrowed his brow again.


    "But, Oliver, what if someone doesn''t listen?" Oliver''s expression turned serious, his face showing a sinister look.


    "Whoever the hell doesn''t listen, you just beat them to death. Nowadays, no one cares even if you kill someone."


    Patrick hesitated. He dared to kill zombies, but living people...


    "What? You don''t dare?"


    "Who says I don''t dare?" Oliver''s tone became more intense, making Patrick blush immediately.


    "I''ve killed zombies, I''m not afraid to kill people!"


    "Good brother, I believe you!" Oliver patted his shoulder.


    Patrick took a deep drag of his cigarette, casually flicking the remaining butt to the ground, crushing it. At this point, he started to feel something.


    "Oliver, are you eyeing those two new girls?"


    "Tsk tsk, of course! One cosys, has a sense of fun! The other has long legs, can be enjoyed slowly..."


    Oliver''s mind conjured up images, especially at the thought of the two women together... his body involuntarily started to heat up.


    Patrick couldn''t help but swallow saliva. But Oliver had already made up his mind about the two women, so it wouldn''t be appropriate for him to think otherwise.


    Suddenly, he remembered Lily.


    Hmm... she''s not bad either! Especially those two... "Oliver, the cosy and the leggy beauty are yours. Lily... shall I have some fun with her?"


    Oliver had long regarded Lily as his prey. How could he let this guy have ideas about her?


    "Aren''t you hooking up with Natalie? I''ve seen you two fooling around near the cargo area!"


    "Natalie... she''s nearly forty! Shecks security, so I give her that. Just messing around!"


    Seeing Oliver''s reluctance to share Lily, Patrick couldn''t help but feel annoyed. So, you get all the beauties, and the older ones are left for me? That''s not how things work! His tone unintentionally became a bit forceful.


    "Anyway, I have one requirement: Lily belongs to me! Otherwise, I''m out, do as you please!"


    Hearing this, Oliver felt a bit flustered. He still relied on Patrick for many things, especially clearing out zombies and intimidating others. His tone softened involuntarily.


    "Oh, Patrick! What did you say!


    Didn''t I say I won''t treat you badly?


    Women are just clothes, but we brothers are the brothers!


    As long as we brothers work together, isn''t that what we have the final say on? !


    Those women, what can we do if the two of us y with them together?


    Are you right? "


    Oliver put his arm around Patrick''s shoulder, raised an eyebrow, and shed a mischievous smile.


    "Tsk, no problem, I like sharing women this way..."


    "Hahaha, then it''s settled!" The two conspired shamelessly, reaching an agreement.


    Patrick immediately began to strategize.


    "Oliver, I see that guy named Elijah is holding a long spear with a bloodied tip, looks like trouble!"


    "Hiss, now that you mention it, those two women seem to have knives too?"


    Oliver thought for a moment, his face immediately darkening.


    "Right, so we need to be prepared!"


    "What do you have in mind?"


    Patrick smirked.


    "If they were zombies, my n wouldn''t be of much use, but against people..."


    "What''s the n, spit it out!"


    "Heh heh."


    Patrick whispered a few words to Oliver.


    Oliver immediately showed a pleased expression.


    "Good, it''s a n. I''ll leave it to you!"


    "Got it, watch and see!"


    "If that guy dares to resistter, we can y with those two women in front of him..."


    "Heh heh..."


    Elijah and Daisy followed Lily, walking a few meters inside the warehouse and seeing tworge freight elevators.


    Due to the power outage, the elevators were out of service.


    "This way!"


    Lily suddenly spoke, pointing to a nearby passage.


    They followed her and found themselves in a long and narrow storeroom.


    The storeroom didn''t seem veryrge, divided by rows of shelves.


    One end of the shelves was against a wall, leaving a three to four-meter gap to the other side, serving as a passage.


    And on this wall, there were several double-opening iron doors.


    "Do those iron doors lead to the mall?"


    "Yes, you don''t need to worry, the iron doors are locked, zombies from the mall won''te in!"


    No wonder...


    Elijah looked at thebels on the shelves, mostly forrge appliances.


    And the first floor of the mall soldrge appliances.


    This was indeed the storeroom for the first-floor market.


    Soon, Lily led them to a certain shelf.


    "You two can stay here for now, feel free to choose three shelves each!"


    "Huh? Why are these shelves blocked?"


    Daisy asked curiously.


    It turned out that where Lily led them, between two shelves, was blocked by numerous cardboard boxes.


    The space between the two shelves was enclosed like a small room.


    Only the one in front of them left about a person''s width gap.


    "Don''t you know?"


    Lily looked puzzled.


    "Survivors might turn into zombies too, so we blocked the shelves and made them into small rooms.


    Each person has one room, and when sleeping, they can block the door so they don''t have to worry about someone suddenly turning into a zombie and biting others!"


    "I see!"


    Daisy suddenly realized.


    "There are three of you, so you need three rooms. I''ll clear the doors for the other two for you!"


    After saying that, Lily went to the two shelves nearby and moved the blocked boxes aside, creating two livable "rooms."


    "Alright, next, I''ll go get you camping tents and food. Wait here for a moment!"


    "Okay, thank you, Lily!"


    "Do you need us to help with the carrying?"


    "No need, those things are in the supermarket storeroom on the ground floor, Manager Oliver won''t let you in!"


    Lily said seemingly casually before turning and leaving.


    Elijah pondered.


    "Elijah, I feel like that Oliver has some bad intentions!"


    Daisy whispered.


    "I noticed, he doesn''t concern me at all, it''s these women..."


    Elijah smirked, pointing to the departing Lily.


    "Hmph, fickle. He can''t walk properly when he sees a pretty woman!


    Just because her chest is a bit bigger than mine? And she''s not even taller than me..."


    Elijah listened in disbelief, couldn''t help but knock Daisy''s head lightly!


    "What are you even thinking?"


    "Huh? Aren''t you drooling over her because she has a big chest and a childish face?"


    "Am I that kind of person?"


    Daisy pondered for a moment.


    "Seems like it, huh?"


    Elijah sighed and stopped dwelling on this topic.


    "Go and move those boxes Lily just moved!"


    "What''s so special about these boxes? They''re just ordinary cardboard boxes, just a bitrge!"


    Daisy circled the boxes, then lifted them by the straps on top.


    "They''re a bit heavy, but it''s a piece of cake for me!"


    "They must be heavy, didn''t you see ''outdoor unit of an air conditioner'' written on them? Or do you not know how heavy an outdoor unit of an air conditioner is?"


    Daisy stuck out her tongue. -lempyr.


    It seemed she really didn''t know.


    "Typical outdoor units weigh around seventy to eighty pounds, the heavier ones could be over a hundred pounds."


    "And then?"


    "That Lily lifted them effortlessly!"


    "I''m just as light, Patrick, see!"


    Daisy, still unconvinced, demonstrated, lifting and dropping the boxes with one in each hand!


    ...


    Jealousy makes people unrecognizable!

 Chapter 85: She immediately had a bad feeling in her heart

    "You''re an Awakener, huh? Have you practiced body strengthening techniques to enhance your strength?"


    "Oh, right!"


    Daisy suddenly realized.


    "So, Lily might also be an Awakener?"


    "I wasn''t sure at first. I found it strange when I saw her carrying a fire axe. Fire axes are not light to wield, even the burly Patrick didn''t use one, yet she did. At that moment, I suspected she might be an Awakener, so I didn''t let you act rashly."


    "I see! I med you wrongly then! But, admit it, you also had thoughts about her big chest and young face, right?"


    Sure, there were thoughts!


    But who would admit it!


    "Let''s focus! I noticed that Lily and Oliver are probably not on the same side. When we confronted them, she kept her distance from Oliver. And just now when she left, she deliberately or unintentionally mentioned that Oliver''s group upied the most important supermarket warehouse area."


    "So, we can try to win Lily over. As long as she doesn''t take action, the remaining three are nothing to fear!"


    Your intelligence is finally back!


    Elijah praised her.


    "In a moment, you cozy up to her!"


    "Roger that, Captain!"


    Soon, Lily came running back with a bunch of stuff. And with her running, her chest...


    The amplitude of the sway was quite impressive.


    Use two words to describe it - rough waves!


    It was truly spectacr!


    Even Daisy felt inadequate.


    "Elijah, Daisy, Abigail, here are your tents."


    Lily handed over three packages.


    Elijah nced at them; they were three unopened camping tents!


    Indeed, it was arge supermarket; you could get whatever you wanted!


    "This is your food..."


    Lily was somewhat embarrassed as she handed over a stic bag again.


    Daisy looked inside and found only three bottles of mineral water and three packs of biscuits.


    Elijah was speechless!


    Although, in the apocalypse, this was already good food.


    But this was in a big supermarket...


    It felt like charity for beggars!


    Although she wasn''t happy inside, Daisy knew it wasn''t Lily''s fault. She didn''t show any displeasure and took the food.


    "Um... if you''re not used to it..."


    Seeing Daisy''s unhappiness, Lily took out a sandwich from her bag.


    "I still have some sandwiches I saved before; you can have them first."


    Daisy was instantly moved!


    Her impression of this girl improved slightly.


    "Thank you, Lily... sister!"


    Moved or not, calling her sister when she looked even younger than her felt weird to Daisy!


    "No need to thank me! I''ll leave now, you guys rest well!"


    "Sister, don''t leave yet. I have a lot of questions to ask you!"


    Daisy grabbed her, affectionately linking their arms.


    "Do you have time now?"


    "I do!"


    "Sister, where do you live?"


    "Oh, I almost forgot! I live in the office near the warehouse gate! Next to it is the manager''s office! If you need anything, you can find me there. Actually, I used to live in this storeroom. It''s in the cosmetics area a little further in..."


    The two sat on the boxes, chatting away.


    When Elijah finished setting up the tents, they reluctantly stopped.


    Experience more on m,vle,mp _yr.


    "If there are no other questions, then I''ll leave now!"


    Lily smacked her lips, feeling a bit thirsty from talking.


    "Okay, sister, goodbye!"


    Lily waved and happily bounced away.


    Once Lily''s figure disappeared from view, Daisy turned to Elijah and said, "I think Miss Lily is very nice. If we make a move, she probably won''t help Oliver''s group. I can tell she really dislikes Oliver!"


    Elijah smirked.


    So easily swayed!


    But he didn''t object either!


    Daisy''s intuition was always urate.


    Plus, he had listened to their conversation just now!


    Lily was still a student at Neoville City University, nearing graduation, and had applied for an internship at this mall.


    College students were generally more straightforward in their thoughts, unlike seasoned professionals in the workce.


    "Alright, let''s prepare. We''ll deal with the other three!"


    Meanwhile, as Lily returned to the office door, she ran into Patrick.


    "Lily,e with me for a moment, there''s something I need to discuss with you!"


    Patrick smirked smugly, shamelessly eyeing Lily''s chest, his gaze akin to that of a predator eyeing its prey.


    "What''s the matter, Patrick?"


    Lily, noticing his unfriendly gaze, became instinctively wary.


    "Let''s not rush, help me bring something up!"


    Patrick pointed to the stairs leading to the basement level.


    Lily went down to the basement and found a multifunctional outdoor power supply there, with a total weight close to 50 pounds. She lifted it with one hand and quickly returned to the first floor.


    At that moment, Patrick appeared with an air pump, waiting for her at the elevator.


    "What do you need the air pump for?"


    Lily was puzzled.


    "For an experiment!"


    Patrick directed Lily to ce the power supply.


    As she bent down to ce it, gravity caused an exaggerated curve in her chest.


    Patrick looked and couldn''t help but swallow his saliva.


    Damn, they''re huge!


    And her butt is quite perky too!


    If I could grab onto that...


    Thinking about what he was going to discusster, his body couldn''t help but get excited.


    Subconsciously, his hand reached out towards Lily!


    However, Lily, who had been alert all along, noticed his movement and immediately stepped aside, letting his hand touch empty air.


    She pretended as if nothing had happened and asked Patrick, "Patrick, do you need me to plug in the power for the air pump?"


    "Go ahead!"


    Patrick''s hand groped in the air, feeling a bit regretful!


    He didn''t realize that Lily was intentionally avoiding him; he thought she moved because she needed to plug in the power.


    But his inner excitement didn''t diminish because soon, he could thoroughly enjoy her from top to bottom.


    Patrick attached the nail gun to the hose of the air pump and tightened it. Then he turned on the pump, and the motor hummed.


    He aimed the nail gun at the wall and pulled the trigger.


    "Bang! Bang!"


    Two huge nails were driven into the wall, deep into it.


    Patrick nodded in satisfaction, then looked at Lily with a smirk.


    "Lily, after these few days, you probably know what the outside world has be like! Today, some outsiders arrived, so I and Manager Oliver discussed it. We can''t afford to support idlers here anymore. Otherwise, there won''t be enough supplies to go around, right? Each of us must maximize our own value. You''re no exception.


    Do you understand what I mean?"


    As Patrick spoke, his gaze lingered on Lily''s most prominent feature.


    Lily felt as if his gaze was like a venomous, icy snake crawling over her body, making her extremely nauseous!


    She immediately had a bad feeling in her heart!


    But she still forced a smile, pretending to be full of enthusiasm.


    "Patrick, don''t worry, I''ll work hard! If there''s anything that needs to be done, just give it to me. I''m very strong!"


    There was food and drink here, plenty of supplies, and not too many zombies. There was no better ce for survival. If given a choice, she didn''t want topromise here.


    Patrick''s mouth twitched; this woman was indeed quite strong.

 Chapter 86: Ill kill you along with her

    In sheer strength alone, he was inferior to her.


    I wonder what she''s been fed on to grow like that!


    Does having a big chest have something to do with this too?


    Patrick stared at Lily''s chest, unable to resist licking his lips.


    "It seems you haven''t grasped my meaning! You should utilize your greatest... advantage! What''s the biggest part of your body?"


    His eyes didn''t hide his lecherous thoughts at all!


    Lily was taken aback by his words!


    "Patrick, you''re taking this joke too far!"


    "Who''s joking with you!"


    Patrick''s expression turned cold.


    "Look at Natalie, how she understands the situation. I hope you can be a bit more sensible too!"


    Patrick took two steps forward, reaching out to grab her.


    Lily quickly stepped back to avoid him.


    At that moment, she had a sudden realization.


    No wonder Natalie had been nagging at her these past few days.


    Saying how talented andpetent Manager Oliver was, and if she were ten years younger, she would definitely follow Manager Oliver.


    Implicitly suggesting she should get involved with Manager Oliver.


    They had been colluding with Patrick and the others all along.


    Thinking of Manager Oliver''s half-bald head and greasy, chubby face.


    And calling him talented!


    Ugh!


    She couldn''t believe she had said it aloud!


    But thinking of Manager Oliver...


    "If you do this, Manager Oliver won''t spare you!"


    She began to bluff.


    "Hehe, do you think he knows?"


    Patrick smirked.


    "Two new girls have arrived, and Oliver''s attention has already shifted to them. As for you, Oliver has agreed to give you to me!"


    Patrick said, reaching out to grab her again.


    Lily continued to step back, but there was little space left behind her, and she ended up pressed against the wall.


    What''s going on?


    Am I just an object?


    Being tossed around like this?


    Did anyone bother to ask me?


    Lily felt a chill in her heart!


    "You... you''re breaking thew!"


    "Tsk tsk, do you think thew still matters now?"


    Seeing Lily with nowhere to go, Patrick became even more pleased with himself.


    "In this world today, you women aremodities, only worthy of being used!"


    He waved the nail gun in his hand.


    "You''ve just seen the power of this nail gun! If you behave and listen to me, I''ll treat you well. Otherwise... I''ll nail your hands and feet first, then have some fun with you!" .


    Lily looked at the nail gun aimed at her, thinking of the two nails deeply embedded in the wall, trembling with fear, her eyes filled with despair!


    "Now, serve me well!"


    Patrick said as he undid his belt.


    His pants slid down, revealing his hairy thighs.


    What should I do?


    Lily looked around in confusion.


    Outside were hordes of zombies.


    And this was an enclosed space.


    The other party had a pneumatic nail gun...


    What could she do?


    Where could she escape to?


    Do I really have to be their ything?


    No!


    I''d rather die!


    A glint of determination and unwillingness shed in Lily''s eyes.


    She had resigned herself to death!


    But seeing Patrick''s arrogant and triumphant demeanor, her unwillingness turned into anger.


    Why should I die?


    And this person in front of me gets to revel in his arrogance?


    If I die, you won''t have it easy either!


    A surge of warmth flowed through her limbs with her anger.


    "Why are you still standing there? Hurry up, take off your clothes and let me have a good look at your chest..."


    Lily watched as he was about to take off his four-cornered pants, and without expression, she walked up to him.


    "That''s right, be a good girl, take off your clothes, and kneel down..."


    But before he could finish his sentence, a blur shot from Lily''s right leg, fiercely kicking between his legs.


    "Splurt!"


    "Splurt!"


    It sounded like something shattered. At the same time, there was a muffled "bang." A nail grazed Lily''s body, hitting the wall behind her, then bounced off onto the ground. Following that, a sharp and piercing noise, like a rooster crowing, echoed throughout the entire mall.


    "Oh!"


    But it only rang once, then faded like a dampened firework, growing quieter and quieter.


    At this moment, looking at Patrick, one could see his knees mped together, buttocks raised, upper body lowered, both hands covering his crotch, resembling a shrimp, his features contorted, spinning in ce.


    His originally burly body now bent like a delicate young girl.


    The nail gun in his hand had long been thrown to the ground.


    The shot just now was only fired instinctively due to intense pain.


    "What''s going on?"


    Oliver and Natalie emerged seemingly out of nowhere.


    "Patrick... what''s happening to you?"


    Natalie hurried forward to support Patrick.


    Oliver''s heart chilled at the sight of Patrick''s bizarre posture, especially when he noticed a foul-smelling yellow liquid flowing from between his legs, emanating a urine-like odor.


    His knees felt weak, and he looked at Lily, shouting with a mixture of anger and intimidation, "Lily, what''s wrong with you? How could you be so heavy-handed with a colleague?"


    "Yes, look how much pain Patrick''s in!"


    Natalie echoed from the side.


    "I kicked him!"


    Lily looked at the two of them expressionlessly, but inside, she felt a wave of satisfaction.


    "This won''t do! Why couldn''t this be resolved through discussion? Patrick is such a nice person; he has been taking care of you these days!"


    The two of them exchanged words back and forth.


    "He was trying to force me..."


    "Yes, if he forced you, that''s wrong of him. But you could have told me. I would have intervened. How could you resort to violence? Look at how you''ve made him look now. What if you had injured him?


    Natalie, quickly check on him!"


    Oliver acted as if he were upholding justice.


    Natalie helped Patrick sit down.


    Upon hearing Oliver''s words, she released Patrick''s hands and pulled down the edge of his pants to take a look inside.


    "Oh..."


    Natalie shivered with disgust, looking at Oliver with a hint of regret.


    "It''s all mangled and rotten beyond repair!"


    "Uh..."


    Oliver froze!


    "Splurt~"


    A suppressedugh echoed.


    "Who?"


    Oliver looked around. Although the surroundings were dimly lit, there was nowhere for anyone to hide; it was empty.


    He looked at Lily again, calm andposed; evidently, it wasn''t her whoughed.


    "Could it be an illusion?"


    At this moment, finallying to his senses due to Natalie''s words, Patrick''s eyes turned bloodshot. He stared at Lily intensely, like a vindictive wolf.


    "I... I''ll make you die!!!"


    His tone was as cold and venomous as a serpent, filled with boundless resentment.


    Then, with strengthing from who knows where, he suddenly pounced to the ground, picked up the nail gun he had previously discarded, and aimed it at Lily''s head.


    His movements were too fast, too unexpected; no one reacted in time.


    Lily was so frightened that she closed her eyes.


    Bang!


    The gunshot didn''t bring the expected pain. Lily opened her eyes to find someone had suddenly appeared on the scene. It was Elijah!


    Then her gaze fell on Elijah''s hand. His hand was gripping the nail gun; a nail pierced through his palm, soaked in blood.


    This...


    Everyone present was stunned. There was clearly no one there just a moment ago...


    How did he appear in the blink of an eye?


    And he had the audacity to grab the nail gun!


    Doesn''t it hurt?


    "Tsk, too busy watching the show, got careless!"


    Elijah muttered.


    Patrick paused for a moment, then erupted in rage!


    "You bastard! What gives you the right to interfere? Damn it, I''ll kill you along with her!"


    "Damn it!"


    Elijah kicked him.


    With a thud, Patrick was kicked away, skidding along the ground, crashing into the wall beforeing to a stop!


    With new injuries added to old pains, he fainted on the spot!

 Chapter 87: I also seem to have a gun

    "Ah!"


    Natalie was startled and didn''t bother with Patrick anymore, subconsciously hiding behind Oliver.


    "How... how could you? Who gave you the right toy hands on him?"


    Oliver was both shocked and angry! .


    Elijah ignored him and looked at Lily. At this moment, Daisy suddenly appeared by Lily''s side, holding her hand.


    "Lily, don''t be afraid. We''ll protect you from now on. No one will hurt you again!"


    She said, pulling Lily towards Elijah.


    Lily kept staring at Elijah''s hand, watching as blood dripped from the nail one drop at a time onto the ground.


    "Your hand..."


    "Oh!"


    Elijah realized, lifting his hand to pull out the nail and throw it away.


    "It''s nothing, just a minor wound. I was careless!"


    Elijah and Daisy rushed over upon hearing Patrick''s scream.


    However, they were a bit further away, so by the time they arrived, Oliver and Natalie had already gotten there.


    Since they didn''t understand the situation, they didn''t reveal themselves but relied on Daisy''s ability to blend into the shadows and watched from the sidelines.


    They quickly understood what was happening.


    Patrick''s actions just now were too sudden. Who could have expected him to get injured like this and still react so quickly?


    Elijah was stunned for a moment. Fortunately, he was rtively close and managed to block it with his hand!


    The only regret was that he didn''t have time to switch to Abigail''s ability. Otherwise, he wouldn''t have suffered even this minor injury!


    "Are you... are you not listening to me? I am the leader here! Do you still not respect me?"


    Seeing that no one paid attention to him, Oliver became furious! He pulled out an electric nail gun and pointed it at Elijah and the others.


    "You''re out of your minds!"


    This was Oliver following Patrick''s advice and had just retrieved it from the hardware section of the warehouse.


    Since Elijah and the others had cold weapons, the best way to deal with them was undoubtedly with long-range lethal weapons.


    Patrick immediately thought of the nail gun.


    Although it wasn''t useful against zombies, it posed a significant threat to humans!


    So, he rummaged through the maintenance department and found the pneumatic nail gun.


    This thing had great power but was not very flexible, limited by the distance of the air pump.


    So, he had Oliver search the hardware section for an electric nail gun.


    And indeed, he found one!


    Seeing the nail gun piercing Elijah''s hand instantly, Oliver was filled with confidence and had no fear!


    "I also seem to have a gun!"


    Elijah grinned and pulled out a revolver. He had already given his Glock to Charlotte.


    "Who knows if that''s real or not!"


    Oliver''s face changed slightly. Now that the situation had escted, he could only pretend to remain calm.


    "You''ll find out if you try!"


    Elijah aimed at him without hesitation and pulled the trigger.


    Bang!


    The gunshot startled everyone.


    It waspletely different from the noise of the nail gun.


    Everyone could tell it was the real deal!


    Unfortunately, it missed, the bullet grazing past Oliver.


    But it was enough to scare Oliver badly, making his hand holding the electric nail gun tremble uncontrobly.


    "Sorry, I just switched to a new pistol and I''m not very proficient with it yet. I guarantee the next shot will hit!"


    Elijah aimed again without hesitation.


    "None of you... move!"


    However, at this moment, a hoarse voice suddenly sounded.


    Everyone turned around to find Patrick, who had copsed, waking up at some point.


    He was sitting on the ground with his back against the wall, tremblingly pointing the nail gun at Daisy!


    "If any of you move, I''ll kill her!"


    Across from them, Oliver''s face immediately lit up with delight, arrogantly saying, "So what if you have guns? We have more! Natalie, where''s yours?"


    "Oh! Oh!"


    Natalie anxiously pulled an electric nail gun out of her bag. Three nail guns were now aimed at Elijah and the others.


    "If you don''t want yourpanion to die, put down all your weapons."


    Oliver''s hand stopped trembling, and he straightened up.


    "Especially you two women, take off all your clothes. I want to check if you''re hiding any weapons!"


    Elijahpletely ignored his nonsense, moving two steps to shield Lily behind him and fired again.


    "Bang!"


    "Ah!"


    Oliver screamed miserably. This time Elijah''s marksmanship was not bad, hitting his arm directly, causing the electric nail gun to fall to the ground.


    "Shoot, shoot, kill them!"


    Oliver was in pain and anger, dodging while shouting. Meanwhile, Natalie, upon hearing this, pressed the nail gun repeatedly.


    "Splurt! Splurt! Splurt!"


    Several steel nails flew out, hitting Elijah in the chest, shoulder, and even one directly on his face.


    Natalie could see clearly; the steel nail made Elijah''s cheek sink in, but soon bounced back and fell to the ground.


    Not only did it not prate, it didn''t even leave a scratch.


    "Your... your skin, why is it so thick? You''re not human! You''re a monster!"


    Natalie was terrified, dropping the electric nail gun and following Oliver to run away!


    Elijah nced at his pistol, thinking better of it. It was better to save ammunition. After all, they were now unarmed and could be easily taken care of.


    "Ah!"


    At this moment, another sharp scream rang out. It was Daisy stepping on Patrick''s leg, directly breaking it, with bone fragments exposed.


    It turned out that when Oliver shouted just now, Patrick sitting on the ground had also hysterically pulled the trigger of the nail gun in his hand.


    "Click, click!"


    The nail gun made a few noises, but no nails shot out.


    Patrick''s expression froze.


    "What''s going on?"


    "Have you seen the power of the nail gun? Do you think we wouldn''t be prepared for this?"


    Upon hearing Daisy''s words, Patrick turned to look at the air pump and found that the pipe had been cut off long ago!


    After Daisy finished speaking, she angrily stepped forward and kicked his leg.


    "For bullying Lily!"


    Daisy''s strength was iparable. With one kick, she directly broke his leg!


    Patrick screamed in agony!


    "Enough ying around, let''s deal with them quickly!"


    Elijah stepped forward, grabbed Patrick''s neck, and twisted it forcefully.


    "Crack!"


    The world fell silent.


    Lily on the side was already stunned!


    Just moments ago, she was worried that Elijah would be hit by the nail gun, but now she saw him casually breaking Patrick''s neck as if nothing had happened.


    But there were clearly wounds from the nail gun on his hand...


    "Lily, are you okay? Did you get scared?"


    "N-no..."


    She replied subconsciously.


    "And the other two, they should have run to the warehouse door. There''s nowhere else for them to go here! Let''s go over!"


    Elijah finished speaking and followed the blood trail forward.


    Sure enough, at the entrance of the warehouse, he saw two figures trembling, cowering there.


    Oliver and Natalie had nowhere to escape.


    Seeing Elijah approaching, they immediately begged for mercy.


    "Elijah, I was wrong just now! I was blind! You''re a big shot! Just ignore me and let me go?"


    "Fine! If you leave now, I''ll pretend nothing happened!"


    Elijah said indifferently.


    "Uh~ But there are zombies outside. Can we wait until there are fewer zombies outside?"


    "Do you think that''s possible?"


    Seeing that begging Elijah didn''t work, Oliver immediately looked at Lily beside him.

 Chapter 88: Arent they afraid of zombies

    "Lily, it was Patrick who forced you, not me and Natalie. And haven''t I been treating you well these days? Please, help me plead for mercy!"


    "Yes, Lily, considering these days we''ve been relying on each other, spare us, please!"


    Natalie also pleaded.


    "You, always hiding behind, giving orders! The most difficult and tiring work is done by me! Clearing out zombies is done by Patrick and me. I don''t see where you''ve been good to me!"


    Lily sneered.


    "And don''t think I don''t know, it was you who sold me out to Patrick! As for Natalie, dare you say you haven''t been colluding with them, trying to make me yield to them?"


    "I haven''t!" Natalie denied vehemently. Then she nced at Oliver, having an idea.


    "I''ve been kept in the dark all along! I didn''t know they were nning to deal with you! That beast Patrick, even after having me, wasn''t satisfied, and actually targeted you. It serves him right to have his groin kicked to pieces! And you, Oliver, you pervert, a man with no balls! Look at yourself, fat-headed and big-eared, from the Mediterranean, yet still have the audacity to have ideas about Lily.


    Could a celestial like Lily even look at you? I can''t stand you! Do you know why I was willing to be with Patrick and not you? Because Patrick is strong and brave, daring to fight zombies, unlike you, who only hide behind. Lily, a young girl, is better than you in every way!"


    Natalie''s tongue was like a machine gun, firing off insults, leaving Oliver dumbfounded. When he regained his senses, he immediately exploded in anger.


    "Damn it, who do you think you are? Who volunteered to help take down Lily? And, in just a few days, Patrick had his way with you?"


    Natalie was stunned to hear this.


    She hadn''t expected Patrick to reveal such private matters, let alone have them aired out in public.


    Her face turned as red as a beetroot. Then she screamed in rage.


    "You''re talking nonsense! I''ll tear your mouth apart!"


    Natalie, like a shrew, pounced on Oliver, scratching, wing, and biting at him!


    Elijah and the others watched the drama unfold.


    Suddenly, Natalie let out a miserable scream. Oliver had plunged a knife into her stomach. Oliver, on the other hand, looked quite pitiful.


    The little hair he had left was pulled out by Natalie. His head, face, and neck were covered in blood from being scratched and wed at.


    "Damn it, you stinky bitch dare to hit me? I''ll kill you!"


    He pulled out the knife and stabbed her a few more times.


    Natalie weakly scratched at Oliver a few times before copsing on the ground.


    Oliver withdrew the knife, his hands covered in blood.


    He then turned to Elijah and the others, with a determined look on his face.


    "Brother, give me a way out! Otherwise, I''ll open the door and we''ll all die together!"


    Elijah made an inviting gesture.


    "You''re wee!"


    Oliver was stunned!


    "I''ll open the door and let the zombies in. We''ll all be done for!"


    He repeated, thinking Elijah hadn''t understood.


    "Oh, are you stupid? Didn''t I say at the beginning for you to open the door and leave?"


    Daisy looked at him as if he were an idiot.


    Lily was somewhat worried, wondering why they were so confident. But she also prepared herself mentally. If the zombies really broke in, she would rush to the front and buy them time to escape.


    Oliver waspletely bewildered! He didn''t know what Elijah and the others were thinking.


    How could they dare ask him to open the door and let the zombies in?


    Weren''t they afraid of death? No, nobody wasn''t afraid of death.


    m|v|l|e m|p|y|r original content


    Did that mean there were no zombies outside? Were they really nning to give him a way out?


    Oliver was suspicious. He hesitated and ced his hand on the door.


    "I...I really am opening it!"


    Elijah ignored him and said to Daisy and Lily, "Step back a bit, I''ll stretch my muscles. Daisy, watch out for any escapees!"


    "Okay, Elijah!"


    Seeing their nonchnt attitude, Oliver gritted his teeth and abruptly opened the door.


    The sunlight streamed into the warehouse, momentarily blinding Oliver.


    When he looked outside, he couldn''t help but freeze.


    Dozens of zombies turned their heads simultaneously, staring at him.


    Oliver felt like he had fallen into an icy pit, his whole body shivering with cold as the zombies immediately lunged at him.


    His legs felt like lead, unable to move.


    He muttered to himself, "Aren''t they afraid of zombies? Madmen, they''re all mad! Heh... hehe... hehehe!"


    Then, the zombies overwhelmed his body.


    With dozens of zombies, I need to finish this quickly to avoid attracting more!


    Elijah shook his spear and charged at the iing zombies!


    He dared to let Oliver open the door because he was confident. He had already noticed from asional glimpses of mutated female zombies on the car outside that the zombie horde outside had dispersed for some unknown reason, leaving only a dozen or so lingering nearby.


    A dozen zombies were no match for the current Elijah.


    He wasn''t afraid; he just needed to be careful not to hurt Lily.


    As for Daisy, he wasn''t worried.


    The dim environment of the warehouse was conducive to her abilities, and if she wanted to hide, no one could find her.


    Although Lily wanted to help, she was stopped by Daisy. "These few zombies, Elijah can handle them. You''ll only get in his way!"


    Indeed!


    Lily watched Elijah wield his spear. Every zombie he touched fell to the ground, and soon the dozen zombies were exterminated.


    "So strong!"


    Lily couldn''t help but marvel.


    "Right!"


    As if praising himself.


    Daisy also felt proud.


    Elijah walked to the door, kicked the unrecognizable Oliver, who had been bitten all over, to the side, and apanied the equally mutted Natalie. Then he closed the door.


    To prevent Oliver and Natalie from turning into zombies, Elijah destroyed their brains before starting to deal with the nearby zombie corpses.


    "Lily, are you not afraid of corpses?"


    "Not at all! I helped clean up the corpses before in the mall!"


    Seeing Elijah unharmed, Lily was very happy. She showed off her arm as she spoke. "I''m very strong!"


    "That''s great! Lily, could you help me clean up the bodies?" Daisy asked, then walked forward and took out a dagger to start opening the skulls.


    "Huh? Are you looking for something in their brains?" Lily eximed in surprise.


    "Yes, Lily, how did you know?" Lily didn''t immediately answer. Instead, she rummaged in her pocket and pulled out six sparkling and translucent crystals.


    "Are you looking for this?" Lily asked.


    "Wow, so many corpse cores? Where did Lily get them?" Daisy jumped up excitedly.


    Elijah also stopped what he was doing. "Is this called a corpse core? When I chopped the zombie''s head too hard before, their brains split in half, and this fell out..."


    Lily scratched her head, feeling a little embarrassed.

 Chapter 89: Astonishing Power

    "It looked pretty to me, so I kept it. Later, they asked me to move the bodies, so I split open all the heads of the corpses and searched, but I only found six!"


    "Lily, you''re amazing!"


    "Where... where am I amazing! I only dare to deal with zombies! I don''t even dare toy a hand on people!"


    Lily felt a little embarrassed. At the same time, she felt a bit frustrated.


    If only she could be as decisive as them.


    Then she wouldn''t have topromise so much these days.


    In the end, feeling forced and resigned, she kicked Patrick.


    "You''re already great! Many men don''t even dare to face zombies! Like Oliver, he just hides behind, afraid of tough situations!" Elijah praised generously.


    "It''s not as great as you guys say! When the virus broke out, a colleague of mine was bitten by a zombie right in front of me. In fear, I grabbed something nearby and killed the zombie! After that, I wasn''t afraid of zombies anymore!"


    "Everyone goes through such transformations gradually! If anyone bullies you in the future, don''t hesitate to fight back!"


    "Yeah yeah," Lily nodded.


    The three soon cracked open all the zombies'' skulls and harvested 4 corpse cores. Elijah collected them all.


    So far, he had collected 40 corpse cores, some of which were used up to cultivate zombie grass and Crystal Grass.


    Feeding Abigail and the mutated female zombies also consumed some.


    Currently, he had a total of 23 corpse cores, with 5 in Daisy''s hands as Abigail''s food, 4 in Be''s hands for taking care of the "spirit nts," and the remaining 14 in his hands.


    If he added Lily''s 6, he would have 20 corpse cores.


    "Next, clearing the mall, it seems we can capture some zombies to cultivate them? If they all mutate, I wonder what interesting abilities they might awaken?"


    Elijah pondered to himself.


    But thinking about awakened abilities, wasn''t there someone right in front of him?


    Elijah looked at Lily and found her sneakily ncing at him too!


    When their eyes met, Lily immediately felt embarrassed and looked away.


    "What''s wrong?" Sensing Elijah''s confusion, Lily gathered courage to face him.


    "...Elijah, is your hand okay?"


    Elijah suddenly realized.


    So, that''s what she had been worrying about all along!


    He extended the hand that was injured, with a wound caused by a nail in the center of the palm.


    Notrge, but quite deep.


    Pierced through! Thanks to Elijah''s strong physique, the wound had already stopped bleeding and scabbed over.


    But because of fighting the zombie just now, it had cracked open again.


    "Doesn''t it hurt?" Lily cautiously held his hand, carefully examining the wound.


    "I''ll go find some medicine to bandage it up for you!"


    "No need!" This minor wound was actually no big deal.


    If Be were here, it would heal in the blink of an eye.


    Even relying on his own physique, it would be almost fully recovered by tomorrow.


    However, seeing Lily''s worried expression, Elijah felt like teasing her a bit.


    "I heard that saliva can disinfect and sterilize. If you lick it, you''ll be fine!"


    "Huh? I think I''ve heard that before too? Is it true?"


    Lily looked up at him, her clear eyes revealing a hint of foolishness.


    Elijah couldn''t help but chuckle.


    "It''s true!"


    "Then... should I try it?"


    "He''s teasing you! Lily, you actually believe him?" Daisy couldn''t bear it anymore.


    "Huh?"


    "Saliva sterilization does have some scientific basis!"


    Elijah emphasized, then turned to reassure Lily.


    "This minor wound really isn''t a big deal, you don''t need to worry! By the way, Lily, have you awakened any abilities?"


    "Awakened abilities?"


    Lily tilted her slightly childish face in confusion.


    "It means after the virus outbreak, is there anything about you that''s different from before?"


    At Elijah''s words, Lily lowered her head and nced at her chest. She realized she couldn''t see her feet, and she was afraid of stepping on things while walking.


    Now, she had grown significantlyrger, and her bras didn''t fit anymore.


    Did that count? Maybe... not really?


    However, although she had grown a lot, she didn''t feel as burdened as before, and her strength had increased a lot.


    "My... strength has be very strong?"


    She hesitated slightly.


    "How strong?"


    "I haven''tpared, but I just feel like I have endless strength, and I can move anything!"


    Elijah raised an eyebrow, bing interested.


    "Can you move anything? How about a car?"


    "I haven''t tried, but I can give it a shot!"


    "Alright, I was nning to continue clearing out the zombies at the entrance. It''ll be easier for us toe and goter. Just wait a moment!"


    After saying this, Elijah returned to the warehouse entrance and opened the door.


    There were still a few scattered zombies outside, but they were rtively far away, blocked by cars, and hadn''t noticed themotion at the entrance just now.


    Elijah strode out, and the zombies immediately roared and rushed towards him.


    With a flick of his spear, the spear stabbed like a dragon, piercing through several zombies'' heads, and they fell to the ground.


    Seeing that there were no more zombies outside, Daisy and Lily also walked out, and Elijah pointed to the armored truck.


    "Can you lift it?"


    "I think I can!"


    Confidently, Lily stepped forward, but suddenly eximed.


    "There''s still a zombie inside!"


    "Don''t be afraid, that''s a zombie I control. This is my awakened ability. I''ll exin it to youter. Try to see if you can move it."


    With a look of surprise, Lily obediently walked to the rear of the truck, grabbed the lower edge of the carriage with both hands, and exerted force.


    The car gently rocked but wasn''t lifted.


    "Let me try again!"


    After saying this, Lily closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and a warm stream flowed through her limbs, making her feel warm all over, as if she had endless strength. Then she exerted force again.


    "Creak!"


    With the metal groaning, the carriage of the armored truck began to rise.


    "It... it really lifted?!"


    Daisy looked astonished!


    "Do you remember the mutated zombie we encountered at the entrance of your school?"


    Elijah wasn''t very surprised; he had already had some guesses.


    After all, if Lily were just a first-level awakened, without practicing body forging techniques, and considering the short time since the virus outbreak, her strength couldn''t be as exaggerated as she usually showed.


    Splitting a human skull in half with one axe...


    "That insanely strong zombie? So, Lily is a strength awakened?"


    "Exactly!"


    Elijah nodded. The armored truck weighed nearly 8000 pounds, and although lifting the back didn''t require that much strength, one could imagine the monstrous strength Lily disyed when she exerted herself fully.


    Elijah himself could only lift a small car, and the weight of the armored truck was three times that of an average car!


    Seeing Lily still exerting force, her face flushing red, and the rear wheels of the truck almost leaving the ground, Elijah immediately spoke up.


    "Lily, that''s enough!"


    Only then did Lily slowly put the truck down.


    But just as the vehicle descended.


    "Snap!"


    Something broke.


    Elijah and Daisy on the side of the vehicle saw Lily''s chest seemingly breaking free from restraint, bouncing suddenly, and increasing in size.


    Even...rger!

 Chapter 90: Not peeking

    "Ah!"


    Lily instinctively covered her chest, but her small arms couldn''t quite manage it.


    Elijah kept staring, muttering to himself, "Hmm, strength-based ability users can enhance chest muscles, this makes sense!"


    "But being too big isn''t reasonable either, right? It''s just extra burden!"


    Daisy nced at her own, which wasn''t small either, butpared to Lily''s current size, it paled inparison.


    Even for her, it felt a bit burdensome.


    "Since my strength increased, this... also got bigger, my bras don''t fit properly anymore. Just now, I exerted too much force and snapped the straps..." Lily exined softly, her voice getting quieter as she spoke.


    "Lily, are youfortable being this big?" Daisy leaned closer, murmuring softly.


    "Not really, I actually wanted to have surgery to make them smaller..."


    "How could you? What a waste!" Elijah couldn''t help but interject.


    "What''s it to you?!" Daisy rolled her eyes at him and pulled Lily inside. "I''ve thought about it too, those men always leering at you!"


    "Yeah, exactly! That''s why I wanted to shrink a bit..."


    Daisy linked arms with Lily. "Lily, let''s go pick out some clothes! The lingerie section is on the third floor."


    "On the third floor, that area hasn''t been cleared yet, there are still many zombies..." Elijah''s eyes lit up. "Are swimsuits there too?"


    Lily nodded. "The third floor is the women''s section..."


    "What are we waiting for then? Let''s go clean it up now!" Elijah took the lead, eager to go back.


    Lily was puzzled, and Daisy pped her forehead. This man was beyond saving!


    "What areas still need cleaning?"


    "The entire mall except for the first-floor warehouse and the underground supermarket warehouse on the basement level have beenpletely cleared. We didn''t dare to go anywhere else."


    The three exchanged information as they walked.


    Elijah nced at Lily from time to time. The feeling of being unrestrained is really nice!


    "That''s right, the most important supplies are in the basement, and the first floor is the exit. We don''t need to go anywhere else for now!"


    Soon, the three arrived at the storage room on the third floor.


    The door here was also locked. Lily took out the key and unlocked it.


    The noise of opening the door immediately attracted the zombies inside, and they roared and ran over.


    "Only one zombie, I''ll handle it!" Elijah took the lead.


    As the zombie approached, Elijah reached out and pressed on its head.


    The zombie, being shorter, couldn''t advance its head due to Elijah''s control and could only swing its ws at his body in ce.


    Elijah sucked in his stomach to avoid it.


    The zombie continued to w...


    Their movements resembled that of an adult and a child fighting. The child swung its arms, but its head was held down and it couldn''t reach. It was quite amusing!


    Elijah wasn''t intentionally bullying her because she was smaller; it just happened to be a lone zombie he wanted to control.


    He injected a drop of blood into the zombie''s open mouth as it roared.


    The short zombie immediately quieted down.


    "How amazing!" Despite knowing that Elijah could control zombies, seeing it with her own eyes, Lily still found it unbelievable.


    "Don''t envy others, each of you has powerful abilities!"


    The three entered the storage room and began searching every corner meticulously, not overlooking any possible hiding spots for zombies.


    They also closed the door leading from the storage room to the mall to prevent zombies from the malling over.


    During the process, they encountered two zombies, both of which Elijah controlled.


    After confirming the safety of the warehouse, Daisy and Lily immediately enthusiastically immersed themselves in selecting clothes, not limited to lingerie.


    Shopping was a woman''s nature, especially when these things were currently free.


    The two quickly picked out piles of clothes each.


    "Elijah, turn around and don''t peek!"


    Since there was no one else around, Daisy asked Elijah to move farther away. She and Lily found a corner and began trying on clothes.


    "What''s there to hide? It''s not like I haven''t seen it before!"


    Elijah muttered, boredly studying the three new zombies he controlled.


    They were all sales assistants from the third floor, wearing the uniform supermarket staff attire with light makeup on their faces.


    Originally, they should have looked decent, but unfortunately, they became slightly hideous after zombification.


    Two of the zombies were covered in bloodstains on their faces, likely having bitten someone.


    Thest one had no injuries on its face, but there was a gruesome wound on its neck, looking particrly terrifying.


    Elijah didn''t care about appearances; he wasn''t like "Lost Morals," fond of ying with zombies.


    With so many beautiful women, why would anyone want to do something as dangerous as ying with zombies?


    He only cared about whether they could awaken abilities. Elijah took out the corpse core and fed each of them two.


    They couldn''t be fed too much at once, or they wouldn''t be able to digest it.


    Tomorrow, he would feed them two more, and the day after tomorrow, they might see results.


    He looked forward to the interesting abilities these three zombies might have after advancing.


    "Oh, don''t touch randomly!"


    At this moment, Lily''s slightly panicked voice came.


    "I''m not touching randomly, I''m measuring sizes! So I can pick the right lingerie for you, hehehe..."


    Daisyughed.


    Elijah''s heart itched to listen!


    Not peeking?


    That was impossible!


    Elijah secretly turned around. Through the gap between two shelves, he vaguely saw a sea of white.


    The two girls giggled and yed, making it difficult for him to distinguish who was who.


    But soon, asional glimpses allowed him to confirm each other''s identities.


    After all, Elijah had touched Daisy''s chest before, and the other one was a bit too big.


    Although he could only see a part through the gap between the shelves, it revealed the whole picture.


    Elijah understood that this was not a chest he could hold with one hand. At least two hands!


    "Just pick this one, alright? I think the size is about right!"


    Soon, Daisy picked out the lingerie and helped Lily put it on.


    "How is it? Is the size suitable?"


    While helping her fasten the straps, Daisy asked.


    "It''s... it''s okay! But isn''t this one too revealing?"


    Lily felt a bit shy.


    This bra was originally a half-cup, but she managed to make it look like one-third of a cup when she wore it.


    Seeing this, Elijah couldn''t help but swallow saliva.


    What a feast for the eyes!


    Was it because Elijah''s gaze was too fiery, or because his action of swallowing saliva was too obvious, Lily seemed to sense something and looked towards his direction.


    Their eyes immediately met.


    They blinked at each other!


    Lily felt a bit bewildered.


    Was he peeking?


    Did he just see everything about me?


    And Daisy...


    Elijah felt slightly embarrassed.


    The two stared at each other.


    Seeing Lily''s face getting redder and feeling a bit embarrassed, Elijah gave her a thumbs-up gesture and turned away as if nothing had happened.


    Lily felt a bit confused for a moment.


    It seemed that Daisy and Elijah had an unusual rtionship?


    Was I the only one who got taken advantage of?


    But why didn''t I feel very annoyed?


    In the past, when others peeked at her chest, Lily always felt disgusted, which led her to consider breast reduction.


    But Elijah...


    She remembered the scene where Elijah blocked the nail gun with his hand, even though the nail gun pierced through his palm, he didn''t even frown...


    And his fearless demeanor while sweeping through the zombies...


    A thought emerged in her mind.


    In this apocalyptic world overrun by zombies, having someone to rely on wasn''t bad, was it?

 Chapter 91: Now its much more convenient

    "Lily... Are you listening to me?"


    "Huh? What''s up?"


    Lily snapped back to attention.


    "Is this underwear fitting?"


    Lily looked down.


    Remembering Elijah''s approving gesture, she felt a bit embarrassed.


    "Just... this one!"


    "Then I''ll find you a matching top..."


    As Elijah reminisced about the scenery he had just seen, he listened to the two chatting.


    After a while, the two finally emerged dressed neatly.


    Elijah looked openly this time and noticed Lily had changed out of her supermarket uniform,pletely transforming her demeanor.


    She now wore arge orange-and-pale-green checkered blouse on top, clearly attempting to conceal her figure, but it only entuated her curves, making her figure more pronounced.


    She paired it with slightly loose jeans, transitioning from professional to casual, appearing more fashionable and youthful, making her seem a bit younger.


    If one didn''t know, they might believe she was Daisy''s sister.


    At this moment, Lily nervously tugged at the hem of her shirt, feeling embarrassed facing Elijah.


    Even though she was the one who was inadvertently seen, she couldn''t help but feel shy.


    Daisy pulled her along, smiling proudly at Elijah. "How does she look? Pretty, right? There are even prettier outfits, but not convenient for work..."


    "Beautiful!"


    Daisy also changed her outfit, still exuding her mboyant personality, youthful, lively, fashionable, and stunning.


    Elijah generously praised both of them. Daisy epted thepliments nonchntly, then finally huffed.


    "Just now Lily agreed to join us. Elijah, it''s your turn to give Lily a drop of blood!"


    A look as if he was doing her a favor!


    Actually, he could give it to someone else...


    But he didn''t dare say it out loud, afraid Lily would punch him. With his current defense, he definitely couldn''t withstand it.


    Forget it, let''s do it the proper way!


    Elijah extended his finger and squeezed out a drop of blood, holding it out to Lily.


    During the process of clearing zombies earlier, Elijah had briefly exined his ability.


    Lily understood it was to prevent herself from potentially turning into a zombie and harming others in the future.


    At the same time, Elijah could mimic her ability.


    In her mind shed images of her surviving colleagues who had suddenly turned into zombies and were killed by other survivors.


    She felt a hint of sadness but more of relief.


    From now on, in her own territory, she wouldn''t have to live in constant fear.


    Without much hesitation, she gently took Elijah''s finger, sucking the drop of blood into her mouth.


    Immediately, Elijah felt a mental tether connecting them.


    The flow of energy within Lily''s body also transmitted to his mind.


    The seed of consciousness automatically drove the energy within him to mimic hers.


    Elijah felt an endless surge of power emanating from his limbs.


    "Such powerful strength, I feel like there''s nothing I can''t handle now!"


    Of course, this was just an illusion, a sense of unreality brought about by the sudden increase in strength.


    He clenched his fist, his muscles tensing, and in an instant, his body seemed to grow a few inches taller.


    Indeed, having a bigger chest was reasonable!


    He looked at his swollen knuckles, a bit red, and shook his head.


    "I''m fine, Lily''s ability strengthens muscles and bones, making her very resilient."


    But her defense was different from Abigail''s.


    Abigail had aprehensive defense from all angles, taking care of every inch of skin.


    While Lily''s ability couldn''t guarantee she wouldn''t get bitten and infected, it was more like being bitten shallowly, simr to being bitten by a mosquito.


    But it was still formidable; with a little caution and wearing protective clothing, dealing with a few zombies was a piece of cake.


    Lily was amazed and happy to see Elijah demonstrate his ability.


    "Lily, we''re a family now. Let''s go back to Azure Isle togetherter. It''s so beautiful there!"


    Daisy said happily.


    "Yeah!"


    Lily nodded solemnly.


    "Alright, it''s gettingte. Let''s go to the warehouse of the underground supermarket and grab some food!"


    "Yay!"


    As soon as food was mentioned, Daisy immediately perked up.


    The three of them walked downstairs chatting andughing.


    During the walk, Daisy roughly exined some situations about Azure Isle to Lily.


    When they reached the underground supermarket warehouse, it was pitch ck inside.


    There were no windows underground, and currently, there was no electricity either, so the three of them had to use their shlights for illumination.


    Apart from the darkness, the smell inside was also unpleasant.


    A mixture of fishy odor, rotten stench, spoiled food, and stale air filled the ce, making it strangely foul and ufortable.


    "We''ve only recently cleared out the underground supermarket warehouse," Lily exined as she handed masks to the other two.


    "Due to the power outage, everything in the freezer and refrigerated rooms has gone bad, and with no venttion, the smell isn''t great!"


    "This big supermarket should have backup generators. Do you know where they are?" Elijah asked.


    It was too dark inside, and without knowing theyout of the goods, it was inconvenient to find anything. Having electricity, even just for lighting, would be much more convenient.


    "It seems like they''re next to the cold storage!" Lily recalled vaguely.


    "Take me there to have a look!"


    "Sure!" Lily led the way, and soon the three of them arrived at a door.


    A sign above it read "Freezer!"


    Without stopping, Lily continued walking a short distance and stopped outside a distribution room.


    "It''s here, but I don''t have the key!"


    "No problem!" Elijah wasn''t deterred. He had Daisy assist with the shlight while he took out his tools and quickly picked the lock.


    Entering the room, they found severalrge distribution cabs, and finally, on one side of the room, they found the generators.


    There were a total of four sets of generators, apparently capable of supplying power to both the warehouse and the supermarket simultaneously.


    Elijah followed the circuits connected to the generators.


    Fortunately, there werebels on the distribution boxes, so he didn''t have to guess.


    One set of generators was specifically for the warehouse refrigeration and freezer rooms. Another set was for the warehouse, while the remaining two sets were for the supermarket and the air conditioning venttion system respectively.


    Finding the generator for the warehouse, Elijah checked the diesel inside. It was full, so he started it up.


    Once the generator voltage stabilized, he flipped the power switch, and the room instantly lit up.


    "Now it''s much more convenient!" Elijah nodded in satisfaction.


    "I just wonder if there''s any reserve diesel here. If not, we''ll have to rotate the four generators!"


    "I remember there should be some in the maintenance department on the first floor!" Lily raised her hand.


    "Really? Then we don''t need to worry! Let''s go find something to eat now, I''m starving!"


    "Great!"

 Chapter 92: He had a bad feeling about this

    The three of them walked out of the distribution room, and the warehouse was already brightly lit.


    Numerous shelves could be seen, divided into several areas, muchrger than the first floor.


    The three headed straight for the fast food section. One of them grabbed a few self-heating rice packs, without much fuss, and they sat on the floor, ready to eat!


    While waiting for the rice to heat up, Daisy went to the drinks section and brought back a bottle of c.


    "If only Hannah were here, we could have chilled c!"


    "Hannah would burst outughing if she heard that. Is her power meant for chilling c for you?"


    "I think it''s great!"


    "Erm~" Elijah thought about it.


    Hannah''s ability wasn''t very useful against zombies because she had to touch objects to freeze them.


    It was too risky to use against zombies; she might get scratched identally, which wasn''t worth it.


    It was more effective to use the terrain, like water pools. But her ability was very useful for dealing with humans and daily life situations.


    Especially in this hot summer, it''s like having a mobile refrigerator.


    Yeah, they could consider bringing Hannah out the day after tomorrow.


    By then her body strengthening exercises should have some effect!


    All three of them had big appetites. Each of them had to eat several boxes of self-heating rice to feel full.


    Elijah checked the time and realized it was gettingte.


    It would be dark soon.


    So he said, "You two, bring some food to the car. I''ll go upstairs to get some clothes. Fiona and the others don''t even have proper exercise clothes; they''re still wearing Charlotte''s!"


    "Shouldn''t we be the ones looking for clothes? We girls know what girls like to wear!" Daisy said strangely.


    "Who do you girls dress up for? Isn''t it for us guys? So we guys understand better!"


    "Nonsense!"


    Nonsense can also make sense! Elijah didn''t care about Daisy''s little protest and grinned as he ran to the third floor. He had to pick carefully!


    While Elijah went, Daisy and Lily had to move the food together.


    There was a lot of food in the warehouse: rice, noodles, oil; canned goods, pickles, dried vegetables; honey, jam, seasoning; instant noodles, pre-made food, snacks... All neatly arranged on the shelves.


    They didn''t bother to choose carefully; they just had to pack everything.


    And the food in the warehouse didn''t need to worry about the expiration date; it was all still good for a long time.


    So they started with the nearest items.


    Meanwhile, Elijah casually strolled to the third floor.


    He first found a fewrge canvas bags and then went straight to the swimsuit section.


    He skipped the men''s swimsuits directly and didn''t take all of the women''s swimsuits, just selected a few.


    Any one-piece swimsuits with skirts were thrown aside; he only packed a few simr swimsuits.


    As for two-piece swimsuits, especially bikinis with more exposure, he packed them all.


    After all, there was only him on the ind, the less clothes, the better!


    As for Gabriel... he should be banned froming to the ind in the future!


    After picking swimsuits, Elijah went to the lingerie section.


    Here, his requirements were not high.


    He packed a few pieces of various styles; after all, they were usually worn inside, and he couldn''t see them anyway.


    When he saw them, he actually preferred ying with what was inside.


    Then came pajamas. It was too hot in summer; he needed cool andfortable ones, so he picked some silk camisole nightgowns.


    Finally, he packed some T-shirts, shirts, and various dresses.


    He also picked some shorts that Be liked to wear.


    He only brought slim-fitting yoga pants as long as he could practice the exercises to show off his figure!


    Lastly, he inexplicably picked a few more sexy evening dresses. Maybe someone would like to wear them? Like Fiona.


    Elijah chuckled to himself and turned around to see, inadvertently, four canvas bags each as tall as a person behind him, already packed full.


    He tied them up with ropes and carried them downstairs on his shoulders.


    By the time he reached the warehouse door, Daisy and Lily had already brought a lot of things over.


    Unlike Elijah, who carried them all on his shoulders, there were small carts in the warehouse that they could push to the stairs and then bring them up.


    Unfortunately, the elevator couldn''t be used now, otherwise, it would be even faster.


    Even so, the car was almost full.


    The space in the escort vehicle wasn''trge to begin with, so Elijah quickly stuffed the canvas bags in, otherwise, there would be no ce to put them!


    "Today was mainly to scout; let''s take less. We''ll need a few trucks tomorrow!"


    Elijah looked at the sky; it was already dark without neon lights, light pollution.


    The night fell particrly fast.


    Elijah motioned for Daisy and Lily to stop and outlined the next steps.


    "It''s dark now. Daisy and I will go to the office building across the street to find someone. Lily, you stay here and watch the car. We''ll be back soon!"


    "O-okay..." Lily nodded nervously.


    Elijah had mentioned this n while they were eating, but Lily couldn''t help feeling uneasy.


    "Alright, I''ll have Abigail stay with you! You two wait in the car. As soon as wee back, we''ll head straight back to the ind!"


    Seeing Lily feeling reassured, Elijah thought for a moment and then ordered the mutated female zombie and the other three newly controlled salesgirl zombies to roam freely nearby.


    He hinted that they shouldn''t harm Lily, but they could deal with other strangers as they pleased.


    At the same time, he nned to have these zombies stay here at night, guarding the entrances of the mall.


    With the mutated female zombie present, ordinary people wouldn''t dare to have any ideas about the mall.


    Elijah implied that they could only move around the vicinity of the mall and were not allowed to be lured away.


    With the arrangements in ce, Elijah and Daisy vanished from Lily''s sight using their stealth abilities and headed towards the office building across the street.


    Along the way, they encountered few zombies, just a few scattered ones!


    It was unclear where the hundreds of zombies had been drawn to and where they had gone.


    The two of them reached the office building smoothly.


    The main entrance was wide open, and there weren''t many zombies on the ground floor.


    Most likely, they had been lured away and had run outside.


    But the ground was covered in dark stains of blood, with several rotting corpses, and the air was filled with the stench of decay.


    It all indicated the grim aftermath of the zombie outbreak here.


    Both of them were ustomed to such sights and didn''t linger.


    They went straight to the bottom of the building and started climbing up.


    There weren''t many zombies in the corridors either.


    They encountered a few on floors 1 through 4. They tried to avoid them, but if they couldn''t, they dispatched them swiftly.


    They tried to keep the noise down to avoid attracting more zombies.


    But strangely, from the 5th floor onwards, the fewer zombies they encountered.


    Even the office area becamepletely silent, without any signs of movement.


    Unlike the lower floors where they could at least hear a few zombie groans. This was abnormal!


    Elijah''s expression gradually turned serious.


    He had a bad feeling about this.


    Soon, on the 7th-floor corridor, they saw a corpse that had been partially eaten by zombies.


    The body had been picked clean, leaving only a gleaming skeleton strewn on the ground haphazardly.


    "What''s going on?" Daisy was taken aback.


    "If I''m not mistaken, there might be a mutated zombie nearby," Elijah said, his expression grim.


    Their target was on the 8th floor, and they were about to reach it.


    Although they didn''t hold much hope, stopping here would not be justified!


    They would do their best and leave the rest to fate!

 Chapter 93: Strange Zombies

    "Let''s be careful!" Elijah cautioned. "Mm-hmm," Daisy nodded earnestly.


    They continued to climb upwards.


    By the time they reached the eighth floor, the scene became even more gruesome.


    The walls were sttered with blood, the tiles on the floor stained a dark red, forming a thickyer of dried marks.


    Limbs and arms were haphazardly strewn about, with not a single intact body in sight.


    Even with Elijah''s experience and Daisy''s sturdy nerves, the sight resembled hell, causing their faces to pale.


    Moreover, the grim scene wasn''t something that had formed overnight.


    Elijah noticed that some of the bloodstains hadn''tpletely dried, indicating that the mutated zombie had been lurking nearby, hunting down other zombies for food.


    Braving the thickyer of bloodstains, the two pressed on, searching for the office Fiona had mentioned. Soon, they halted in front of a door with a sign reading "Chairman''s Office."


    "This is it!" Elijah observed cautiously, scanning the surroundings. He then gently pushed the door open.


    Inside was a very spacious office, with arge desk and bookshelves filled with books. However, the office was empty at the moment.


    The two entered, immediately closing the door behind them.


    Elijah surveyed the room, confirming that there were neither people nor zombies present, before approaching the desk.


    Apart from theputer, office supplies, and a few ornaments, there was also a photo frame disying Fiona''s smiling face.


    "This is the ce, but Fiona''s father isn''t here. There are no traces of blood or signs of struggle either..." Elijah remarked.


    "Elijah, look!" Daisy pointed to a suit jacket hanging on a coat rack in the corner of the room. "This isn''t good..."


    If Fiona''s father was here during the outbreak and wasn''t in the office, it could be dangerous.


    "Let''s take it and check the conference room!" Elijah suggested.


    He ced the suit jacket in his backpack, and they left the room, heading back the way they came.


    They had seen the conference room when they arrived, so they headed straight there.


    The door was wide open, and inside, chairs were overturned, bloodstains everywhere, and even two highly dposed bodies.


    They seemed to have been bitten to death during the outbreak, too mutted to be zombies.


    Elijah examined them carefully, but none were Fiona''s father. While their appearance made it hard to tell, Fiona had shown him a photo of her father wearing a luxurious watch.


    "Oh! Elijah, isn''t this the watch?" Daisy eximed suddenly.


    Elijah hurried over and found a severed arm on the floor, the watch on it soaked in blood. Hepared it to the photo Fiona had sent.


    Though covered in bloodstains, it was indeed the same watch.


    "It seems like this is it," Elijah sighed. The mutated zombie had torn its victims apart, leaving no other parts to be found. It wouldn''t be appropriate to bring back just this severed arm.


    "Let''s use this watch instead," Elijah decided, removing the watch from the discarded arm. He wiped it with a tissue to remove excess blood, then ced it in the bag along with the suit.


    "Let''s go," he said. As they retraced their steps, Elijah breathed a sigh of relief.


    It was good they hadn''t encountered the mutated zombie; dealing with an unknown ability like that would have been troublesome.


    However, his optimismsted only a few seconds. Just as they descended to the sixth floor, they came face to face with a bizarre zombie floating in the air.


    Elijah grabbed Daisy, and they both froze in ce, not daring to move recklessly.


    The zombie in front of them was exceedingly strange.


    Its body was extremely short, resembling that of a four or five-year-old child, yet its face was distinctly adult, with a disproportionatelyrge head, making it look like a watermelon ced on a stick.


    It was awkward to look at, to say the least.


    What''s more, its entire body hovered about 10 centimeters above the ground, drifting into the corridor from the office area on the sixth floor just as Elijah and Daisy were descending.


    "What kind of strange zombie is this? Strange ability?"


    Elijah, who had seen a lot in his past life, hadn''t encountered anything like this before.


    He didn''t dare to act rashly, silently observing.


    The bizarre zombie didn''t notice Elijah and Daisy.


    It floated to the middle of the corridor, changed direction, and drifted downstairs.


    Elijah and Daisy breathed a sigh of relief.


    However, they failed to notice a blood-red, ss-like spherical object, simr to an eyeball, protruding from the corner of the door frame where the bizarre zombie had just floated out.


    Behind this sphere was a thin thread supporting it in mid-air.


    As soon as it appeared, it aimed directly at Elijah and Daisy''s direction.


    Soon, another one emerged, then two, three... In total, five bizarre spherical objects floated out along the door frame, all turning towards Elijah, staring at them intently.


    A chill ran through Elijah''s heart; this was a dangerous omen.


    He cautiously surveyed his surroundings and spotted the five bizarre spherical objects on the sixth-floor door frame, causing goosebumps to form all over his body.


    "Damn!" he couldn''t help but curse aloud. It was incredibly frightening.


    The five floating bizarre eyeballs were, in fact, just that¡ªeyeballs!


    And the thin threads behind them were ck-red blood vessels.


    Anyone being stared at by these five strange eyeballs would feel their scalp tingle.


    Elijah realized that he and Daisy had been exposed.


    These eyeballs obviously had a perception ability simr to that of the mutated female zombie.


    "There''s another mutated zombie here!" Elijah reminded Daisy.


    Daisy was initially puzzled by Elijah''s sudden shout, which startled her.


    But when she saw the five floating eyeballs, she immediately felt nauseous and covered in goosebumps.


    She couldn''t stand such densely packed things.


    "This is too disgusting!" Daisy drew her knife, ready to strike at the eyeballs.


    "Be careful!" Elijah didn''t stop her because he saw the floating zombie they encountered downstairs had drifted back up. They had to act quickly.


    He swiftly switched to Lily''s ability. His muscles trembled, and his bones creaked. Gripping the spear tightly, he leaped into the air from a higher vantage point.


    With the spear aimed at the floating zombie''s head, he thrust it forward with all his might.


    "Die!"


    The spear pierced through the zombie''s head, barely encountering any resistance. The resistance was minusculepared to Elijah''s strength, almost negligible.


    It was like popping a bubble with a spear.


    However, even this slight resistance bought the zombie some time. Its body floated slightly upward, dodging the most lethal part of the attack.


    The spear passed through its mouth, carrying the zombie''s body with its immense inertia.


    With a loud "bang," it crashed into the wall, the spear deeply embedded in the wall. The zombie''s mouth was also torn open by the spear, leaving a huge gash.

 Chapter 94: Second Tier Corpse Core

    Seeing that the zombie hadn''t died, Elijah didn''t hesitate. He didn''t pull out the spear; it was better to keep it fixed in ce.


    How could the zombie dodge now?


    He took off the short hammer hanging from his waist and smashed it towards the zombie''s head.


    Just one strike would be enough to smash its head to pieces like a watermelon.


    However, just then, a cold light shed! Elijah halted, narrowly avoiding it.


    He looked closely and saw a grim white bone floating in mid-air.


    The bone was short, about a foot long, pencil-thin, hollow, with both ends shaved off, forming sharp angles and tips.


    It was this bone that had suddenly attacked Elijah, forcing him to dodge.


    "Telekinesis?" Elijah suddenly realized.


    No wonder this zombie could float in mid-air! And the resistance he felt just before piercing it should also have been this zombie''s telekinesis blocking him.


    However, its power was insignificantpared to that of Elijah, a power-awakened individual.


    But even that tiny bit of resistance bought the zombie some time, allowing it to avoid a fatal injury.


    Elijah nced back at Daisy and saw that she had chopped off two of the five eyeballs, which were now wriggling on the ground, while the remaining three had retreated.


    The mutated zombie didn''t emerge, and Daisy didn''t rashly pursue, but remained vignt at the door. Elijah rxed.


    He switched to Abigail''s defensive ability and focused all his attention on dealing with the zombie in front of him.


    The bone spurs in the air kept changing positions, but no matter how they changed, they all aimed at Elijah''s vital points!


    Meanwhile, the mutated zombie pierced by the spear had been struggling, trying to break free.


    But no matter how hard it struggled, it couldn''t budge the spear firmly pinned to the wall.


    Soon, it gave up struggling and stared at Elijah with its eyes fixed on him.


    At the same time, another bone spur floated out behind it!


    These two bone spurs were thepanions that came with its advancement to the second tier¡ªlightweight and sharp.


    The price was that its body became extremely small, but it was also more convenient to use its abilities. If it had its original bulky body, it wouldn''t be able to float.


    With the mutated zombie''s full exertion, the speed of the two bone spurs increased sharply.


    Elijah squinted, focusing on the flight trajectory of the bone spurs.


    Soon, he felt something was wrong. One bone spur flew out of his sight andnded behind him.


    At that moment, the other bone spur came straight at him.


    If he were on open ground, Elijah might have been able to dodge the two bone spursing at him from both directions.


    But now he was in a narrow corridor, with hardly any room to dodge, let alone on the descending steps.


    "Damn it! Let''s do this!"


    Elijah was determined! As the saying goes, capture the ringleader first!


    Only by killing the mutated zombie could they resolve the crisis.


    Otherwise, the longer it dragged on, the worse it would be for them!


    Elijah crouched down, avoiding the bone spur in front of him.


    Then he leaped forward suddenly, ignoring what was behind him, and dashed to the telekic zombie.


    He swung the short hammer fiercely.


    "ng!" There was a sound of metal shing, and a bone spur was knocked away by him.


    Even without the boost from Lily''s ability, his strength was not to be underestimated.


    After the bone spur had minimal effect on him, there was a "puff" sound as Elijah smashed the telekic zombie''s head with the short hammer, causing it to dete like a balloon.


    At the same time, Elijah felt a sharp pain in his shoulder. Another bone spur had pierced his shoulder.


    Fortunately, with Abigail''s defensive ability blocking it, and the telekic zombie dead, the bone spur, deprived of psychic support, only tore through his clothes due to momentum but couldn''t prate his tough skin.


    "ng!" The bone spur fell to the ground, emitting a metallic clinking sound.


    Elijah felt fine and quickly turned to look at Daisy.


    Just then, the five-eyed zombie emerged as well. Its appearance was even more bizarre.


    Lying on all fours like a wild beast, it is almost unrecognizable as a human being.Its head¡ªor what could be called a head¡ªhad no facial features, only a huge mouth resembling a flower that constantly opened and closed.


    Above the mouth were five blood-vessel-like structures hanging the five eyeballs seen earlier, now reduced to three.


    The three eyes stared fixedly at Daisy as the flower-like mouth suddenly shot forward, aiming to bite her.


    Elijah''s heart tightened. He forcefully pulled out the spear, threw the telekic zombie''s body to the ground, and rushed forward to assist Daisy.


    Daisy was taken aback by how ugly the creature looked; its head could even shoot out like a turtle.


    The foul-smelling flower-like mouth aimed straight for her waist. She could clearly see the circr rows of sharp teeth inside the flower-like mouth.


    Daisy stepped back two steps and swung her Tang knife downward.


    "ng!" The Tang knife split open the outer flesh of the flower-like mouth, shing with its teeth, resulting in a stalemate.


    At that moment, Elijah arrived.


    He thrust his spear downwards like a stick, smashing the zombie''s neck onto the ground, causing its skin to split open.


    Taking advantage of this, Daisy pulled back her Tang knife and shed diagonally downward.


    The flower-like mouth of the zombie immediately separated from its neck.


    Elijah didn''t rx. He was worried that the flower-like mouth might not be the weak point of this zombie anymore.


    He continuously stabbed the zombie''s body with the spear.


    Dozens of holes were punctured in its body.


    When he saw that the zombie''s body no longer responded, he finally rxed.


    "What... what kind of monsters are these?" Daisy patted her chest, still trembling.


    It wasn''t that she was scared, but their appearances were just grotesque and repulsive.


    Although the telekic zombie from earlier was smaller, its appearance was still rtively normal.


    This one really shattered her worldview.


    "This is also a mutated zombie," Elijah said, taking out a dagger and opening the position of the eyes on the flower-like mouth to search inside. "It''s just that the degree of mutation during its advancement is quite extreme, not conforming to human aesthetics, but in the eyes of zombies, it might look good!"


    "Wow! Abigail won''t turn into this, right?"


    "Um... I don''t think so... Found it!" Elijah rummaged around with the knife for a while and finally found the corpse core.


    He reached in and pulled it out from a pile of flesh, wiping it clean with a piece of paper.


    A translucent orange crystal appeared in his hand.


    "Wow, it''s so beautiful, like a gem! But it''s different from the previous corpse core!" Daisy eximed, marveling at the crystal in her hand.


    "This is a second-tier corpse core!" Elijah said, his face filled with surprise.


    He hadn''t expected this creature to be a second-tier zombie.


    But then he thought of the telekic zombie.


    He walked over to the telekic zombie, dug into its brain, and quickly found another corpse core.


    It was also an orange crystal, but much clearer than the one Daisy was holding, with a faint green light emanating from the center.


    "This telekic zombie seems to be close to the third tier, right?" Elijah eximed in amazement.


    He hadn''t seen a third-tier corpse core, but that didn''t stop him from making a guess. Just like the high-quality first-tier corpse core, it had a bright white color with a hint of orange light.


    "No wonder it''s so powerful!"


    Elijah believed that if an ordinary ability user encountered a telekic zombie and a five-eyed zombie, they would definitely be in mortal danger.


    It was only by relying on Daisy''s stealth attack, Lily''s powerful thrust, and Abigail''s defensive resistance that they were able to kill it.


    With this in mind, Elijah felt that his abilities were quite powerful! It seemed like he needed to collect more corpse cores, awaken more zombies, and gain more abilities!


    Elijah was filled with anticipation for the future!

 Chapter 95: what do men know about women

    Elijah picked up two bone spurs controlled by mental zombies.


    The two bone spurs were the same size, about the thickness of a pencil, and appeared white on the outside.


    As Elijah brought them closer, he found their surface extremely smooth, as if zed, and glistening like jade. Moreover, they were hollow in the middle.


    Although they looked fragile, their actual hardness was high. Even when struck with his short hammer with full force, they showed no signs of damage.


    The nted cuts on both ends looked very sharp.


    He tried inserting the bone spurs into the body of the mental zombie, and they easily pierced through the flesh.


    It seemed they might have entered a blood vessel, as a stream of ck blood flowed out through the hollow seam of the bone spur.


    "Not bad, not bad!" Elijah was very satisfied. He withdrew the bone spurs, finding no trace of blood on them, still as white as jade. He packed them away in his backpack.


    "Let''s go back!"


    After securing the spoils, Elijah called Daisy, and the two of them entered stealth mode again, heading downstairs.


    This time, there were no more idents, and they smoothly returned to the entrance of the mall warehouse.


    Elijah and Daisy suddenly appeared in front of Lily, startling her, but her face quickly filled with joy.


    "You''re back! Daisy, your abilities are amazing!"


    "It''s a pity that it only works best at night!"Daisy pouted.


    The scene in the office building made her eager to return to the residential area to find her parents. Even if they had turned into zombies, it was better than beingpletely consumed.


    I''ll discuss it with Elijah when we get back!


    Daisy made up her mind.


    The two got into the car, with Elijah taking the driver''s seat this time. It waste at night, and he didn''t dare let Daisy drive recklessly!


    "Can Lily drive?" Elijah asked as he started the armored vehicle.


    "I have a driving license, but I''m not very skilled."


    "That''s okay, she can practice more! Tomorrow when we transport supplies, we''ll use two cars so we can move faster!"


    "Okay!"


    Because they had cleared the roads during the day, visibility was limited at night, but they still drove smoothly.


    Only one or two zombies who came out of nowhere blocked the road, and he drove past them.


    In about ten minutes, they arrived back at the riverside service area.


    Gabriel saw the lights from afar and was already waiting at the gate.


    Seeing the familiar armored vehicle, he immediately opened the gate!


    "We brought back some food and clothes today. Tomorrow you can get them from your sister Fiona!" Elijah said to Gabriel through the ss.


    "Alright!" Gabriel happily agreed.


    Elijah continued driving onto the ind.


    Just as they crossed the bridge, they noticed a group of people standing under the streetlights in front of the hotel.


    It was Fiona Be and the others who hade to greet them after seeing the lights from afar.


    "Wow, everyone''s here!" Daisy eximed happily as she got out of the car and saw the group of women.


    "Oh, let me introduce you all. This is our newpanion, Lily!"


    "Hello, everyone!"


    Lily followed Daisy out of the car, greeting everyone with a slight nervousness.


    Several women, especially Be, Charlotte and Fiona, looked at Lily as she jumped out of the car, as if the earth was shaking, and her slightly childish little face.


    They all unconsciously turned their gaze towards Elijah.


    Elijah was puzzled. Why were they all looking at him?


    "This is Be, this is Charlotte, this is Fiona..."


    Daisy pulled Lily along and introduced each of them one by one.


    The more Lily looked, the more astonished she became.


    Although these women varied in height, each had a well-proportioned figure and a face that was either delicate, morous, or cold... All of them were stunning beauties.


    And with Daisy, and perhaps herself...


    Lily understood her own characteristics well. Her childish face andrge bust often caused her trouble.


    These distinctive women were all gathered on this ind.


    She discreetly nced at Elijah, and a certain guess in her mind became clearer.


    "Can I call you Lily?" After Daisy finished the introductions, Fiona took the lead in addressing Lily.


    "S...sure!"


    "Wee to join us. Don''t be too nervous. From now on, we''re all family here. Just treat this ce as your own home!" Fiona''s gentle smile wasforting.


    Lily felt much more at ease.


    Fiona briefly introduced the ind to Lily and cleverly asked some questions, quickly getting a grasp of Lily''s background.


    Elijah watched on, shaking his head. He chatted with Be and the others, recounting their experiences in the mall.


    When Fiona came back after handing Lily over to the others, Elijah picked up his backpack.


    "About your father..."


    "We''ll talk about itter!" Fiona covered Elijah''s mouth with her finger. "Let''s unload the things first, and then we can find a quiet ce to talk..."


    "Okay!" Elijah admired Fiona''s rationality. He also knew she probably already had a clear idea of the answer.


    "We brought back some food today, as well as some clothes and swimsuits for you all..." Elijah opened the car door and briefly exined.


    "The food can be taken to the warehouse behind the hotel, and as for the clothes... I think we should find a room to disy them separately, and let thedies pick for themselves!"


    "Sounds good!"


    "There''s arge conference room on the first floor of the hotel, let''s use that! We should bring back some clothes hangers from the mall when we finish clearing it up!"


    "They should have them in the mall. We can consider bringing some back after we''re done cleaning up!"


    After a few more exchanges, they finalized the n and arranged for everyone to start moving.


    Hannah and Daisy took charge of the clothes. Being Awakened, each of them carried two bags effortlessly.


    Elijah drove the rest of the food to the warehouse behind the hotel. It was a dedicated ce for storing supplies, originally prepared for the future tourism on the ind, catering to both guests and staff.


    Although not veryrge, it was well-equipped with shelves for items andrge refrigerators and freezers.


    Fiona was in charge of managing the supplies. Under hermand, everyone quickly unloaded the items from the car.


    Seeing so much food being stocked, everyone felt more reassured.


    After locking the warehouse door, they returned to the hotel.


    Daisy and Hannah had already unpacked the clothes in therge conference room on the first floor, neatly arranging them on the table.


    While Daisy was sorting, she muttered to herself, "Hmph, what do men know about women, big pervert!"


    At this moment, she held up a piece of bikini bottoms, barely covering the important parts, and tossed it aside in disdain before picking up another one.


    Hannah smiled at her antics. She was sorting out T-shirts and shirts, which were more normal.


    At this time, everyone entered the room. Grace and Katherine were excited to see so many clothes.


    "Finally... some new clothes to wear!" They were wearing Charlotte''s sportswear, but being slightly shorter than Charlotte, they had to modify the pants.


    Despite this, they still looked too big, though it didn''t affect their movement, it felt somewhat ufortable.


    Fiona was also happy. She picked out two pieces of swimwear and brought them to Elijah.


    "Do you think I''ll look good in this outfit?"


    Elijah raised an eyebrow.


    The two pieces Fiona picked out were a bikini set, with the top barely covering her palms, and the bottom just as minimal.

 Chapter 96: Not That Annoying

    "It definitely looks great!" Elijah nodded earnestly. This was his carefully selected outfit.


    "Yesterday we said we didn''t have swimsuits, and today we deliberately brought them back. That''s really thoughtful!" Fiona smirked, half-jokingly.


    "Whatever youck, I''ll definitely try my best to find it for you!"


    "Hmph, thank you very much!" Fiona huffed lightly. "Do you have any other ns? If not, let''s find a ce..."


    "Just wait a moment!" Elijah found Charlotte, who was choosing clothes.


    "Charlotte, Lily is also an Awakened. Tomorrow she''s going with me to the mall to transport supplies, so could you teach her some body strengthening techniquester?"


    "Sure thing!" Charlotte nced at Fiona. "And there''s still special training for you today, don''t forget!"


    "Will you have time to train me after teaching Lily?"


    "Don''t worry about me!"


    "Alright!" Elijah thought he had gained some insights today, so it was a perfect opportunity to give her some "surprises" during training.


    Then he and Fiona found a room.


    Elijah took out the suit and watch from his backpack and handed them to Fiona.


    "Sorry, this is all we could find."


    He briefly recounted the situation at the office building.


    "I''m sure it was done by two mutant zombies, but we killed them, so consider it avenging your father."


    "Thank you," Fiona said quietly, running her hands over the suit. "Actually, my rtionship with my dad wasn''t that great. He was busy with work in earlier years and neglected the family..."


    Fiona spoke softly, pouring out her heart.


    Elijah didn''t interrupt, just listened quietly.


    Sometimes people share with others not seekingfort but simply to release what''s been bottled up inside.


    In such moments, being a quiet listener suffices.


    "I returned from studying abroad, joined thepany, and gradually understood my dad better. Our rtionship improved. I remember this suit was the first gift I bought him. He was so happy, even though he wore it for a long time, he couldn''t bear to throw it away..."


    Fiona smoothed out the wrinkles on the clothes. "So, really, thank you, Elijah."


    "Shouldn''t you call me husband?" Elijah teased her, noticing her calmer demeanor.


    "Oh, right, I promised you!" Fiona''s face lit up with a flirtatious smile."Come to my room tonight and I will tell you!"


    "Pfft, I''m not that clueless," Elijah retorted, standing up. "Let''s call it a day for now! I have other things to attend to. Get some rest early."


    Watching him briskly leave, Fiona bit her lip lightly. "This guy, sometimes he''s not that annoying!" With that, a faint smile crept onto her lips.


    Elijah strolled back to the vi. Before he even entered, he noticed the lights were on inside, with several women chatting in the living room.


    Lily was enjoying the coolness from the air conditioning, feeling relieved from the summer heat for the first time since doomsday.


    Moreover, Daisy had arranged amodation for her in a spacious room on the ground floor.


    It had its own dressing room and an ensuite bathroom, which delighted her.


    "Lily, let me teach you some body strengthening techniques. It can quickly enhance your strength..."


    Daisy paused, tilting her head. "Your strength seems quite impressive already, though. Do you really need more enhancement?"


    "It''s pretty strong!" Be nced at Lily''s chest.


    "But practice makes perfect, every bit of strength matters!"


    Charlotte crossed her arms, her expression serious.


    "Alright, I''ll do my best!"


    "Okay, Daisy, you demonstrate first, then give her a detailed exnation of the movements."


    "So, you came to find Daisy for teaching!" Elijah came in, greeted Be first, nodded to Lily, then stood beside Charlotte, both looking at Daisy.


    "Daisy is quite talented, very skilled. She could be a master already!"


    "Alright then, shall we go out and practice?" Charlotte raised an eyebrow. "Are you feeling confident? Seems like you gained something during the day?"


    "Hehe, try me and you''ll see!" Elijahpletely forgot about being beaten up yesterday. He felt like he was back in form.


    "Alright, but let''s make it clear, no using Lily''s abilities!"


    "Of course not!"


    Soon, the two were on the beach, taking their stances and defensive postures.


    Charlotte attacked first again, this time not leading with a kick but closing in directly on Elijah''s body, her right hand clenched into a fist striking fiercely at his chest.


    Elijah blocked with one hand, but Charlotte''s other hand swiftly attacked from another angle.


    At the same time, the fist that was blocked quickly recoiled and struck again, in a continuous flurry of punches, emphasizing close-quartersbat.


    Elijah couldn''t keep up with the defense and took several punches in a row.


    Fortunately, Charlotte''s punches were dense but not overly powerful, so he could withstand them.


    But hiscency was knocked out of him as he began to spar seriously with Charlotte.


    After a while, Charlotte suddenly changed her tactic. After intercepting Elijah''s upper punch, she kicked him hard in the chest, sending him flying.


    "Not bad today! Just wondering if your endurance can be used elsewhere?"


    Charlotte raised an eyebrow as she watched Elijah casually get up.


    This guy''s defense was bing more exaggerated.


    If it were an ordinary person, that kick would have broken ribs for sure.


    "Let''s try, and you''ll see!"


    "Well, you better step up your game. If you don''t win against me, you won''t stand a chance!"


    "Alright, it''s my turn to attack now. Let me show you what I''ve got!" Elijah was immediately pumped up by her challenge.


    Charlotte gave him a disdainful look. If he needed some motivation, she wouldn''t hold back.


    The two sparred on the beach, Elijah''s attacks sharp but consistently neutralized by Charlotte, who countered each move.


    However, Charlotte didn''t have it easy either; she felt Elijah''s strength growing, and his repertoire of moves was bing richer.


    At this rate, in just a couple of days, she might not be able to keep him suppressed. But she didn''t feel frustrated; on the contrary, she was very happy.


    Finally, there was someone on the same path who could respond to her. She felt Elijah wouldn''t let her down!


    As they continued practicingte into the night, Elijah, relying on his stamina advantage, gradually gained the upper hand in theter stages.


    But every time victory seemed within his grasp, Charlotte skillfully countered him.


    Elijah understood that he stillgged far behind her in technique.


    But victory didn''t always hinge on skill alone; sometimes strength overcame finesse, which was the most straightforward technique of all.


    Tomorrow, tomorrow he would definitely defeat her!


    Returning to the vi, Elijah remembered she had promised him a "surprise"! Before she entered her room, he couldn''t help but ask, "You mentioned showing me a surprise in your room?"


    Charlotte had already pushed open her door but turned to look at Elijah. "Oh, that... I had a hypothesis initially, so I wanted to discuss it with you. But I''ve made some new discoveries these past few days, so let me confirm it again... Hey, why don''t we just wait until you defeat me?"


    Charlotte rarely showed a hint of flirtatiousness, "It''ll be a double celebration then!"

 Chapter 97: Men must be crazy about you

    "Alright, tomorrow, I will definitely beat you!" "Then I''ll be waiting!" Charlotte gave him an expectant look, then closed the door with a "bang."


    Elijah walked back to his room and found the lights on when he opened the door.


    Daisy and Abigail had arrived at some point.


    "Elijah, I''ve been waiting for you for so long!" Daisy pouted. "I have something to tell you!" "Let me rinse off first, I''m covered in sand!" "Okay!"


    Elijah quickly rinsed off and came out wrapped in a towel.


    "What''s up?" Elijah walked over and hugged her.


    Daisy had already taken a shower and was dressed rather lightly.


    "Hey, I have something serious to discuss with you!" "What is it?" Elijah asked, surprised.


    "Elijah, now that we''ve taken over the mall, the next steps are to clear out the zombies and move supplies. With Abigail''s abilities and Lily''s help, clearing and moving will be effortless. I feel redundant there, and my abilities are limited during the day, so... can I act independently?"


    Daisy looked at him expectantly.


    "Of course!" Elijah didn''t hesitate. "You can do whatever you want; you don''t need to ask me specifically. You are my family, my girlfriend. You''re not a pet tied to my side!"


    "Muah!" Daisy kissed Elijah happily. "Hehe, I knew it, thank you, Elijah! I''ll leave Abigail to you then. From now on, I''ll need you to take care of her."


    Since Elijah still needed to use Abigail''s abilities, Daisy couldn''t take Abigail with her to Seabreeze Terrace to search for her parents.


    So, she simply left Abigail with Elijah.


    "That''s all, now you go to sleep. Good night, Elijah!"


    "Hey? That''s not fair!" Elijah pulled Daisy back into his arms.


    "You stirred up the fire of desire; you need to find a way to put it out!"


    Daisy blushed a little. "Abigail is here..."


    "It''s okay, Abigail doesn''t understand these things..."


    The next morning, Elijah got up feeling refreshed.


    However, Daisy stayed in bed, saying she needed to catch up on sleep.


    She nned to adjust her jetg and return to Seabreeze Terrace in the evening to look for her parents.


    Elijah had no choice but to go downstairs with Abigail.


    Halfway down the stairs, Elijah happened to see Lily stepping out of her room in slippers, yawning.


    She had changed from her outfit from the previous day and was now wearing a morefortable camisole nightgown with a low neckline.


    From his vantage point above, Elijah could see most of her chest.


    More importantly, it seemed she wasn''t wearing a bra.


    Although the nightgown had some thickness in certain areas to cover a bit, her breasts moved freely, inevitably drawing his entire attention.


    "Morning¡­ morning!" Lily greeted him sleepily.


    Once she realized it was Elijah, she quickly became alert, a blush spreading across her cheeks.


    She discreetly tugged at her nightgown to make the neckline smaller, but it didn''t really help.


    "Why are you up so early?" she asked.


    "The bed was toofortable, I couldn''t get used to it!" Elijah replied with an embarrassed smile.


    "I... I''ll go help with breakfast!" Lily said, then turned and ran to the kitchen. "Be, I''m here to help with breakfast!"


    "That''s great! Can you check if the porridge is done?"


    "Sure thing!" Lily responded.


    Aftering down the stairs, Elijah let Abigail stay in the living room. He nned to go outside to check on the morning exercise group. At the door, he ran into Hannahing in.


    "You look beautiful today!" Elijah greeted her.


    Hannah was wearing the clothes he had brought back yesterday.


    She had on a white sweetheart-neck T-shirt withyered ruffles at the sleeves, simple yet refined.


    Her bottom was a pair of ck mid-rise shorts that looked like a very short pleated skirt, barely covering her thighs, tempting one to keep staring, hoping for a glimpse.


    But in reality, it was a romper, securely covering her, dashing any such hopes instantly.


    Elijah still watched with keen interest because Hannah''s legs were very attractive.


    "Thank you for the clothes you brought back yesterday!" Hannah''s usually cold face showed a slight smile, making Elijah a bit dazed.


    In terms of looks alone, Hannah was no less attractive than Daisy.


    However, Hannah always had a cool, distant demeanor, unlike Daisy''s yful and adorable charm that everyone loved.


    But getting to know Hannah revealed that while she wasn''t overtly warm, she didn''t reject social interactions either.


    asionally showing a smile, she was like a flower in full bloom, stunning and captivating.


    "How''s your body strengthening techniqueing along?" Elijah steadied himself and asked with a smile.


    "I spent all day yesterday practicing under Charlotte''s guidance, and my strength has increased significantly. Now, facing zombies, I feel like I can easily chop off their heads!" Hannah replied seriously.


    Elijah gave a mental thumbs-up to Charlotte. "How about joining me on a supply run to the mall today?" he suggested.


    "Sure!" Hannah agreed without hesitation.


    Seeing that Elijah had nothing else to say, she headed straight to the kitchen.


    Elijah, on the other hand, walked out of the vi to the area where Charlotte and the others were practicing their body strengthening techniques.


    His eyes immediately lit up at the sight of their outfits.


    Today, everyone was wearing new clothes, even Charlotte.


    They were all in T-shirts and shorts, their slender legs gleaming in the morning light, looking particrly eye-catching and pleasing to the eye.


    "Now this is the proper attire for exercising!" Elijah thought with satisfaction, d he had brought back so many clothes. He watched them intently.


    Fiona noticed him early on and slyly winked at him in the midst of her workout.


    "Focus on your training!" Charlotte said sternly. Fiona immediately straightened her posture.


    "Haha, looks like someone can keep you in line!" Elijahughed.


    Charlotte shot him a subtle re.


    "Uh¡­ maybe I should go back and check out Lily''s ample chest!" Elijah muttered as he wandered back to the vi.


    In the vi''s dining room, Be, Hannah, and Lily were busy setting the table after finishing up in the kitchen.


    Be, standing close to Lily, couldn''t help but ask softly, "Lily, tell me your secret. What do you eat to grow such a big chest?"


    Hannah''s ears perked up, and she listened intently.


    "Nothing special, just regr food," Lily replied, a bit embarrassed.


    "I envy you! Men must be crazy about you!" Bemented.


    "Not really¡­"


    "How not? Didn''t you see the guy outside staring at you?" Be pointed towards the door.


    Lily looked over and saw Elijah walking in.


    "I¡­ I''ll go change my clothes!" Lily said shyly, then hurried back to her room, leaving Elijah watching in a daze.


    "Wow¡­ giving a back massage to her would be pure bliss," he thought to himself, somewhat dazed by the sight.

 Chapter 98: Fiona Awakens

    "Is it nice?"


    Be yfully scolded, and Hannah also silently stared at him.


    "Uh... it''s quite spectacr!"


    Elijahmented.


    The two women rolled their eyes at him, ignoring him as they went back to preparing breakfast.


    Before long, Fiona, Charlotte, Grace, and Katherine returned from their morning exercises. Everyone took their seats. Seeing that Daisy hadn''te out, Be asked with concern.


    Elijah informed everyone about Daisy''s decision to act alone and also announced that today, Hannah and Lily would apany him to the mall to gather supplies.


    They nned to make several trips, so everyone should be ready to help with the unloading.


    After breakfast, everyone helped clean up the dishes.


    Elijah checked on the zombie grass and Crystal Grass.


    The zombie grass had grown its third leaf, and the fourth was beginning to sprout. Elijah was delighted, as it seemed someone could awaken today.


    The zombie grass was growing well, but the Crystal Grass showed little change, only slightlyrger in size with a faint hint of a second bud forming next to the first.


    Elijah pondered for a moment, then pulled out a second-tier corpse core and buried it at the root of the Crystal Grass.


    Waiting for the Crystal Grass to grow naturally was too slow; first-tier corpse cores had an effect, but took time.


    After encountering a potentially third-tier Telekinesis zombie, he urgently needed to enhance his strength.


    The first method was to control more zombies, awakening them to see if they could gain more interesting abilities.


    The second was to rapidly mature the Crystal Grass, advancing it so he could be a third-tier ability user.


    Lastly, he needed to intensify his training: learning techniques from Charlotte and enhancing his physical fitness through body-strengthening exercises.


    He decided to pursue both paths, as strengthening both aspects would lead to significant improvement over time.


    With the second-tier corpse core, the surrounding glow of the Crystal Grass seemed to intensify. Elijah set the Crystal Grass aside and called Be in.


    "This zombie grass is ready for awakening. I''ll cut it down now, so get ready!"


    Be nodded solemnly. Elijah also switched to Be''s healing ability, just in case.


    "Snip!"


    The scissors cut through the base of the zombie grass, and milky white sap immediately oozed from the cut.


    Elijah quickly set the cut zombie grass aside. Be ced her hands over the stem and used her healing ability, channeling energy into the remaining root.


    As time passed, Be''s face gradually paled. Soon, a new green shoot emerged from the soil in the pot.


    Sensing the zombie grass''s renewed vitality, Be finally removed her hands.


    She was in a slightly better state thanst time, but she almost lost her bnce as she rxed. Elijah quickly supported her, helping her to a nearby chair.


    Elijah then checked the zombie grass.


    The new shoot was very tender, swaying gently in the air, with a few invisible glimmers around it.


    Examining the roots, he found that the original four corpse cores had been consumed, leaving only one.


    He buried three more cores and used his healing ability to stabilize it.


    Once he confirmed the new zombie grass was fine, Elijah breathed a sigh of relief.


    With this second sessful awakening, his tension eased significantly.


    As long as they had enough corpse cores, everyone would eventually reach the second tier.


    No, not just the second tier!


    Elijah''s mind wandered to the Crystal Grass.


    If Be''s ability could rejuvenate it after harvesting, then reaching tier three for everyone wasn''t a dream.


    However, Be needed to reach tier two in her abilities first. Currently, even healing the zombie grass was a bit strenuous for her.


    Failing due to insufficient abilityter would outweigh the benefits.


    Once Be had recovered a bit, Elijah, holding the trimmed zombie grass, and Be walked out together.


    Outside, everyone was almost finished cleaning up.


    When they saw Elijah and Being out, especially with Elijah holding the zombie grass, Fiona''s eyes immediately lit up.


    "Elijah, is the zombie grass ready?" she asked eagerly.


    "Yes! Hannah, I remember there are many pastries in the kitchen. Bring them out and prepare some for Be too!" Elijah instructed.


    "Alright!" Hannah, having experienced awakening before, knew the hunger that followed awakening well. She was fortunate to have been in the kitchen during her awakening.


    Soon, Hannah brought out numerous pastries and ced them on the table. Everyone sat around, watching Fiona and Elijah. Elijah handed the zombie grass to Fiona.


    "You can eat it directly, but the taste isn''t very pleasant."


    "I''m not afraid!" Fiona took the zombie grass, examined it, and then shoved it into her mouth.


    However, after chewing for just a few seconds, her face immediately wrinkled.


    A cool and bitter taste spread in her mouth, growing stronger.


    Her face contorted in difort, barely holding backughter from the other women.


    But fortunately, after swallowing, the bitterness quickly disappeared.


    A surge of hot energy rushed through her body, and she immediately felt hungry.


    Seeing the pastries on the table, she didn''t care about her image and started devouring them.


    Be, watching, also picked up a small piece and ate it slowly. "How is Fiona? Did she awaken her ability?" Grace and Katherine asked eagerly, now that Fiona had stopped eating.


    This was crucial for whether they could awaken their abilities in the future. Hannah and Charlotte, seeing this for the first time, also watched with curiosity.


    Lily, however, waspletely stunned. Could abilities be awakened artificially?


    She immediately felt a mix of admiration for Elijah''s mystery and strength and gratitude for being part of such a team.


    If everyone had abilities, they could surely survive the apocalypse.


    Lily clenched her fists. Fiona regained herposure and wiped her mouth methodically.


    Then, she gently tossed the napkin into the air. Instead of falling, it remained floating, as if arge hand were manipting it, swaying and moving in mid-air.


    The group gasped in amazement, including Elijah. "I''ve awakened an ability. Hmm, this should be Telekinesis!" Fiona dered.


    "Yeah! That''s awesome!" Grace and Katherine cheered. They both ran over to Elijah, each wrapping an arm around his and pressing themselves against him.


    "Elijah, handsome, when will you let us awaken our abilities?" they cooed in unison, their voices sultry and teasing.


    Elijah couldn''t help but shiver involuntarily. Feeling their bodies against his arms, though of different sizes... it wasfortable, wasn''t it?!

 Chapter 99: Elijah was surprised

    Though he felt pleased inside, he didn''t dare to move a muscle under the watchful eyes of others.


    "Can you two behave a bit more normally..." he reproached.


    But inside, he sighed.


    It would have been much better to act cute in private!


    "Grace, Katherine, tone it down a bit!" Fiona couldn''t bear it anymore.


    "I promise you, I will help you awaken your abilities!" Elijah assured them.


    "Thank you, Elijah!"


    The two girls, assured, immediately released her and ran to Fiona, pestering her to demonstrate her ability.


    "Ugh, you call him handsome Elijah when there''s something, and just Elijah when there isn''t. Women!"


    "Aren''t you enjoying this?" Charlotte said lightly.


    "Um... haha, well, Fiona, I happen to have a gift for you!" Elijah chuckled, avoiding Charlotte''sment. From his backpack, he pulled out two bone spurs.


    "See if you can manipte these!" Fiona''s eyes lit up at the sight of the bone spurs.


    Her telekinesis reached out and effortlessly picked them up, holding them as if they were extensions of her own hands.


    "These bone spurs are hard and sharp, perfect for your telekic weaponry!"


    "Let me try!" Fiona directed the two bone spurs, no longer flying aimlessly, but piercing into the nearby wooden table.


    "Thud! Thud!" Two sounds as the bone spurs firmly embedded themselves into the table.


    "Not bad, not bad! How heavy of objects can your telekinesis control?"


    Although Elijah could mimic abilities, it was better to ask on the spot, giving others a rough idea as well.


    "About 10 pounds!" Fiona''s telekinesis interacted with various objects in the room, trying to move them, giving a rough estimate.


    The weight was approximately 10 pounds, and the distance was within 5 meters. The farther away you are, the more her Telekinesis weakens, and it can no longer be of any use.


    "That telekic zombie was able to levitate himself, weighing at least 40 pounds. But he was second-tier, you''re first-tier. Even halved, that''s still 20 pounds. It seems your ability has a lot of room for growth!"


    "Yeah, I''ll practice hard!" Fiona smiled faintly, then whispered something to him.


    "And, I''ll repay you properly!"


    "How will you repay me?" Elijah''s eyes sparkled.


    "Can you guess?" Fiona gave him a meaningful smile.


    "Ahem, isn''t it gettingte?" Charlotte looked seriously at everyone. "Since we''ve rested enough, let''s all go about our business! Fiona, from today, you''ll intensify your physical training!"


    "Okay... okay!" Fiona winked mischievously at Elijah, then straightened her face and walked away.


    "I''m going to train now!"


    "We''ll go too!" Grace and Katherine followed closely.


    "Then let''s get ready to go out to the mallter." Elijah told Hannah and Lily.


    "Okay!" Hannah and Lily agreed.


    Hannah went back to her vi to prepare for the outing, while Lily was pulled by Charlotte to the underground warehouse to choose weapons.


    In the room, only Elijah and Be remained.


    "How are you feeling now?"


    "I''m almost recovered!" Be''splexion improved significantly.


    "Good, there''s plenty of food, so eat up. Make sure to take care of yourself, and when Daisy wakes up, remember to prepare something for her too."


    "Don''t worry, I''m not a child!" The two cuddled together for a moment.


    Soon, they heard the sound of footstepsing up from the basement stairs. Then I saw Lily walking out with a huge axe.


    "You chose this weapon!" Elijah was surprised, but then felt it was quite fitting. Now on this ind, she seems to be the only one who can use this ax effortlessly.


    "I used a fire axe to chop zombies before, but that axe was too light and not handy. This one is just right!" Lily grinned.


    Elijah looked at her petite face, impressive bust, and the huge axe that was two-thirds her height. It was oddly mismatched, but then he thought, a violent busty loli also seemed quite impactful!


    At this time, Hannah also packed up and came back. She looked at Lily''s weapon, also surprised.


    "Are you ready?" Elijah asked, noticing that she only had a simple machete, which was odd.


    She hadn''t changed her clothes, still wearing a T-shirt and pleated skirt shorts, exposing her fair arms and thighs.


    "Ready!"


    "Um... though your outfit looks pretty and cool, it''s not suitable for fighting zombies! You should learn from Daisy and Lily."


    Daisy usually went out wearing tight jeans and a tactical jacket, looking heroic! The key was it could prevent being scratched by zombies!


    "Yeah, it wouldn''t be good if zombies scratched you!" Lily nodded in agreement.


    "It''s okay, I''m not afraid. Try touching me!" Hannah extended her fair arm.


    "Um... you asked me to touch!" Elijah grabbed her arm without hesitation.


    It wasn''t as soft as he imagined. It felt like holding onto ice, sending chills down his arm to his core.


    "Huh? Did you cover the surface with ice?" Elijah was surprised, not expecting such a technique.


    "Let me touch!" Lily excitedly came over and examined Hannah.


    "It''s so cool! I want to sit next to Hannahter."


    "Sure!"


    "How effective is thisyer of ice defense?" Elijah observed closely, noticing the iceyer was thin, barely touching her skin.


    It looked like transparent ss, so he hadn''t noticed anything unusual at first.


    "It can withstand ordinary scratches and bites, and in critical moments, I can reinforce the thickness of certain areas."


    "Good! Since everyone''s ready, let''s go!"


    "I envy you being able to dress so cool!" Lily sighed as they walked out.


    Among the three of them and Abigail, only she was bundled up tightly. Elijah was also in short sleeves and shorts.


    Since Abigail gained her ability, Elijah gave his old set of stab-proof vests and bulletproof vests to Charlotte.


    They were about the same height, so it fit her perfectly. He only carried a tactical backpack and belt with some tools he might need.


    "Then stick close to your Hannah sister; she''s like a human air conditioner now!"


    "Yeah, yeah!" The three and Abigail got on the escort vehicle, bid farewell to Be and Charlotte, and headed off the ind.


    At the seaside service area, Elijah introduced Lily to Gabriel and Emily, telling them that they would return with other trucks today, so they should be careful when opening the doors.


    Then they continued towards the mall.


    The five or six kilometers journey passed quickly.


    A few zombies appeared on the way, but there weren''t many.


    Elijah couldn''t be bothered to deal with them; he just hit those he could with the car.


    Those he couldn''t hit were left behind after a while, disappearing from sight.

 Chapter 100: Plans Change

    This was the farthest Hannah had ventured out since the apocalypse.


    Looking at the deserted streets, the congested cars, the running zombies, and the gradually decaying city, she felt an indescribable destion and loneliness.


    The once bustling human society had simply vanished into thin air!


    Elijah didn''t give her much time to ponder.


    As they reached the mall and found everything seemingly normal, he immediately led them into the underground warehouse.


    Activating the generator, they gazed at the shelves filled with a variety of goods, and Hannah couldn''t help but feel genuine joy from the depths of her heart.


    All of these were vital supplies for them to survive in the apocalypse.


    "You two start moving things. I''ll go find another truck upstairs!"


    "Okay!"


    After assigning their tasks, Elijah took Abigail back to the entrance of the warehouse.


    He remembered seeing several box trucks in the mall parking lot.


    Leaving Abigail to guard the entrance, he headed straight for the mall parking lot.


    But after just a few steps, he received a message from the female shop assistant zombie lingering around the mall, transmitting an image.


    It was on a road opposite the mall, next to the office building.


    Several men were cautiously maneuvering through the vehicles, and their target was obvious!


    It was this mall!


    "ns change!" Elijah furrowed his brow.


    He knew that sooner orter someone would set their sights on this mall, so he wanted to move the supplies back as quickly as possible.


    But it seemed they were toote!


    "No matter, we''ll handle it. I fear no one now!" Elijah muttered to himself.


    He instructed the zombies to closely monitor the movements of those people.


    Meanwhile, he systematically searched for a box truck in the parking lot.


    These were trucks used to transport goods to supermarkets, parked not far from the entrance of the warehouse.


    There was no one in the truck, the doors wide open, and the keys still in the ignition.


    Perhaps the driver encountered a zombie mutation or was attacked by zombies, hastily fleeing the vehicle.


    Elijah started the truck and, seeing that it had enough fuel, slowly drove it to the entrance of the warehouse.


    At that moment, Hannah and Lily brought up the first batch of supplies and were loading them into the truck.


    Elijah parked the truck and instructed them to pause for a moment, informing them of the approaching threat.


    "The supplies in this mall belong to us, and no one can take them away. So, follow my leadter. If they don''t behave, whether they''re human or zombies, take them down!"


    "Got it! Take them down!" Hannah and Lily both nodded solemnly.


    They were no longer rookies surviving in the apocalypse; they had witnessed the cruelty of human nature and knew that sometimes humans could be more terrifying than zombies!


    "They''reing straight towards us. It seems someone is very familiar with this mall!" Elijah received another image.


    "Everyone, get your weapons ready!"


    The three humans and one zombie stood in front of the truck, ready for action.


    At the same time, Elijah began directing the mutant female zombie and the three female shop assistants towards them, blocking the path behind the group.


    Soon, a group of people appeared at the entrance of the alley.


    There were eight of them, all men, each looking quite sturdy.


    They immediately spotted Elijah and his group.


    A few of them paused briefly, exchanged a few words, then quickened their pace.


    As they drew closer, both sides could clearly see each other''s faces and the weapons in their hands.


    Among the eight, several seemed surprised for a moment, then some of them stared at Lily, Abigail, and Hannah with excitement.


    The tant aggression and possessiveness in their eyes made Lily and Hannah furrow their brows, their expressions turning colder.


    The eight men stopped five meters away from Elijah and his group, and one of them, obviously the leader, spoke to Elijah:


    "Brother, did you upy the warehouse in this mall?"


    "That''s right, this ce is mine now," Elijah replied nonchntly.


    "You say this ce is yours just because you say so? Well, I say it''s mine! I''m an employee here, and it''s none of your business. Get lost!"


    One of the seven men behind the leader suddenly burst out, sounding extremely arrogant.


    Elijah ignored him and looked at the leader. "Is this also your opinion?"


    The leader gave the talkative man a re.


    The man seemed like he wanted to say more, but seeing the displeased expression on the leader''s face and ncing at his brothers around him, he kept quiet and retreated.


    However, his eyes were filled with defiance.


    "Sorry about that, my brother can be a bit rash sometimes," the leader apologized.


    "I understand that everything has a firste, first served basis, but brother, here''s the thing," the leader paused for a moment, carefully choosing his words before continuing, "I''m Quentin, elected leader of amunity nearby with dozens of survivors. We have many elderly, children, and women in ourmunity who need food.


    There are only four of you, and I assume you can''t possibly use all the food in the mall. Could you consider helping us out a bit?"


    Quentin''s tone was sincere, his words genuine.


    Upon hearing this, Elijah was momentarily stunned.


    "Quentin..."


    That name was famous, to say the least!


    If this person was who he thought he was, he would be one of the Tier 3 powerhouses controlling the coastal area.


    Known as "Iron Skin and Copper Bones"!


    His status wasparable to Matthew of "Lost Morals", but Quentin had a much better reputation.


    Seeing that there were elderly and children in his camp spoke volumes.


    In Matthew''s camp, it was only men, women, and female zombies. Women were either used for pleasure or sold.


    Even if a woman identally turned into a zombie, precautions would be taken, and she would still be sold. It showed how depraved and morally bankrupt Matthew was!


    Inparison, Quentin was practically an angel.


    Elijah had heard that in Quentin''s settlement, not only did he shelter many homeless people, but he also established a stable order, achieving a certain degree of fairness and prosperity. Many people admired him.


    In Elijah''s past life, he had thought about heading to Quentin''s settlement upon hearing about it for the first time.


    However, they were in the south, and he was in the north, so the distance was too far, and he gave up the idea.


    Unexpectedly, they met here.


    Elijah admired him and couldn''t help but overturn his earlier thought of killing them all.


    Meanwhile, seeing Elijah pondering, the same man who had spoken out earlier couldn''t help but speak up again.


    "Big bro, why waste time talking to him? There are more of us; are we afraid we can''t beat them? Is there a need to be so polite?"


    This time he didn''t shout loudly but muttered beside Quentin.


    "Ryan, I hope you can mind your own business and stop talking nonsense," Quentin coldly nced at him.


    "They managed toe all the way here and upy this ce; they must have some strength. Maybe they''re here because of your help, Quentin? If you didn''t lead the zombies away from the intersection yesterday, they might not have had a chance toe in."


    The other six nodded in agreement.


    "Look at the bodies piled up on both sides of the alley. Can you kill so many zombies? And look at that armored truck; it''s covered in blood! They managed to drive all the way here, regardless of how they did it, their strength is not to be underestimated! Besides, I only led the zombies away from the intersection for our convenience.


    They clearly came from the east and didn''t need to pass through the intersection. We''re here to find food, let''s not make unnecessary enemies."


    Quentin''s words settled the matter.


    Ryan and the others greedily looked at Hannah, Lily, and Abigail but dared not speak again.


    At this point, Elijah finally made up his mind.

 Chapter 101: The Transaction

    Elijah looked at Quentin and began to speak:


    "We are not just a few people here. In our settlement, many others are waiting for us to bring back food. But you are right about one thing¡ªthere''s so much food here, and some of it has a short shelf life. We can''t finish it all ourselves, and it would be a shame to let it go to waste. So, we can give you some, but not for free."


    As Elijah spoke, he took a corpse core out of his pocket and showed it to them.


    "I call this thing a corpse core. You can find them near the back of some zombies'' heads. If you want food, exchange it for these! I''ll take as many as you can bring!"


    After finishing, Elijah closed his mouth and quietly observed them.


    He wasn''t worried about the corpse cores being discovered.


    Lily had already found these things before meeting them. Without knowing how to use them, corpse cores were just toxic crystals.


    Currently, only he, Be, and Daisy knew how to use them.


    Even Charlotte and Fiona were not informed.


    All they knew was that the zombies controlled by Elijah needed corpse cores.


    And that was indeed the case. Elijah needed arge number of corpse cores to cultivate a few mutated zombies.


    Initially, he nned to collect corpse cores himself by hunting more zombies when he had time.


    Meeting Quentin and his group provided an opportunity to use the short-shelf-life food in exchange, which was much quicker and easier than hunting zombies himself.


    "This thing is called a corpse core?" Quentin asked, surprised, as he looked at Elijah. He then pulled one out of his pocket.


    He had stumbled upon it while killing zombies.


    Not every zombie had one, and he had no idea what they were for. It just seemed interesting, so he kept a couple.


    "What is it used for?"


    "Noment!" Elijah replied coolly.


    Quentin was silent for a moment.


    "How much food can one corpse core get?"


    "About five days'' worth for a normal person!"


    When Quentin had been clearing zombies in the neighborhood, he had specifically studied corpse cores and found that roughly one in every four to five zombies had one.


    This meant that if someone killed one zombie per day, they wouldn''t go hungry. Killing zombies was easy for him, so he thought this trade was worthwhile. He nodded.


    "Alright! I happen to have two corpse cores here. Give us food for ten days! We''ll collect more ande back for another exchange!"


    "Deal!"


    Elijah called Lily over and whispered a few instructions to her.


    Lily immediately went to the transport vehicle, took out a few packs of instant noodles that had just been loaded, along with some pickled vegetables and sausages, packed them into a small cardboard box, and ced it in front of Elijah.


    Elijah looked at the supplies: sixrge packs, each containing five bundles of instant noodles, totaling 30 packs, along with 30 sausages and 10 packs of pickled vegetables.


    This amounted to three meals a day, each consisting of one pack of noodles, a sausage, and some pickled vegetables.


    It would keep them from starving, but it wasn''t much in terms of quantity or quality.


    Given the urgency, instant noodles would do for now.


    Once they cleared out the supermarket, they could use perishable foods like bread and milk for future exchanges.


    "For this first trade, I''m throwing in sausages and pickled vegetables as a bonus. Take a look!" Elijah said, kicking the box over.


    Quentin epted the box and rummaged through it, understanding the quantity of food for ten days.


    It was sufficient for an average person, but far from enough for someone with his high physical demands. However, he didn''tin.


    He handed Elijah the two corpse cores.


    "Alright, two corpse cores for ten days'' worth of food. Quick question: besides corpse cores, can we trade anything else?"


    Elijah thought for a moment. "Gasoline and diesel are also eptable, but nothing else for now. I''ll let you know if I think of anything."


    Gasoline and diesel were non-renewable resources, bing scarcer with each use. They were essential for future supply runs, so collecting more was beneficial.


    "How do we trade gasoline and diesel for food?"


    "One liter for one day of food."


    "Only one day for a liter? Why don''t you just rob us! Do you know how valuable gasoline is now?" Ryan, the most vocal dissenter, protested again.


    Ryan didn''t know the value of corpse cores, so he had no opinion on that trade.


    But gasoline was crucial even before the apocalypse, and now it was even more precious. Trading it for just three packs of noodles was outrageous to him.


    "If gasoline is so important, you can drink it when you''re hungry," Elijah retorted indifferently.


    "You bastard..." Ryan grabbed an iron rod and tried to rush at Elijah, but Quentin stopped him.


    "Quentin¡­"


    "If you still consider me your leader, then stand down!" Quentin''s eyes shed coldly.


    Ryan felt a chill, recalling Quentin''s ruthless methods of killing zombies. He didn''t dare move and obediently stepped back.


    "Ah, Quentin, your subordinate doesn''t seem very obedient," Elijah said sarcastically.


    "Sorry to show you this. May I ask your name?" Quentin extended his hand to Elijah.


    "Elijah." Elijah shook hands with Quentin.


    "Alright, as you said. We''ll gather more corpse cores and return soon for another trade."


    "Fine. Bring as many as you can. Food is limited, firste, first served."


    Quentin handed the food to someone behind him and waved to Elijah. "We''ll be off then. Goodbye!"


    "Goodbye, take care!" Elijah watched the group of eight leave, only turning to Hannah and Lily once they were out of sight.


    "It seems we need to change our ns. Lily, continue moving things from the warehouse. Hannah, stay at the warehouse entrance and keep an eye out. I''ll go clear out the underground supermarket. Once you''ve filled the transport vehicles and boxes, meet me at the supermarket. We''ll sort out all the food with a shelf life of 30 days or less."


    "Got it!" Hannah and Lily responded.


    "I don''t think that group will all follow the rules¡­" Hannah recalled the lecherous looks from a few men and warned Elijah.


    "I know! If any of them break the rules, we''ll deal with them in kind!" Elijah replied with a cold smile.


    Seeing that Elijah had it under control, Hannah felt reassured, and the three immediately went about their tasks.


    Meanwhile, Quentin''s group headed back, extracting corpse cores from the zombie corpses they had previously killed along the way.


    Quentin also instructed his team to clear out the zombies in the cars they passed.


    Previously, they hadn''t bothered, but now that corpse cores could be traded for food, they couldn''t afford to waste any opportunity.


    They worked in pairs, efficiently harvesting the cores.


    "Ryan, what do you think that guy wants these corpse cores for?" asked the man paired with Ryan, as he extracted a core.


    "No idea, but it''s definitely important. Otherwise, he wouldn''t trade five days'' worth of food for one corpse core. What do you think, Samuel?"

 Chapter 102: the party going

    "I think maybe it''s like in those novels, where eating a corpse core might give you powers like Quentin''s," Samuel spected.


    "You''ve got quite an imagination. Go ahead and try it!" Ryan said, dismissing the idea but encouraging Samuel to test it out.


    "No way, but maybe we can get dumb William to try it!" Samuel shook his head, then smiled mischievously.


    "You''re really something!" Ryanughed. "But speaking of which, that busty woman, she''s the one you mentioned, right? The one with the baby face and huge breasts?"


    Samuel thought of Lily and her impressive figure, feeling a shiver of excitement. "Yeah, that''s her! She''s this year''s intern. But I prefer the other two¡­"


    Ryan was thinking of Hannah and Abigail.


    One was a cold beauty with long legs and pale skin, the other was into cosy, with a stunning figure and a fun personality.


    Just looking at them was enough to make him drool. If he could spend a night with them, it would be worth living a few years less.


    "Those two are gorgeous! I wonder where Elijah found them!" Samuel swallowed hard.


    "Damn it! All the good women are taken. Why can''t we get any?" Samuel cursed.


    "Yeah, and I don''t get why Quentin isn''t more aggressive. With so many of us, we could easily take that guy down. If we did, those women would be ours for the taking."


    "Quentin is too righteous. It''s the apocalypse now, who cares about morals andws?" Samuelined.


    "Right, there must be tons of supplies in that mall. Why should we let them keep it all? And those women, if we subdued them, they''d be ours to do whatever we want¡­"


    "Ryan, you think the same? Just seeing those three made my body react!" Samuel sighed.


    "How about we get some more guys together? I noticed a couple of them were also eyeing those women. We could take over that ce."


    Ryan hesitated. "But what if Quentin doesn''t agree?"


    "Once we''ve done it, he won''t have a choice! With all the supplies from the mall, if he tries to object, the others will back us up. And if ites to it, we can break away from him and control the mall ourselves!" Samuel''s excitement grew, his voice rising.


    "Shh, keep it down!" Ryan warned.


    Despite their thoughts, they didn''t dare show their intentions in front of Quentin.


    He was the only awakened one in their neighborhood, having single-handedly cleared it of zombies.


    He was their de facto leader, respected and feared.


    Ryan had once been the tyrant of his building, forcing a woman from downstairs to be with him.


    He enjoyed it for two days until Quentin cleared out the zombies.


    The woman immediately turned to Quentin, avoiding Ryan.


    This infuriated him, but he didn''t dare act out under Quentin''s watch.


    "Ryan, you know the mall well. With you leading, we can take that guy by surprise and finish him off," Samuel said, disregarding the three women.


    In their neighborhood, the women were all cowards, never facing zombies directly and only cheering from behind or doing support work.


    As for the weapons in their hands... they were just toys, especially that gigantic axe. If it were real, how heavy would it be? Could that girl even lift it?


    "She can, but..."


    "Ryan, we''vee this far. What are you hesitating about? Are you in or not?"


    Ryan thought about those three women, their chests, their legs, their faces, their figures.


    The more he thought about it, the more restless he became! At the same time, the resentment he felt towards Quentin also surged up.


    "Damn it, let''s do it!"


    Ryan gritted his teeth, making up his mind.


    "In this world now, the bold live and the timid starve! When we get back, reach out to the others and see how many brothers are willing to join."


    "Leave it to me, Ryan. Don''t worry!"


    Samuel pounded his chest in assurance.


    "Good, once this is done, we''ll eat well, drink well, and enjoy women together!"


    "Yeah!"


    The two quickened their pace in collecting corpse cores, eager to return to themunity and gather people. They couldn''t help but start imagining the wonderful scene of taking down the warehouse.


    ...


    In the basement storeroom of the mall, Elijah started the generator that supplied power to the supermarket, then opened a door leading from the storeroom to the supermarket.


    The sudden light agitated the zombies inside, causing them to roar continuously.


    Hearing Elijah opening the door, they immediately rushed at him.


    Elijah, with his spear in hand, unhesitatingly pierced the heads of all the zombies.


    Soon, more than twenty zombies were taken down one by one.


    Afterwards, he began to check every corner, not leaving out a single hidden zombie.


    He encountered a few more zombies during this process, which he didn''t kill but instead controlled using his consciousness seeds.


    His second-level consciousness seeds could contract up to 20 people or animals, and he had already used 16 slots.


    Since he was about to get arge batch of corpse cores, he contracted 4 more zombies and fed each one 2 corpse cores.


    His stock of corpse cores quickly dwindled to 10, and this was after Daisy had given him her 5 and Lily''s 6, and he''d exchanged for two more from Quentin.


    Raising zombies consumed a lot of corpse cores, especially when it involved mutation and awakening.


    In his previous life, he only raised ordinary zombies and didn''t worry about corpse cores.


    At that time, he couldn''t control first-level zombies, so he didn''t think about strengthening them.


    He didn''t usually have to feed them corpse cores, and if a zombie became too hungry and weak, he would kill it, which even allowed him to earn some corpse cores.


    Despite the troubles, there were benefits.


    If any of the seven zombies contracted in the past two days could bring him one or two useful abilities, he would be thrilled.


    After thoroughly checking the underground supermarket and confirming no zombies were left, Elijah opened the skulls of the dead zombies to extract cores, gaining 5 more, then started organizing supplies.


    He nced over the perishable items, including simply packaged bread slices, pure milk, sausages from the deli section, loose soybeans, peanuts, bulk pickles, and some longsting fruits and vegetables like apples, potatoes, and onions.


    There were definitely spoiled items, and the supermarket was filled with a pungent, rotting smell from decaying fruits, vegetables, fresh meat, and seafood, as well as some refrigerated and frozen food that had gone bad.


    Unable to determine what was spoiled by smell alone, Elijah tossed aside anything with mold and loaded everything else into shopping carts.


    After Hannah and Lily filled the box truck and armored vehicle, they came down to help Elijah organize the supplies, packing ten days'' worth of provisions into each shopping cart.


    Abigail and the mutated female zombie, along with three zombie saleswomen, guarded the storeroom entrance, so there was no fear of anyoneing.


    Quickly, they sorted dozens of shopping carts worth of supplies.


    Elijah felt pleased looking at them; all these were potential corpse cores!


    But soon, he faced the problem of how to transport them out.


    The warehouse''s freight elevator and the supermarket''s elevator to the first floor of the mall were powered from upstairs, so they couldn''t be used.


    The only way to push the carts out was via the esctor connecting the mall to the supermarket.


    Although the esctor was arge slope that could be used without power, it needed to be padded with cardboard.


    But first, Elijah had to clear the zombies in the mall.

 Chapter 103: Lets get the party started

    The mall''s upper floors mostly sold phones, electronics, jewelry, cosmetics, bags, clothes, shoes, toys, children''s y areas, and had a cinema, along with some dining spots.


    Regardless of their current value, Elijah nned to take all the supplies from these ces.


    "Anyway, I''ll have to clear it sooner orter!"


    Elijah thought, telling Hannah and Lily:


    "You two keep sorting; I''ll go clear the zombies in the upper floors of the mall."


    "Got it!"


    Elijah walked through the passage from the supermarket to the mall and soon reached an esctor.


    He had been here earlier when clearing zombies and had ced a few shopping carts at the elevator entrance to prevent zombies froming down.


    Sure enough, several zombies hade due to the noise in the supermarket but were blocked by the carts.


    Elijah killed each one with precise spear thrusts and then moved the carts aside, creating a gap. He opened the zombies'' skulls, gaining 1 corpse core from a few of them.


    "Every little bit counts!"


    Elijah didn''t mind the small gain, collected the core, and restored the carts to block the entrance again, then continued upstairs to the first floor of the mall.


    The zombie salespeople wandering around became excited upon seeing Elijah and swarmed toward him.


    Unfazed, Elijah''s spear worked like a venomous snake, each strike taking down a zombie.


    However, the number of zombies didn''t decrease; instead, it increased as themotion attracted more zombies from the mall''s eight interconnected floors.


    Some zombies, impatient or unable to find the esctor, jumped down directly.


    "Thud! Thud!"


    Like watermelons hitting the ground, spreading ck and red everywhere!


    Some zombies couldn''t get up again, and those that did were mostly crippled, hobbling toward Elijah.


    Elijah found this amusing, but his spear unceremoniously put them out of their misery.


    After continuously stabbing for a while, the zombies gradually stoppeding. Elijah opened the skulls of the dead zombies, collecting 8 more corpse cores.


    "That was quite a haul!"


    Elijah didn''t want to search for zombies one by one anymore. He noticed the jewelry section''s counters nearby and his eyes lit up.


    "Then let''s keep the music ying and the party going?"


    Elijah took out a short-handled hammer and smashed it against the ss disy case.


    The sound of shattering ss echoed throughout the enclosed mall.


    Zombies that hadn''t responded to the earlier sounds of battle immediately reacted.


    They screeched and roared, leaping like moths to a me,nding with a series of sts on the ground.


    Elijah easily dispatched a few zombies that were missing limbs or otherwise incapacitated.


    However, every time he fought the zombies, he had to stop smashing the ss, and without noise, the zombies stoppeding on their own.


    This greatly reduced his efficiency, but it didn''t deter him.


    He ran to the neighboring mobile phone store, grabbed two Bluetooth speakers, connected them to his phone, and found some local music to y.


    The mall instantly filled with upbeat songs.


    "Let''s get the party started!"


    Elijah couldn''t help but dance a few steps, then quickly dispatched a few zombies that had appeared out of nowhere.


    Fighting zombies became lighthearted and enjoyable, and after collecting two more corpse cores, the mall quieted down.


    Satisfied, Elijah turned off the music. There were definitely still zombies in the mall, hiding in some corner.


    But since they hadn''te out with all the noise, they were probably trapped. Elijah began tapping his spear on the ground, creating a "thud" "thud" noise as he wandered around.


    From the first to the eighth floor, he found quite a few zombies. Besides those that were crippled from jumping down, struggling near the esctors, he also found several in locked fast food restaurants and cinemas.


    To be thorough, Elijah carried the Bluetooth speakers from the eighth floor to the first, ying music as he walked.


    After confirming that all the zombies in the mall were eliminated, he prepared to return to the underground supermarket. Passing through the jewelry section, he noticed the broken ss and scattered jewels. Elijah suddenly stopped.


    Other than a few billion sperm, he hadn''t given Be and Daisy any gifts. Although these jewels weren''t valuable now, a woman''s nature is to love beauty. They would likely appreciate them. Why not pick a few to take back as gifts?


    But what to choose?


    Elijah looked around. There were still many counters, and he spent a moment at each, finding them all quite beautiful.


    "I''m such a fool. Why not just take more? There''s no one to stop me now, and aren''t there two girls downstairs?"


    Elijah pped his forehead!


    Since he was giving gifts, he couldn''t favor one over the other. He decided to give each one and see if the girls downstairs liked his selections.


    Elijah ran to the bag section, found tworge backpacks, and began stuffing them with rings, nes, bracelets, bangles¡ªeverything, gold, colorful, diamond, or jade.


    After filling the bags, Elijah started thinking about what to give Hannah and Lily. Rings weren''t suitable, bracelets weren''t convenient forbat... so nes it was!


    Elijah carefully selected two, feeling they suited the girls, and put them in boxes. Humming a tune, he returned to the underground supermarket.


    Hannah and Lily were still busy. Elijah shouted from a distance.


    "Ladies, I brought you some gifts!"


    "What?"


    Hannah and Lily stopped what they were doing. They saw Elijah proudly holding two items.


    "This one is for you!"


    Elijah handed a box to Hannah. Hannah looked closely and saw a six-pointed snowke encrusted with diamonds, sparkling brilliantly under the light. It was clearly a ne, with a silver chain stringing it together.


    "For... for me?"


    Hannah was both surprised and a bit pleased.


    "Yes, do you like it?"


    A rare smile appeared on Hannah''s usually cold face. She nodded.


    "I like it!"


    "Let me put it on for you!"


    Elijah took the ne out of the box and moved behind her. Hannah hesitated, wanting to stop him, but in the end, she remained still, allowing Elijah to fasten the ne around her neck.


    Elijah was half a head taller than Hannah, and from his vantage point behind her, he had a clear view of the area below her heart-shaped neckline.


    "Damn, so white," Elijah thought to himself.


    Be and Daisy also had fair skin, butpared to Hannah, theirs seemed just a tad less perfect. Hannah''splexion was like milk, pure and natural.


    Especially at such close range, her skin looked like soft jade, glowing with a wless radiance.


    "Is... is it done?" Hannah asked.

 Chapter 104: Why are you here

    As Elijah fumbled behind her for a while, Hannah felt a tickling sensation on her neck and a sudden heat in her chest, prompting her to speak up.


    "Is it done?"


    "Yes, it''s done!" Elijah reluctantly stepped away and moved to face her.


    "Let me see!" he said, immediately struck by her beauty.


    The ne was stunning.


    The sparkling snowke rested perfectly between her corbones, its brilliance entuated by her milky white skin.


    The way the light hit it made it hard to look away.


    But it was Hannah''s slightly flushed face that captivated Elijah even more.


    Her normally cool demeanor now had a hint of shyness, with a light blush on her cheeks and her eyes downcast, avoiding his gaze.


    "Wow, Sister Hannah, you look so beautiful with it on!" Lily''s voice interrupted, snapping Elijah back to reality.


    "Really?" Hannah asked, her shyness making her even more alluring.


    Elijah''s heart fluttered; he wanted nothing more than to hold her and cherish her.


    "Yes, really!" he nodded, his earlier daze evident in his expression.


    Lily circled around Hannah, showering her with morepliments before eagerly turning to Elijah.


    "You had one for me too, right? Where''s mine?"


    "This is for you!" Elijah produced another box and opened it.


    "Let me put it on you."


    He didn''t want to show favoritism.


    "Okay!"


    Elijah walked behind Lily. Unfortunately, she was wearing a long-sleeved jacket, obscuring any pleasant view.


    However, from his height, looking over her head, he couldn''t see the ground.


    Despite being a full head taller than Lily, Elijah found the experience charming.


    "This ne is so unique!" Lily eximed once he had fastened it. She picked it up to examine it and saw it was made of seven small golden stars, forming a pattern reminiscent of a reclining figure seven.


    "It looks like a little axe."


    "Exactly! I chose it especially for you. As soon as I saw it, I thought of giving it to you."


    "Thank you!" Lily expressed her delight.


    "We''re all family; no need for such formalities! Alright, it looks like we''ve sorted quite a bit of food for trading. Let''s focus on the main task now."


    The primary task was to transport essential supplies from the mall back to the ind.


    "I originally nned for the three of us to drive back together, but now there''s an unexpected situation. We don''t know when Quentin and his group mighte, so someone needs to stay at the mall. I don''t feelfortable leaving either of you here alone, so I''ll stay. With my abilities and the nine zombies, including Abigail, no one can harm me.


    I''m also notfortable with you two driving alone, so take one truck back to familiarize yourselves with the route. When you return, we''ll get another vehicle. Let''s move these supplies as quickly as possible."


    Hannah and Lily agreed with his n.


    The three of them headed to the warehouse entrance.


    Lily eagerly volunteered to drive.


    Shecked driving experience and needed to practice, while Hannah was more seasoned, even if her experience was mostly with cars.


    Elijah instructed Hannah to guide Lily.


    With a smile, Lily took the driver''s seat and started the vehicle, carefully pulling away.


    The distance to Azure Isle was only about five or six kilometers.


    Given that both Lily and Hannah were ability users, with one skilled in offense and the other in defense, Elijah wasn''t too worried about their safety.


    As Elijah watched the vehicles disappear from view, he found himself with some free time and began to wander around the exterior of the mall.


    With the interior zombies cleared out, they could only fight nearby zombies and collect corpse cores while searching for another truck to load supplies.


    In a nearby residential area not far from the mall, several men were gathered, including Samuel and Ryan.


    Under Samuel''s persuasion, the two men who had also been to the mall agreed to join their operation. However, the others were not very supportive of Quentin.


    Upon hearing from the returnees about how amazing three women in the mall were, even more beautiful than celebrities, they immediately became interested.


    After some temptation from Samuel, they agreed without much thought.


    "Now that everyone is here, Ryan, when shall we go? The guys can''t wait to have fun with those women!" Samuel chuckled.


    "We can go now, but I''m afraid Quentin will stop us from going out," Ryan said with narrowed eyes.


    "Quentin is busy with other matters now, he doesn''t have time to bother us!" another person who had been to the mall chimed in.


    "Oh? What happened?" Ryan asked.


    "That idiot William suddenly turned into a zombie just now and injured two people who were collecting corpse cores..."


    Ryan nced at Samuel upon hearing this. Samuel''s face also showed surprise, then he gritted his teeth and said, "This is a rare opportunity, let''s act immediately! If we control the mall, Quentin will have to listen to us!"


    "Alright!"


    "Hell yeah!"


    "Living the good life!"


    "Chasing women!"


    The men echoed their agreement and began to move. Ryan pulled Samuel aside and asked quietly, "Did you make stupid William eat the corpse core?"


    "I told him it was candy, I didn''t see him eat it with my own eyes, but Quentin had the residents collect corpse cores, so maybe he couldn''t resist eating it..." Samuel replied.


    "Damn, it seems like the corpse cores aren''t meant to be used like this, but they must have some use, otherwise, Elijah wouldn''t spend so much effort collecting them."


    "It''s simple, once we capture him, we''ll interrogate him properly..."


    Unaware that someone was observing him, Elijah received a message through his mental link just after he finished clearing the zombies near the warehouse door. Someone''s position was rapidly changing, heading towards the mall at high speed.


    "It''s Hannah and Fiona! How did theye back so quickly?" Elijah wondered. He returned to the warehouse door to wait.


    Before long, he saw a truck speeding towards them. "They even changed vehicles!" Elijah thought to himself.


    The vehicle stopped steadily at the warehouse door, and Fiona got out of the car. She had changed her clothes, wearing a tactical vest on top, pencil pants on the bottom, and a pair of ck Martin boots,pletely overturning Elijah''s impression of her.


    "Why are you here?" Elijah stared at her slender legs for a moment.


    "How''s this? Not bad, right?" Fiona lifted her chin slightly without answering him.


    "Tsk, I thought you looked familiar, borrowed Daisy''s clothes, didn''t you?"


    "Fiona rolled her eyes contemptuously. "That''s because someone lost their mind, always bringing back revealing clothes!"


    Meanwhile, Hannah, seeing Elijah being teased, smiled slightly, suppressing herughter.


    "Alright, let''s get down to business! I heard from Hannah about the situation, so I discussed it with Charlotte and decided toe instead. My abilities can catch them off guard, just in case!" Elijah nodded.


    Fiona then patted the carne, "It''s a waste of time to wait for unloading. There are several trucks at the service area by the riverbank. Let''s keep going without resting."


    "You''ve thought this through!" Elijah praised her.


    "Let''s continue loading!" Fiona waved her hand and walked alone towards the mall.


    "What are you looking for?" Elijah asked.


    "A secret!"


    "Who cares!" Elijah turned to Hannah, "Do you know?"


    Hannah''s cold face revealed a slight smile. "Can you guess?"

 Chapter 105: Are you really going to let him go

    On the other side of the mall, Ryan and Samuel led a few people, wielding machetes and iron rods, sneaking through the cars.


    Thanks to Quentin and Elijah''s previous clearing efforts, they encountered few zombies along the way and sessfully reached the west gate of the mall.


    "The warehouse is to the east. They definitely won''t expect us to enter from the west gate," Samuel chuckled, watching as Ryan swiftly opened the door.


    "Don''t dy, let''s try to take them down in one go! Before Quentin reacts!" Ryan said.


    "Understood, no nonsense, kill any men we see..."


    "Right, as for the women... hehehe..."


    Samuel''s lips curled involuntarily.


    "When we control the mall, then we can have some fun together..."


    The others immediatelyughed at his words.


    In the apocalypse, one should live without restraint.


    Several people who hadn''t been to the mall sighed inwardly. Quentin might be okay everywhere else, but his damn rules were too much. Following him ensured survival, but it was boring.


    "Let''s go!"


    Once everyone entered, Ryan locked the door again and took the lead.


    Elijah, surrounded by nearby zombies, received this scene through his mental link.


    "Tsk, someone is really walking into the lion''s den! It''s a shame the images the zombies see are always intermittent. If only they had noticed earlier..."


    Elijah ced the stack of beer he was carrying in the car and told Hannah, "You keep loading, I''ll deal with a few rats!"


    "Be careful!"


    "Don''t worry! With Abigail and Fiona''s abilities, dealing with them is a piece of cake!" Elijah said, picking up a spear and heading towards the mall.


    As he walked, he grabbed a bottle of beer. He had sweated a lot while moving things earlier, feeling hot and thirsty!


    Then he used Hannah''s ability to turn the beer into ice-cold, taking a big sip.


    "Ahh, refreshing! Hannah''s ability is really handy!"


    However, before Elijah could find them, Fiona came face to face with them first.


    "Who are you? How did you get in here?" Fiona questioned.


    "Tsk, truly exquisite!" Samuel''s group didn''t answer but stared brazenly at Fiona.


    "Yeah, these legs, I could y with them for a year without getting bored!"


    "And this face, damn beautiful, even more beautiful than that star, what''s her name, Taylor..."


    Listening to their vulgarnguage, Fiona frowned.


    She also understood. These people were probably the ones Hannah''s group encountered in the morning.


    "Oh, it''s you guys, and some new faces. Have you gathered enough corpse cores for trade? Why isn''t Quentin here?" Elijah appeared in front of them, casually holding a gun in one hand and an ice-cold beer in the other, asionally taking a sip.


    "Screw your trade!" Ryan jumped out first. "I said this mall is ours this morning. If you know what''s good for you, surrender now, or you''ll have a bad time!"


    "Yeah, where are your other women? Bring them out to let us y, let us have some fun. Maybe we''ll even let you be ourckey!" Samuel also spoke arrogantly.


    "What do you think we should do?" Elijah ignored the bunch of idiots and turned to Fiona.


    "Kill them!"


    "What the hell are you guys saying? Are you even listening to us..." Another person jumped out, but before he could finish speaking, a white shadow pierced through his neck.


    "Ugh... Ugh..." His words were choked in his throat as blood gushed out, sttering the person beside him.


    "What... What''s going on?" Samuel and his group were instantly confused.


    "Damn! They''re ambushing us! Everyone attack together!" Samuel ordered, and the others immediately rushed forward with their weapons.


    Only Ryan, sweating profusely, quietly retreated.


    "Damn, it''s an Awakener!" He had clearly seen a white object, as thick as a pencil, floating in the air.


    "They moved fast!" Elijah nced at Fiona and smashed the beer bottle in his hand onto the nearest person.


    "Bang!" The beer bottle shattered directly. The man''s head instantly turned red and he copsed unconscious to the ground. Elijah''s strength was too much for an ordinary person to handle.


    Then, he thrust his spear, aiming the tip of the gun at another person''s head.


    The man didn''t even have time to react before his head was pierced through, his body hanging on the spear, twitching asionally.


    Behind him, Samuel was dumbfounded! Although he had killed many zombies, he had never seen someone kill like this.


    Then he turned his head and saw another brother beside him, his neck instantly pierced with a hole, blood spurting out as he fell to the ground.


    He was instantly terrified.


    Next, thest person in front of him was also pierced by Elijah.


    In just a moment, among this group of people, only he was left standing. This was because he was at the back.


    "No, wait, there''s one more person, didn''t see Ryan!" Samuel turned around in panic, only to see Ryan had already quietly fled far away.


    "You damn..." He hadn''t finished cursing when he felt a sudden pain in his neck.


    Then his body was kicked, flying into the air.


    "Tsk, a bit toote, you were preempted!" Elijah retracted his foot, and Fiona remained expressionless.


    "There''s still one left, he''s about to escape!"


    "He can''t escape!" Ryan frantically unlocked the mall''s door.


    When he turned back just now, several brothers who came with him had all been wiped out.


    He was so scared that he almost dropped the machete in his hand.


    He finally understood why Elijah and the others were able to take over the mall.


    With their skills and abilities, even if ten more people came, it wouldn''t be enough to kill them!


    Unless they were Awakeners like Quentin.


    Seeing the mall door about to open, a white object flew towards him.


    Ryan was so scared that he immediately knelt on the ground.


    "Big brother! I was wrong, big brother! I was blind! Please spare my life!"


    His cowardly act happened to save him, avoiding Fiona''s bone spike.


    "It''s not impossible! But my greatest virtue is holding grudges. You may covet this mall, anyone would have such thoughts. But when you look into my woman''s eyes..."


    A glimmer of hope appeared in Ryan''s desperate eyes.


    He forcefully pped his own mouth.


    "It''s my fault for being impudent. You are the bigger person..."


    "I''m in a good mood today, and I''m also considering Quentin''s face. I''m going to give you a chance. But whether you can live or not depends on yourself."


    After Elijah finished speaking, he walked forward and kicked him hard in the knee.


    "Ah~" Ryan cried out in pain, tears streaming down his face.


    "Now you can leave!"


    "Uh uh uh..."


    Ryan endured the pain and dragged one leg, limping to the door.


    At this moment, he realized Elijah''s intention.


    Indeed, Elijah had given him a chance.


    But now with one leg crippled, if he encountered zombies, he wouldn''t be able to run.


    However, the route had been cleared of zombies. As long as he held on, he might have a chance if he encountered Quentin or returned to the residential area.


    "Are you really going to let him go?"


    Fiona asked.


    "What do you think?"


    Elijah finished speaking and took out a Bluetooth speaker.


    "Let''s listen to some upbeat music!"

 Chapter 106: Im very sorry about this

    The Bluetooth speaker Elijah used to clear the mall of zombies proved effective, so he kept one.


    cing it at the door, he closed it and opened his phone, clicked to y music, and turned the volume to the maximum.


    Upbeat music immediately yed outside the mall!


    Ryan, who was walking away, froze. He turned to look at Elijah, his face filled with anger and despair.


    "You son of a bitch! You set me up!" He now had no fighting ability at all! Encountering zombies would undoubtedly result in death!


    At this moment, several zombies nearby, hiding in who knows what corner, heard themotion. They immediately turned their heads and began running towards the sound.


    "Ah, I hate you so much!" Ryan''s teeth oozed blood from being clenched so hard.


    But he had no choice. He could only drag his crippled leg forward.


    As long as he got away from the source of the sound. As long as he could hide. As long as he could get into a car. He might survive.


    Then, when he saw a car less than two meters away, a zombie suddenly pounced on him.


    "Ah!" A scream rang out. Instantly attracting several other zombies to rush over. Soon, the sound abruptly stopped.


    "OK, all settled!" Elijah pped his hands and turned back. "You''re really ruthless!" "Better than you attacking without a word, right?"


    "What I did was decisive!"


    "Well... you''re right. By the way, what''s in your bag?" Elijah looked at therge backpack Fiona was carrying.


    "Clothes for Daisy, I promised her to pick out a better outfit for her!" The two joked and walked back to the warehouse.


    Hannah saw that they were unharmed and breathed a sigh of relief.


    "Alright, problem solved, let''s continue loading the car!"


    This time it took quite a while, but they managed to fill two trucks with cargo.


    Hannah and Fiona each drove one away.


    But less than half an hourter, they each returned with empty trucks.


    In addition, they brought lunch prepared by Be.


    Drinking Hannah''s chilled drinks and eating Be''s hot meals, Elijah felt extremely relieved.


    Just as they finished eating and finally noticed Quentin, who arrivedte with a few people.


    "Quentin, no need to rush like this, maybe Samuel and the others have seeded?"


    As they saw the mall getting closer, one of them suddenly said.


    He had been persuaded by Samuel but didn''t want to go behind Quentin''s back. So he hadn''t agreed.


    Later, seeing dumb William suddenly turn into a zombie, he asked the people around him and heard that Samuel had been looking for something with dumb William, vaguely hearing something about looking for candy.


    Realizing something was wrong, he went back to check and found that Samuel and the others had indeed left.


    So he immediately went to report to Quentin.


    Upon hearing this, Quentin became furious. Understanding that all of this was Samuel''s doing, he immediately followed.


    Quentin listened to him and sneered. "Seeded? Have you ever thought that someone who can kill so many zombies would be weak? Moreover, there must be a reason why the other party, with three women, dared to confront eight of us big men.I suspect that the other person is an awakened person like me. "


    The others fell silent immediately.


    They were well aware of Quentin''s ability, his defense was extremely strong, zombies couldn''t break through it.


    Not even their knives could harm Quentin. With this ability alone, Quentin managed to clean up all the zombies in the neighborhood little by little.


    If the other party also had a simr ability, they wouldn''t be easy to deal with.


    "Although it''s already the apocalypse, the world has copsed, but we alle from civilized society. Some rules still need to be followed. Samuel and his group broke the rules. I don''t even know if we can continue trading with them," Quentin sighed.


    The group felt heavy-hearted as they quickly reached the warehouse door.


    They saw Elijah and the others loading cargo from a distance.


    Seeing them take out weapons and be alert, Quentin plucked up his courage and approached.


    "Elijah, do you know if a group from our neighborhood has been here?"


    "They have," Elijah said nonchntly.


    "I wonder if they..."


    "They''re all dead! Look, I haven''t even had time to wipe my spear!" Elijah shook the spear in his hand, and a buzzing sound was heard in the air.


    The blood-red spearhead shook. Quentin''s face immediately changed.


    If that spear stabbed him, even with his defensive ability, he probably couldn''t withstand it.


    "I''m very sorry about this. I just found out about it, so I rushed over immediately, but still couldn''t stop them. Anyway, they''re people from my neighborhood. It''s my mismanagement. I apologize to you. Aspensation..."


    Quentin took out a bag from his backpack, filled with arge number of first-tier corpse cores, and threw it to Elijah without looking at it.


    "These are the corpse cores we collected today. They''re yours now, free of charge. I hope you don''t mind."


    Elijah shook the bag, which contained at least twenty or thirty corpse cores, not fewer than the ones he had on him.


    "Alright, I''ll take them! I won''t take them for nothing. Each of you can take some food back with you. Take as much as you want!"


    Elijah signaled to Hannah. She understood and quickly brought out several shopping carts from the mall, containing perishable items they had sorted out earlier.


    "You''re righteous, and we won''t be polite. The supplies in our neighborhood are scarce!" Quentin''s men immediately grabbed the bags and started loading them.


    "If you want to exchange goods in the future, it''s best to bring a car. Carrying them by hand is too little!" Elijah reminded them as he took a sip of his cold drink.


    Quentin pondered for a moment and nodded. "You''re right. We need to search for supplies further away sooner orter. We need to clear the roads for cars to make it faster and safer."


    "Elijah, do you have electricity here? You even have cold drinks!" Suddenly, one of the men who was loading cargo asked.


    "No electricity, but who said you need electricity for cold drinks? Do you want one?" Elijah smiled slightly.


    "Yeah, on such a hot day, cold drinks are refreshing!"


    "Then here you go!" Elijah said, and Hannah handed him a bottle of beverage. When Hannah picked up the bottle, it was at room temperature. By the time it reached his hand, it had be half-frozen, emitting a thread of cold air.


    "Wow," the man eximed as he felt the coldness in his hand.


    Quentin''s pupils also contracted. "Awakening ability?!"


    "Does Quentin and a few others want to drink too?" Elijah asked with a smile.


    "Yes!" Quentin''s men immediately replied.


    They were both curious and wanted to confirm again. So Hannah handed each of them a bottle.


    This time, everyone saw clearly. They were convinced that Hannah had awakened the ability to freeze.


    Quentin''s intuition was indeed urate.


    "Elijah, have you awakened abilities too?" Quentin asked.


    "Indeed," Elijah snapped his fingers, and eight figures immediately appeared from the alley and ran towards them.


    "Zombies..." Quentin''s men immediately eximed, picking up their weapons and getting ready.

 Chapter 107: Display of Strength

    "Don''t be nervous, these zombies are all under my control!" Elijah said casually.


    As soon as his words fell, the zombies all stopped in unison, blocking the alley tightly.


    "Controlling zombies?"


    Quentin''s subordinates were immediately stunned, especially those who had been to the mall before, sweating profusely.


    They had a deep understanding of Quentin''s abilities and knew that awakened individuals would have significantly enhanced physical abilities.


    Therefore, even someone as seemingly weak as Hannah, being an awakened individual, might not be any weaker than them in strength, and might even surpass them.


    And with Elijah, who looked formidable with his blood-stained gun, and his controlled group of corpses, if they had to fightst time, even if they were lucky enough to win, they might not survive for long.


    They might not even win in the first ce.


    Zombies that could bemanded with precision werepletely different from those that roamed freely relying solely on instinct.


    Quentin himself felt a lingering fear. Fortunately, he hadn''t harbored any evil intentions, or he might have really ended up in trouble!


    "Quentin, you''ve awakened your abilities too, right?"


    "Yes," Quentin admitted. Seeing Elijah being so candid, he also revealed his own ability, a defensive superpower simr to Abigail''s.


    Indeed, nicknamed "Bronze Skin, Iron Bones," it was evidently rted to defense.


    So, if Abigail''s ability reached the third level, would her defense also be greatly enhanced, reaching the level of bronze skin and iron bones?


    "With your ability, as long as you don''t encounter mutant zombies, you basically don''t have to worry about being harmed by zombies!" Elijahmented.


    "Mutant zombies?" Quentin was astonished.


    "Don''t you know? Haven''t you encountered them?" Elijah pretended to be surprised.


    "No, please enlighten me, brother," Quentin humbly asked.


    "Zombies, like humans, have a probability of awakening special abilities or bing exceptionally strong or deformed. I call these special zombies mutant zombies!"


    Elijah beckoned, and the three original zombie shop assistants approached.


    "I''ve encountered a ridiculously strong zombie before, nearly flipping our car. Later, I thought, can the zombies I control also be this powerful? Until I discovered the corpse core..." Quentin suddenly realized.


    "So, brother, you collect corpse cores to nurture zombies?"


    "Yes," Elijah casually took out six corpse cores, giving each of the three zombies two, right in front of everyone, and fed them.


    These three shop assistant zombies had already been fed two yesterday, two more today, and one more tomorrow, potentially awakening.


    "I tested a zombie before, but unfortunately, it awakened a perception ability that had nobat power. It would be great if it could awaken defense like Quentin''s."


    "Hiss~" Several people beside Quentin gasped in shock.


    The few zombies who would cooperate were already difficult to deal with.


    If every zombie had abilities like Quentin''s, who could defeat him?


    No wonder he could dominate such a resource-rich mall.


    Such terrifying individuals shouldn''t be provoked.


    Quentin had real foresight. Elijah exposed Hannah''s and his own abilities mainly to deter anyone among these people who might secretly have designs on the mall.


    And revealing the purpose of the corpse cores was to dispel Quentin''s doubts and indirectly convey one thing: he urgently needed corpse cores now, but once all the zombies awakened, he might not need them anymore.


    If they wanted supplies, they should hurry and exchange them while he still needed the corpse cores urgently.


    Seeing his goal achieved, Elijah let the numerous female zombies disperse.


    He actually had the intention of recruiting Quentin.


    This guy had capability, responsibility, and principles. If he were recruited, he could lead a team independently to gather supplies.


    But precisely because he had responsibility and principles, he wouldn''t casually abandon the people in hismunity.


    Elijah wouldn''t want those people anyway.


    His goal had always been the same: either individuals with abilities or beautiful women.


    He couldn''t be bothered with anyone else; he couldn''t handle them all anyway, given the limited number of people he could form contracts with.


    Although he didn''t hold much hope, Elijah still tried asking.


    "I have high regard for Quentin''s character and abilities. Are you personally interested in joining us?"


    Quentin was momentarily stunned by the question, but he quickly reacted.


    "Me personally?"


    "Yes," Elijah confirmed. Quentin''s brothers beside him looked at him with envy and concern.


    They envied the opportunity to join a powerful team with abundant resources, where they could enjoy luxuries.


    Moreover, there were beautiful women in the other team, although a few might be Elijah''s women, but surely not all of them?


    Their concern was about what they would do if Quentin agreed.


    "Can the survivors from ourmunity join as well?" Quentin asked firmly.


    "We only recruit individuals with abilities," Elijah stated inly.


    Quentin and his brothers immediately widened their eyes.


    "So... does that mean these two beautiful women, and the one from this morning, are all individuals with abilities?" Quentin asked somewhat stuttering.


    "That''s right," Elijah confirmed. Quentin and his brothers werepletely dumbfounded. Five individuals with abilities?! If it came to a fight, they wouldn''t even have a chance.


    It was confirmed; these were people they couldn''t afford to provoke! In the future, they must mind their own business... and their own mouths.


    "Let me tell you another piece of news. Among the survivors in yourmunity, have some suddenly turned into zombies and bitten their own people?"


    "That''s right! There was just an incident today!" Quentin remembered with some frustration.


    "The virus keeps mutating, and ordinary people may not be able to withstand the transformation into zombies at any time. Only awakened individuals are unaffected by this problem. So, do you understand what I mean?" Quentin and hispanions suddenly realized.


    Quentin sighed, "I''m sorry, I can''t abandon the survivors in mymunity."


    "Quentin..."


    "Boss..." Hispanions looked at Quentin excitedly, their eyes filled with not just admiration but also respect and admiration.


    "That''s really unfortunate! But I admire Quentin''s character. If Quentin encounters any difficulties in the future, feel free toe to me. If there''s anything I can help with, I''ll definitely help you!" Elijah also sighed.


    "Okay, thank you! We''re ready to go back and collect corpse cores. We''lle back to trade tomorrow!" Quentin expressed his gratitude with a fist salute.


    "I''ll be waiting!"


    "Okay, brothers, let''s go!"


    "Okay, Quentin!" Quentin and his group left with food on their backs.


    If they used the food sparingly, it would be enough for the people in themunity to eat for a few days.


    But they couldn''t rx; he had to take advantage of Elijah''s urgent need for corpse cores and quickly collect them in exchange for food.


    They also needed to expand their activities to search for other convenience stores or supermarkets to obtain supplies, which inevitably involved killing zombies.


    Now, corpse cores could still be exchanged for supplies¡ªa great opportunity!


    Once this opportunity was missed, there might not be another chance!


    If one day Elijah didn''t need corpse cores anymore, wouldn''t it be a waste?


    Watching Quentin and his group leave, Fiona looked at Elijah''s expression and asked with a smile, "You really fancy this Quentin, don''t you?"


    "Yeah," Elijah reiterated his thoughts.


    Fiona nodded, "Actually, there might be a way..."

 Chapter 108: Why are you back

    "What''s the n?" Elijah asked.


    "Simply put, you actually just want him to work for you for free! In this current trade model, you still have to use some resources to exchange for hisbor. When he really joins you, he won''t only provide corpse cores for free, but also have to find resources to support himself, and then hand over the surplus to you. It''s all the tricks of capitalists; I know them well!" Fiona smiled.


    "..." Elijah wanted to say he didn''t think like that. But upon further thought, it seemed to be true.


    "Don''t waste time, what''s the n?"


    "It''s simple. Do you know who takes the lion''s share of profits in the mobile phone industry?" Fiona gave a straightforward example.


    "The chip?"


    "Yes and no. More urately, it''s thepanies that controlmunication patents, like Quam. It''s just that these are all integrated into the chip, so your first impression is the chip." Elijah pondered.


    "In short, killing zombies and collecting resources are low-level tasks that anyone can do! Just like those small factories in the mobile phone supply chain, their profits are meager, barely enough to survive."


    "So, we need to aim high, do what others don''t have, or monopolize, and then use these to exchange for others'' corpse cores and resources, thereby controlling them..." Elijah continued the topic.


    "Very insightful!"


    "I understand. Let me think about it."


    Elijah''s first thought was selling zombie grass.


    Of course, he couldn''t sell it directly; he could crush it and add some other ingredients to make it into a potion.


    As long as people couldn''t tell what the raw material was, it would suffice.


    The potion that could awaken people could only be exclusively produced by him, hence an absolute monopoly.


    Selling a hundred or so corpse cores or a few carts of resources wouldn''t be excessive, would it?


    He believed anyone who wasn''t awakened would go crazy upon finding out. And his consumption was only a few corpse cores and a bit of time.


    The profit would be tenfold or even a hundredfold! He could even consider selling second-tier potions.


    But he needed to be cautious about this, to prevent breeding enemies.


    Well, he could consider adding his blood for subliminal control.


    And when the secret of spirit nts was discovered by peopleter on, he could engage in buying and selling them. Just use potions or advanced potions for exchange, with a slightly increased ratio.


    For example, one spirit nt could be exchanged for two doses of awakening potion.


    Two spirit nts could be exchanged for one dose of advanced potion.


    He believed there would be plenty of people willing to exchange.


    This way, spirit nts, corpse cores, and resources would all be delivered to him. He wouldn''t have to lift a finger; just sit back and enjoy the benefits.


    But all this depended on two premises.


    First, Be. She was the core of making all this happen, so her safety needed special attention.


    Second, the so-called "hide your brightness, bide your time." People would inevitably have designs on him when they learned that he could produce awakening potions endlessly.


    He needed enough strength to kill any enemy that came his way and deter petty individuals.


    In the end, strength was the most important! So he needed to advance to Tier 3 as soon as possible.


    That way, he could contract and control more people or zombies, and the zombies he controlled would also reach Tier 2, making them stronger.


    "It seems you have an idea?" Fiona noticed Elijah''s joyful expression and couldn''t help but ask.


    "Yes, but it''s just an idea for now. The actual operation will have to wait!" Elijah nodded.


    Fiona didn''t inquire further; she believed Elijah would tell her when the time was right.


    The three of them continued to transport goods and soon filled two vehicles.


    Fiona and Hannah drove the cars back to Azure Isle and soon returned with empty ones. In this way, the three of them emptied most of the warehouse in the afternoon.


    As the sun set and the sky darkened, Elijah looked at the two cars he had prepared and said to the two of them, "You don''t need toe back this time. Come back tomorrow morning!"


    "And what about you? Are you staying here?" Fiona asked.


    "Yes, I''ll stay here overnight to prevent anyone froming over during the night."


    Fiona understood that Elijah was guarding against Quentin''s group.


    As the saying goes, "know the face but not the heart."


    Elijah was cautious with anyone he hadn''t formed a contract with, no matter how much he trusted them.


    "Alright, then you take care tonight!" Hannah and Fiona each got into their cars and returned to Azure Isle while it was still not fully dark.


    Elijah closed the warehouse door and first went to the underground supermarket warehouse to get an outdoor power source and a shlight.


    Then he found some food, chicken legs, bread, etc.


    Finally, he took out some beer from the refrigerator, chilled in advance by Hannah''s ability, and returned to the mall, heading to the second floor.


    Elijah remembered that besides selling children''s clothes, shoes, toys, and other products, there was also an area on the second floor dedicated to selling bedding sets and other items.


    There was a disy bed there, which would be perfect for resting.


    He soon arrived at the location and set down his belongings. Then he went to the toy area and brought back a desk and chair for student use. He casually nced at the price tag and found that these items were surprisingly expensive. They would be perfect for dining!


    Elijah connected the shlight to the power source, immediately illuminating the surroundings brightly. Then he arranged the food and drinks on the table.


    There were quite a few items, and in the past, it would probably have been more than enough for three strong young men.


    But now, it was just his dinner. With gaines loss; as his strength increased, he had to pay some price.


    However, before he could start eating, he received a message from his spiritual line, causing him to pause.


    "Hmm? Daisy and Fiona''s positions are changing? They are together and heading outside the ind."


    Elijah was somewhat puzzled as he didn''t understand how the two of them ended up together.


    "Huh? That''s not right! They''ve separated!" When they reached a certain location, Daisy went straight north, towards Seabreeze Terrace, while Fiona continued in his direction.


    Elijah understood what was happening. He immediately walked downstairs to the warehouse door.


    Sure enough, not long after, a truck drove over from afar and eventually stopped steadily at the warehouse door.


    "Why are you back?" Elijah asked as he looked at Fiona, who jumped out of the car.


    By now, the sky was almostpletely dark, and they could only vaguely see people in the distance.


    "It''s because I''m worried about you being here alone!" Fiona snorted. With no outsiders present, she unintentionally showed a bit of her girlish side.


    "Wee back, then. Why wouldn''t I wee you?" Elijah rubbed his hands together, having some guesses in his mind, and his spirit immediately became excited.


    "I brought some food for you, here!" Fiona handed over a box, which Elijah epted.


    "I was just about to have dinner. By the way, do you drink? I still have some chilled beer here!"


    "Yes!"


    The two of them walked together to the dinner table Elijah had set up on the second floor.


    "You seem to know how to enjoy yourself!" Fiona nced at the bed nearby and then unabashedly took the only chair.


    Elijah had no choice but to go get another chair.


    When he came back, Fiona had already arranged the food she had brought and, because it was safe inside the mall, she had taken off herbat jacket.


    Underneath, she was only wearing a sports tank top, revealing arge expanse of snow-white skin, which looked particrly dazzling in this dim environment.


    Well... how could he still eat after seeing this!

 Chapter 109: Wardrobe Change Show

    "Daisy came out with you?" Elijah sat across from Fiona, opening the conversation.


    His eyes asionally nced at her slender neck and towering bust.


    "Yeah, I just found out she lives on Seabreeze Terrace!"


    "How so? Are you familiar with that area?"


    "It''s okay, it''s developed by ourpany, and my family has a few properties there, but we haven''t lived there much!"


    ...


    Elijah was taken aback for a moment, took a big gulp of beer, then managed to swallow it down.


    "Sigh, if it weren''t for doomsday, a small fry like me wouldn''t even dream of sitting down for a meal with a rich girl like you!"


    Elijah sighed.


    "Quite self-aware!" Fiona smiled slightly.


    "But now, talking about this is useless. The world is already like this. That we managed to survive and meet each other is also our luck and fate!"


    After finishing speaking, Fiona picked up the bottle of wine. "Come on, to fate!"


    "To fate!" Elijah clinked his bottle with hers and drank almost half the bottle in one gulp.


    Fiona also took a big sip.


    After that, the two chatted while eating. When the food was almost gone, there were also empty wine bottles scattered on the ground.


    Fiona''s face became red, but her eyes were exceptionally bright.


    Her gaze at Elijah became increasingly unbridled, staring at his cool upper body.


    With a seductive smile, she couldn''t help asking, "Do you think I look good?"


    "Very good!" Elijah nodded naturally.


    "Do you want to see something even better?" Fiona said, pulling down the neckline of her suspenders slightly, revealing more of her snowy and steep skin.


    Elijah swallowed hard. "I do!"


    "Humph, you tterer!" Fiona snorted and adjusted her clothes upwards.


    ...


    Elijah looked at the mischievous smile on her lips and couldn''t help feeling a bit toothache!


    Girl, do you know you''re ying with fire?


    He nced at Fiona''s smooth neck and quickly came up with an idea.


    "You''re good-looking, but something''s missing!"


    "What''s missing?" Fiona nced at him, curious.


    "Well... just wait for me!" Elijah said, running downstairs to the armored vehicle, pulling out a backpack from inside.


    It was the same backpack that had contained jewelry before.


    He deliberately picked out a few items and put them in small pockets, intending to give them to a few people on the ind. The extras were nned to be ced in therge conference room used for storing clothes, so whoever liked what could pick for themselves.


    Watching Elijah running downstairs and then back up, Fiona couldn''t help but feel moved when she saw the box in his hand.


    She remembered the ne Hannah had added to her neck, a smile ying on her face.


    "Here, I think you''ll look even better with this on!" Elijah handed her the box, and Fiona took a closer look. Inside was a bright silver flower.


    The flower consisted of eight petals, with four small petals on top and fourrge interlocking petals below. The center of the flower was adorned with sparkling diamonds.


    "It''s very pretty. Are you going to put it on me next?"


    Fiona nodded slightly, then said with a smile.


    "Um... " Caught off guard, Elijah felt a little embarrassed.


    "I really like it. Thank you!" Fiona no longer teased him and epted the box, then stood up and stretchedzily.


    "Ah! Full and satisfied, next is exercise... Hmm, I need to change into something more loose!" Elijah''s eyes lit up at the idea. "The clothes are upstairs, but it''s too dark there. I''ll apany you!"


    Fiona''s lips curled slightly as she hummed. "Alright!"


    Immediately, Elijah grabbed an outdoor power source and a shlight, following behind Fiona as they headed to the third floor. The third floor was dedicated to women''s clothing.


    Although they intended to find loose clothes, when they arrived at the third floor, Fiona found herself unable to move, captivated by the array of dresses and shoes, wanting to try every single one.


    Elijah apanied her, first picking out several pairs of shoes¡ªsneakers, canvas shoes, ts, and high heels. They then moved to the women''s clothing area.


    "This one looks nice!" As soon as they entered the women''s section, Fiona''s eyes brightened as she immediately spotted a stylish dress.


    "Help me get it down!" The dress was hung a bit high, so Elijah reached up to retrieve it for her.


    Taking the dress, Fiona happily walked into the fitting room. But soon, she emerged again. "It''s too dark in there, can''t see anything!"


    Fiona wrinkled her nose and then instructed Elijah, "Shine the light to the side."


    Although Elijah didn''t understand why, he followed her request and directed the light to the side. Then he saw Fiona walk behind the counter and bend down.


    There was a rustling sound as she removed her pants. Elijah was tempted to look, but the counter blocked his view, and there wasn''t enough light to see anything clearly, only shadows.


    Elijah felt a tingling sensation in his heart. Soon, Fiona stood up again. She ced her pants on the counter, then put on the dress, tidied her hair, and walked out, turning her body.


    "How is it? Do I look pretty?" Elijah''s heart skipped a beat. The simple yet stylish white dress on Fiona seemed to take away some of her maturity and sophistication, adding simplicity and innocence.


    It made him feel like he was back in his school days, seeing a campus goddess in white.


    "You''re beautiful! Like a fairy!" Elijah eximed.


    "Is it... really that nice?" Fiona turned a few more times happily before looking into the mirror.


    But soon, her brows furrowed. "It''s beautiful, but not suitable for exercising! Let me try something else!"


    Without changing out of the dress, she dashed to another section, fluttering like a butterfly.


    Elijah followed, watching her shuttle among the colorful clothes, trying on one or two pieces from time to time.


    It had to be said, Fiona''s figure was really good, like a perfect clothes hanger. Any outfit, whether sexy, cute, elegant, or cool, looked great on her. She was like a versatile elf.


    Elijah felt dizzy watching her.


    They soon wandered through most of the floor, and Elijah ended up carrying a pile of clothes and shoes.


    Seeing a formal dress shop, Fiona suddenly stopped in her tracks.


    "Alright, we''ve picked out enough. Let''s go back!"


    "Huh? Aren''t we going to try a couple from there?" Elijah looked somewhat reluctant, ncing at the models in front.


    The evening dresses were high-slit with low necklines. They would definitely look good on her!


    "Do you want to see?" Fiona hesitated.


    "I really want to. I''ve always thought you would look the most beautiful in an evening gown!"


    "Then... I''ll try one!" Fiona lightly bit her lip.


    "Alright!" Elijah nodded eagerly.


    Fiona walked into the shop and looked around, finally choosing a ck satin evening gown. Again, she walked behind the counter, but this time, she didn''t change immediately. Instead, she said to Elijah, "You... turn around!"


    "???" Elijah looked puzzled but still turned around.


    Then he heard the rustling sound of Fiona changing clothes.


    After a while, Fiona''s voice came, "Alright, you can turn around now!"

 Chapter 110: He had truly experienced another side of Fiona

    Elegant, noble, and sexy!


    After putting on the ck satin evening gown, Fiona''s demeanor immediately changed.


    Elijah couldn''t think of particrly good words. His eyes werepletely drawn to the ample cleavage and the slit reaching her waist.


    His mind was upied with the thought that the neckline of the ck satin evening gown was much lower than the one Fiona had worn before. But now, he couldn''t see any straps...


    So what was she wearing underneath?


    No straps meant... nothing?


    No wonder she asked me to turn around. And her legs! The slit of the evening gown was so high!


    Fiona''s long legs werepletely exposed, reaching up to her waist.


    "Hmm, that''s not right. There should be underwear around the waist area, why can''t I see it? Could it be..."


    A me ignited in Elijah''s heart. He remembered that some evening gowns required thong underwear for aesthetics, but Fiona clearly wasn''t wearing that just now.


    So, was she wearing nothing underneath?


    "How is it? Do I look good?" Fiona raised her head slightly, pretending to be calm as she asked Elijah.


    Elijah swallowed hard. "You look good, but I feel like something''s missing!"


    He looked at Fiona''s feet; she had been wearing sneakers just now. Now, to match the evening gown, she had taken them off and was barefoot.


    Elijah took out a pair of high heels that Fiona had chosen earlier from the box beside him. "Wearing these will make it even better!"


    Saying that, he walked over and squatted down to help her put them on.


    "I... I can do it myself!" Fiona sounded a bit flustered.


    "It''s okay, I''ll help you!"


    Fiona met Elijah''s intense gaze and felt a tremor in her heart. Instead of stopping him, she obediently sat on the small sofa.


    Elijah took hold of her smooth little feet and gently slipped the silver high heels on. From his perspective, Fiona''s legs appeared even longer and more graceful.


    Especially at the slit of the dress, where they formed a captivating curve.


    After putting on the shoes, Elijah''s hand couldn''t help but move upward, caressing her slender calves.


    Fiona looked at him with watery eyes, not stopping him.


    Unable to resist any longer, Elijah suddenly hugged her.


    This time he felt it clearly; there was indeed nothing underneath.


    "You''re ying with fire!" Elijah murmured softly.


    "Do you like it?" Fiona lightly bit her lip, their faces inches apart, their breaths mingling.


    "Why?" Elijah''s breath became heavier.


    "Because you promised toe to my ce tonight, but if you don''t, I had to deliver myself to you, hubby~"


    Elijah instantly remembered the joke they had made earlier. He hadn''t expected her to remember it.


    With such affection from this beauty, how could Elijah refuse?


    He looked at her rosy and inviting lips and kissed her passionately.


    The next day, before dawn.


    Fiona early on wriggled out of Elijah''s embrace, quickly donning her underwear, and began practicing her exercises by the bedside.


    With the beauty in his arms gone, Elijah turned over and nced at her graceful figure dancing in the dim light. It felt strange yet somehow intriguing.


    "Why are you up so early to exercise?" Elijah asked.


    Fiona nced at him and said, "Hmph, we wasted a lot of timest night. I didn''t get to practice my exercises. I promised Charlotte, and I can''t fall behind!"


    Watching her awkward movements, Elijah couldn''t help but twitch his lips. What effect does this kind of exercise have? This girl is up to her mischief again. Just likest night.


    Thinking back to their passionate night, he couldn''t help but feel a surge of excitement. He had truly experienced another side of Fiona. It was quite unforgettable!


    Fiona''s performance waspletely different from Be and Daisy. Be, being married, could quickly sync with him, whether passively or actively initiating, and they always seemed to have great chemistry. However, this also meant that Elijah wouldn''t actively seek her out, and she wouldn''t seek him out either.


    Daisy, on the other hand, was extremely tender in such matters.


    Although she didn''t resist, she behaved like a child, needing a bit of coaxing from Elijah before cooperating.


    Moreover, because of her background in dance, her basic movements were extremely solid, always bringing a fresh perspective to Elijah.


    Fiona was entirely different from the two.


    She was like a newbie who had been browsing forums for a long time but had just entered the game.


    She seemed to know what she was doing on the surface, but in reality, she had no clue how to y.


    As she gradually got the hang of it and began to enjoy the game, she immediately became addicted, taking the initiative and challenging Elijah''s prowess.


    However, due to herck of experience, she often fell victim to Elijah''s advances, leaving her kneeling and begging for mercy. But after sparing her, it wouldn''t be long before she challenged him again, only to be defeated once more. This cycle repeated endlessly, and she seemed to enjoy it.


    She was timid yet addicted, and definitely a novice.


    Fortunately, as an awakened individual, she had a strong physique and recovery ability, so Elijah didn''t go all out, or else he wouldn''t be able to get up today.


    But even so, it still caused her to be a bit awkward in her movements now.


    Watching her awkward attempts at exercising, Elijah understood that she was afraid of Charlotte catching up with her progress. He wondered why she was so afraid of Charlotte. Was she scared? If so...


    Well, why not help her catch up with her progress?


    Seeing Fiona''s increasingly resentful gaze, Elijah immediately patted the bed.


    "Don''t worry about Charlotte, I''ll go exin to her. Come back and sleep quickly!"


    Fiona immediately darted back into his arms, moving agilely without any sign of inconvenience.


    Elijah was a little bewildered!


    "Oh, I feel much better after exercising. What if I can''t sleep?" Fiona''s fingers traced circles on his body.


    "What if? Let''s see!" Elijah gritted his teeth. He had to properly discipline this little demon!


    "Tsk! You little demon, see my mighty stick..."


    ...


    "Huh? Where did Elijah and Miss Fiona go? Why can''t I see them? Did something happen?"


    At the entrance of the warehouse, two trucks were parked steadily.


    Lily and Hannah got out of the car, opened the warehouse door, looked around, but couldn''t see Elijah and Fiona.


    Lily couldn''t help feeling a bit worried.


    Hannah''s lips twitched slightly, wanting to say something, but in the end, she didn''t say it. She could onlyfort Lily, "Don''t worry, they might be inside the mall. They''ll be here soon. Let''s start moving the supplies first!"


    She knew her good friend too well. When she heardst night that she was going back to the mall, she guessed what might happen.


    At this time, the two of them might still be cuddling somewhere!


    "Okay!" Lily also sensed that something was off, but seeing Hannah''s assurance, she stopped worrying about Elijah and focused on the task at hand.


    Meanwhile, on the third floor of the mall, after Elijah and Fiona had a good time again, they had a meal and sensed that Hannah and Lily had arrived. So, after getting dressed properly, they returned to the warehouse.


    "Heave-ho! Heave-ho!"


    Lily was carrying two heavy boxes. When she saw Elijah and Fiona approaching, she immediately greeted them.


    "Good morning, Elijah, Miss Fiona, have you had breakfast?"


    "We have. It was very nutritious!" Fiona finished speaking and nced at Elijah with a meaningful look.

 Chapter 111: Messy Girl

    "Let''s move together!"


    Elijah grinned and entered the warehouse.


    On the way, he ran into Hannah and greeted her.


    Hannah responded and then nced at Fiona behind her.


    Fiona smiled and took the goods from Hannah''s hands.


    "Let me help you carry those!"


    Hannah didn''t refuse, and the two went upstairs together.


    Along the way, Fiona muttered a few words in her ear.


    Hannah''s face instantly turned red, feeling embarrassed, she said, "I...I don''t need..." while discreetly ncing at Elijah.


    Elijah, busy with the supplies, remained oblivious.


    With the concerted effort of the four, soon three trucks were filled to the brim.


    Lily, Hannah, and Fiona each drove a truck back to Azure Isle.


    Elijah, with nothing else to do, sensed Daisy''s location; she was still at Seabreeze Terrace, and he wondered how things were there.


    While he couldn''t help worrying, he trusted Daisy''s abilities to handle things.


    "It''s better to focus on improving one''s own strength than worrying about others!"


    Elijah sighed, then recalled all the controlled zombies.


    Except for Abigail, yesterday he scattered the other zombies around the mall for surveince.


    Today marked the third day of nurturing zombies, and it was highly likely some would awaken. Elijah wanted to observe them closely.


    After the zombies returned to the warehouse entrance, Elijah noticed that the three shop assistant zombies he had started nurturing showed no obvious changes, so he fed each of them another corpse core.


    The other four zombies each received two cores.


    Following Abigail''s awakening schedule, after five corpse cores, they should awaken.


    Once he finished this, he began practicing body forging in the open space in front of the warehouse, waiting for Hannah and the others to return and continue moving supplies.


    At the same time, in Seabreeze Terrace, about seven or eight kilometers north of the mall, Daisy, carrying a backpack of food she had found, returned to her vi.


    Just as she opened the door, she was greeted by a girl of about sixteen or seventeen, who looked at her with joy.


    "Daisy sis, you''re back! Let me help you with that!"


    The girl ran to Daisy and eagerly took her backpack.


    "Haven''t had breakfast yet? There''s food and drinks inside, help yourself!"


    Daisy said, patting her head.


    "Okay!"


    the girl crisply replied, then carefully opened the backpack and began eating the food inside, bite by bite.


    She ate cleanly, without any waste, which made Daisy feel affectionate.


    This girl was Olivia, also a resident of this neighborhood, sixteen years old and in her first year of high school.


    Daisy had found her in the neighborhoodst night. Well, not exactly found¡ªOlivia had appeared voluntarily, wanting to follow her.


    Butst night, she didn''t look like she does now, dressed in a pretty blouse and pleated miniskirt, with fair skin and a lovely appearance.


    Last night, when Daisy saw her, she was dirty, emitting a foul smell, utterly messy, almost like a little beggar, with only her big bright eyes standing out.


    She suddenly appeared in front of Daisy, pitifully asking Daisy to take her with her.


    At that time, Daisy was startled. She was in stealth mode, and she didn''t expect to be discovered by a little girl.


    But she quickly realized that this girl must have awakened a perception superpower simr to mutated female zombies.


    Seeing how pitiful she was and wanting to understand her abilities, Daisy temporarily took her in and brought her to her vi.


    However, the girl was too messy, with a strong smell.


    Daisy''s water heater still had plenty of water, so she made her take a bath first.


    At first, the girl was reluctant. Under Daisy''s firm demand, she reluctantly went to the bathroom and quickly washed up.


    Later, Daisy found out that she was afraid of wasting water.


    During these days, the girl had suffered a lot for food and drink. Even with water avable, she was unwilling to wash up and preferred to save it for drinking.


    Then Daisy found her some of her own clothes to wear until she came out. Daisy was immediately amazed!


    After a simple wash and dress-up, the original little beggar transformed into a well-groomed, innocent-looking pretty girl.


    Daisy happily pulled her to sit on the sofa, chatting and eating together.


    She gradually learned how Olivia had spent these past ten days.


    Two days before the virus outbreak, Olivia, due to her menstrual period and a cold, took a sick leave to rest at home, with a nanny taking care of her daily life.


    After the outbreak, she luckily survived the virus but unfortunately, her nanny turned into a zombie.


    At that time, she was having dinner in the restaurant and happened to witness the process of her nanny turning into a zombie.


    If it weren''t for that, she might have been bitten or scratched by the transformed nanny without knowing. Olivia was terrified and panicked, running back to her bedroom.


    She managed to spend two days there, relying on snacks and drinks in the bedroom.


    During these two days, she heard screams of humans and the roars of zombies every day.


    Through the window, she even saw living people being torn apart by zombies on the street.


    After two days, as food and water were running out, she began to calm down and look for solutions.


    Through observation during these two days, she discovered some habits of zombies.


    Then, she cleverly used the window to create noise outside the vi, attracting the attention of the nanny zombie.


    Seizing this opportunity, she left the bedroom and sneaked into the kitchen.


    The kitchen was without electricity or gas, and there wasn''t much edible food, but at least there was some drinking water and food.


    She persisted like this for a few more days.


    Unfortunately, there was no toilet in the kitchen.


    Every time she needed to relieve herself, she could only do so in the trash can and then seal it with a garbage bag.


    Combined with the smell of food decay, the kitchen quickly became unbearable.


    Due to theck of grooming for a long time, she became dirty and smelly all over.


    Until one day, she suddenly developed a high fever again.


    The high temperature made her dizzy and almost faint.


    At that moment, Olivia thought she was going to die. But luckily, she survived again and gained a miraculous ability.


    She could ignore obstacles and sense the zombies around her.


    With this ability, she took advantage of the moment when the nanny zombie left and secretly slipped out of the kitchen, setting traps and luring the nanny zombie into a bedroom, and finally locking the door.


    The house was safe, but there wasn''t much food and water left; otherwise, she wouldn''t have taken such a big risk to lock up the nanny zombie.


    Fortunately, her ability was powerful enough that no zombie within a radius of 20 meters could escape her perception.


    Relying on this miraculous ability, she began to hide and seek for food within the neighborhood.


    Untilst night, when she encountered Daisy.


    In Olivia''s mental perception, all zombies appeared as a mass of humanoid red light.


    She could deeply feel the malice contained in that red, the desire for ughter, the ultimate threat to her.


    Apart from that, she had only seen one man emitting a yellow light.


    When she passed by a vi, someone suddenly waved to her and lured her in with food.


    The man looked kind and trustworthy at first nce, but Olivia sensed a subtle malice from the yellow light surrounding him.


    So she ignored him and ran away.


    Until she met Daisy. In Olivia''s mental perception, Daisy appeared as a lush green color.


    It was the first time she had seen such a color¡ªpure, natural, and friendly, without any hint of malice.


    But when Daisy started to kill zombies, her movements were so agile and decisive. With each strike, a zombie fell.


    Olivia was immediately attracted and made up her mind to seek help.

 Chapter 112: Awakening of the Zombies

    Daisy found Olivia''s abilities quite interesting.


    Besides her heightened sense of perception, she could also discern others'' intentions through colors, which could greatly benefit the team.


    For instance, she could identify if new members had ulterior motives.


    Taking matters into her own hands, Daisy decided to include Olivia in the team, believing Elijah wouldn''t object.


    After all, Olivia was a sweet and charming girl!


    After a brief conversation, Daisy told Olivia to rest well.


    She then went out again to search for her parents while also clearing nearby zombies and collecting corpse cores.


    She only returned to the vi at dawn, feeling exhausted.


    "Olivia, I''m tired and going to take a nap. If you''re hungry, go ahead and eat. Don''t worry, there''s plenty of food. Also, keep an eye out for any danger, and wake me if anything happens," Daisy instructed, yawning as she noticed Olivia had almost finished eating.


    "Alright, Daisy, you get some rest!"


    Olivia nodded earnestly.


    Sheckedbat skills and was too afraid to fight zombies, relying solely on her abilities to evade them.


    Having found such a dependable ally, she was determined not to let go.


    "Don''t be so nervous. Just use your abilities to keep an eye out. Trust yourself; your abilities are really strong!" Daisy reassured her.


    Unconsciously, she had grown to a point where she couldfort others.


    "Really? I''m d I can help you!" Olivia beamed with happiness.


    "Absolutely! Now, I''m off to rest." Daisy went to her bedroom and locked the door.


    On the road, no matter who she met, she had learned to always stay on guard.


    This was something she had learned from Elijah.


    She drew her knife from its sheath and ced it within easy reach before lying down fully clothed and gradually falling asleep.


    Around noon, under the zing sun, three figures approached the shore two to three kilometers from the Azure Isle service area by boat.


    They docked their boat and carefully advanced along the sparsely popted coastal park, soon reaching the outer area of the Azure Isle service zone.


    Just then, two trucks roared down the coastal highway towards Azure Isle. The three men hid in the bushes, catching a glimpse of two pretty female drivers.


    "They''ve already started collecting supplies?" The man on the left muttered in disbelief, his eyes filled with resentment.


    "Those are the pretty girls you mentioned? They look quite good!" The man in the middle, evidently the leader, remarked.


    "Not just good, they''re stunning, Jacob. Your standards are really high!"


    Another man chimed in. If Fiona and Hannah, who had just passed by, saw these three, they would recognize one of them.


    The man who first spoke and red at them with resentment was none other than Isaac, who had once fled in disgrace.


    "Jacob, I wasn''t lying! And besides these two, there are four more women on the ind, all top-notch!" Isaac insisted.


    "No matter how great they are, it''s useless if we can''t get them!" Jacob replied, his expression darkening as he nced at Isaac.


    "Let me confirm once more: there are only three ability users on the ind?"


    "Jacob, I swear on my life, there are only three ability users. Two have invisibility powers, and the other one''s abilities are unclear, but it should be one of the two women who just passed," Isaac assured, thumping his chest.


    "That won''t be easy to handle, especially with two people who can turn invisible¡­" Jacob mused.


    "The fact that they can go out and gather supplies means their internal situation is stable. The longer we wait, the stronger they''ll be, and who knows if other ability users will join them," Isaac cautioned earnestly.


    He harbored a deep hatred for Elijah and Fiona, vowing to return for revenge.


    Even if he couldn''t reim the ind, he wouldn''t let them have it easy.


    Thus, he had allied himself with Jacob, the crime boss of Fisherman''s Wharf market, hoping to use Jacob to take over the ind.


    After much persuasion and temptation, Jacob was finally convinced and agreed toe over and observe.


    "This ce is indeed good, easy to defend and hard to attack. You said there''s electricity on the ind?" another man asked Isaac.


    "Yes, Theodore. They use wind and sr power! There are also several yachts at the ind''s dock!" Theodore''s eyes lit up at the mention of yachts.


    "Jacob, so what if there are two people with invisibility abilities? They can only ambush, but they wouldn''t stand a chance in a direct fight. I heard that the girl Sophia at the dock has a perception ability. We could use her to counter the invisible ones," Theodore suggested, his expression scheming.


    "Isn''t she the pretty one? I heard she''s quite tough and might not be willing," Jacob replied, his interest piqued.


    "That''s easy. She has a younger brother, right? I heard he was bitten by something while fishing¡­" Theodore whispered a few words to Jacob, whose face soon broke into a smile.


    "You sly devil, alwaysing up with bad ideas! This task is yours," Jacob said.


    "Got it, Jacob!" Theodore responded eagerly.


    As they spoke, Fiona and Hannah drove back, passing them again.


    Jacob squinted, this time getting a clear look at the two women, who were indeed stunning.


    More importantly, their frequent trips suggested they had found a secure source of supplies, possibly a convenience store or supermarket, which exined their urgency in bringing back loads of supplies.


    "Jacob¡­" Isaac started to say something but was interrupted by Jacob.


    "Alright, let''s head back and gather our men," Jacob ordered.


    "Yes, Jacob!" Isaac and Theodore replied, their faces brimming with excitement.


    As they left, Isaac nced back at Azure Isle, vowing silently to have his revenge on Fiona once they took over the ind.


    In the underground supermarket storeroom, Elijah, unaware that someone was nning to take over his ind, was busy moving supplies.


    Suddenly, he sensed a strange disturbance, as if a controlled person or zombie was struggling.


    His intuition alerting him, he rushed out.


    Seeing him, Hannah put down her supplies and followed quickly, asking, "What''s wrong?"


    "Zombies¡­ are starting to awaken!"


    Elijah replied as he quickly reached the storeroom door, where Fiona was already armed with two bone spikes, ready for battle.


    She had been loading supplies onto the truck when a zombie, which had been docile until then, suddenly roared, startling her.


    Knowing these zombies were intentionally kept by Elijah to observe their awakening, she did not attack but instead prepared for defense.


    The first zombie to act up, a female store clerk, contorted and twisted her body unnaturally, especially her arms, which seemed boneless.


    Fiona watched as the zombie''s hands spread wide and sharp nails grew from her fingers, extending to about ten centimeters before stopping.


    Once the nails stopped growing, the zombie gradually calmed down.


    By the time Elijah arrived, the sense of struggle had vanished.


    "Is the mutation over?" Elijah wondered aloud. He carefully sensed the information from the female zombie but felt no energy flow.


    Fiona recounted what had happened. Elijah instructed the zombie to raise its hands, and the clinking sound of its nails was sharp and metallic.


    "They seem very sharp," Elijah noted. He thenmanded the zombie to sh at the side of a nearby cargo truck.


    The screeching sound of metal echoed as the iron surface of the truck was scratched, leaving visible marks.


    Though not deep, these marks were significant since they were on iron.


    If those ws struck a human, the damage would be lethal.


    "Although I can''t replicate this, it''s still quite powerful. It can serve as an effectivebat addition," Elijah concluded, nodding.


    This was a physical mutation rather than an ability awakening, so it was understandable he couldn''t mimic it.


    It was simr to the telekinesis zombie and the five-eyed zombie they had encountered before¡ªone had an awakened ability, and the other a physical mutation.


    The five-eyed zombie''s mutated eyes, which could see through Daisy''s stealth, were particrly intriguing.


    Just then, the other two female store clerk zombies also began to show signs of mutation!

 Chapter 113: Fire Fist

    These two female zombie sales assistants were not as exaggerated as the first one, but they were still quite noticeable.


    One of the female zombies suddenly swelled up, her muscles bulging like they were inted, and her height also increased noticeably.


    The other zombie was quiet and did not show any particrly special behavior.


    But if you got close, you would find that the temperature around her had risen significantly, bing unusually hot.


    After a moment, the two zombies'' mental connection with Elijah stabilized.


    Elijah immediately closed his eyes and began to receive information from the two female zombies.


    Soon, a familiar power filled his body.


    Elijah felt that his strength had be very great, as if he had endless strength and nothing was too heavy to move.


    "Power ability! Good, good, awakening is good!"


    Although it is still not as good as Lily''s ability, Elijah is still very happy.


    This means that even if Lily does not act with him in the future, he can also use this ability.


    The power ability dissipated, and the sudden strength faded away.


    Elijah clenched his fist, not sure if it was an illusion.


    He felt that his strength seemed to have increased a bit more.


    Elijah did not think deeply, but eagerly switched to the ability of the other female zombie.


    With the energy flowing inside the body, he subconsciously snapped his fingers.


    A faint me appeared on his finger.


    "mes?"


    Fiona stared at the mes that appeared out of thin air, astonished.


    "An abilitypletely opposite of Hannah''s!"


    Elijah nodded.


    Then, he casually flicked the mes from his fingers.


    Elijah''s strength was immense; the me shot out like a bullet, hitting an abandoned cardboard box.


    With a "boom," the box caught fire, igniting arge ze.


    "The temperature is very high; it can instantly ignite other mmable materials. It''s somewhat threatening to humans, but not much to zombies. It can''t be lethal right away. Unless it''s aided by mmable materials like gasoline!"


    Elijahmented.


    "It would be great if you had the power of Fire Fist Ace!"


    Hannah said.


    "What? Hannah watches anime too?"


    Elijah was very surprised.


    "I... I''ve watched a little bit..."


    Hannah tilted her head slightly, a bit embarrassed.


    "It''s not impossible to be like Ace!"


    Elijah said, summoning energy within him. mes immediately erupted from his fist.


    "Fire Fist! Unfortunately, I can''t shoot it out like Ace; it only works in closebat!"


    "That''s still amazing!"


    Hannah looked at his fiery fist with bright eyes.


    "Speaking of which, your ability is simr to Kuzan''s! I wonder if you''ll be as powerful as Kuzan after advancing, being able to freeze an entire sea in an instant!"


    A trace of hope shed in Hannah''s eyes as she spoke.


    Ever since she awakened this ability, she had always had such expectations.


    But now, with her current ability, she could only freeze a basin of water!


    Advanced...


    Hannah knows that Elijah has advanced to the second level, and he must know how to advance.


    She just didn''t know if he could tell her!


    What price would she have to pay?


    Would she really have to be like Fiona?


    Elijah had no idea what Hannah was imagining.


    After testing his ability, he began circling the three zombie guides, trying tomunicate with them.


    Unfortunately, the three zombies werepletely unresponsive, clearly different from Abigail.


    "After Abigail mutated, she obviously regained some awareness and memory.


    Although she still acts like a puppet, at least she recognized Daisy!


    But why don''t these three female zombies react at all?


    However, they do follow mymands without resistance, just like Abigail.


    Unlike the first wild mutated female zombie..."


    Elijah couldn''t figure it out.


    Fiona wondered what he was doing.


    Elijah exined the differences between Abigail and the three female zombies.


    "I think it''s because they''ve been zombified for too long, damaging their brain nerves.


    So it''s difficult for them to regain consciousness or memory.


    But Abigail is different. ording to you, she was zombified for only a couple of days before you contracted and controlled her.


    Your ability might have slowed the degeneration of Abigail''s brain nerves, allowing her to regain some consciousness and memory after mutating."


    Elijah thought Fiona''s analysis made sense.


    So he stopped overthinking.


    When he advances to the third tier, and then lets Abigail advance to the second tier, things will be clear! But that will take some time.


    Currently, what he''s most looking forward to is the potential surprises the remaining four zombies might bring him tomorrow.


    After the three of them finished studying the mutated zombies, they continued loading the vehicle, working non-stop until around six in the evening, when Quentin and a few of his brothers finally arrived.


    "Hey guys, we''re back!"


    "I thought you weren''ting today!"


    Elijah remarked, slightly surprised.


    "We drove here today, and clearing the roads took up a lot of time!"


    Quentin exined, then noticed something unusual about one of the female zombies nearby.


    Her ten-centimeter-long nails were gleaming with a cold, menacing light¡ªimpossible to overlook.


    I remember this female zombie didn''t look like this yesterday...


    Quentin had a strong impression of Elijah''s female zombies.


    Could it be... this zombie really awakened as Elijah said?


    "Elijah, has this female zombie awakened?"


    Quentin asked directly, not holding back his question.


    "Oh, this one hasn''t awakened any abilities, just mutated a pair of sharp ws."


    Elijah replied, then ordered the female zombie to scratch the vehicle''s cargo box.


    With a screeching sound, deep scratches were left on the surface of the box.


    "Hiss!"


    Quentin and his brothers inhaled sharply.


    Wow, if that scratched a person, wouldn''t it tear off some flesh?


    If it stabbed into the chest or stomach, wouldn''t it disembowel someone?


    Terrifying!


    Moreover, this zombie seemed to be targeting Quentin''s defensive capabilities.


    They suddenly felt that the invincible Quentin wasn''t so formidable anymore!


    "Quentin, what do you think?"


    "Amazing!" Quentin replied, still a bit shaken, giving a thumbs up.


    "Really? I''m not very satisfied. It hasn''t awakened any abilities!" Elijah sighed helplessly.


    Quentin nced at the other two zombies lined up.


    "Have those two zombies awakened any abilities?"


    "They''re okay, just average! Let''s not talk about that. Quentin, how much food do you n to trade for today?" Elijah smiled slightly, changing the subject.

 Chapter 114: I envy you for your fortune

    Quentin and his brothers took a deep look at the two zombies. Then, Quentin pulled out a bag from his pack.


    "Here are 50 corpse cores. Count them and exchange them all for food!"


    "Fifty?" Elijah was a bit surprised. That would require killing at least 200 zombies to collect, and with the 20 or so they''d previously given, Quentin''s group must have killed at least 300 zombies. Much more industrious than him!


    But then he thought about it. He only cleared the zombies blocking the way, while Quentin''s group cleared out an entire neighborhood of zombies. That amount was about right, maybe even more. Elijah felt relieved.


    "These corpse cores can be exchanged for 250 days'' worth of food. It''s a lot of stuff, so we''ll need some time to bring it out. Where''s your vehicle parked, Quentin?"


    "We parked on the east side of the mall."


    "Okay, we''ll move the supplies to the east entrance. You can collect them there."


    "Thank you so much!"


    Quentin worried that driving directly up might make Elijah suspicious. After all, from the outside, you couldn''t see what was inside the truck. It wouldn''t be good if Elijah thought they were hiding people. So they parked on the east side and walked over, nning to report in and then drive up. Since Elijah offered to bring the supplies over, it saved them some trouble.


    Quentin and his men immediately headed to the east entrance of the mall, while Elijah, Fiona, and Hannah began pushing the prepared shopping carts from the underground supermarket. In half an hour, they had all 25 shopping carts at the east entrance. Additionally, Elijah gifted them an extra shopping cart of cooking oil, rice, flour, and beer.


    "250 isn''t a nice number. Consider this extra cart a gift for you guys!"


    Quentin, who was supervising the loading, responded immediately, "Thanks on behalf of the brothers!"


    Although 250 days'' worth of food sounded like a lot, Quentin''smunity had over ten survivors. With recent rescues, they now had over 20 people. 250 days'' worth would onlyst them about ten days. And that''s assuming average consumption. For Quentin and the men who fought zombies, their needs were higher, especially his own. So this food wasn''t much.


    Elijah''s gift, though not much, was life-saving for them. Seeing that Elijah''s zombies had awakened abilities and knowing that Elijah had just epted 50 corpse cores, Quentin started to worry Elijah might stop collecting corpse cores.


    "Elijah, are you still collecting corpse cores?" Quentin couldn''t help but ask.


    "Yes! Keep bringing them! Even if we run out of extra food, we have other things to trade. I think you''ll be interested!" Elijah remembered Fiona''s suggestion about monopolizing trade and couldn''t help but add a bit of intrigue.


    "Oh? What kind of things?"


    Quentin asked curiously. Their biggest need was food, followed by gasoline and diesel. Other things didn''t really entice him. But since corpse cores were useless to them, even trading for something else useful was better than nothing.


    "Items that can awaken abilities!" Elijah said with a mysterious smile, speaking in a low voice.


    "What?" Quentin eximed, eyes widening in shock.


    Everyone turned to look at him.


    "Nothing, just talking with Elijah. Got a bit surprised. Keep loading!" Quentin realized he had overreacted and quickly reassured his brothers.


    Then he calmed down a bit.


    "Are you serious?" Quentin asked, trying to contain his excitement.


    "Believe it or not, it''s up to you."


    Elijah didn''t borate further.


    Quentin, however, found himself believing it, at least partially.


    He then thought of the woman behind Elijah.


    So far, he had seen four of them.


    ording to Elijah, they were all awakened individuals with superpowers.


    Initially, Quentin had been thinking there were too many people awakening abilities.


    After all, in his neighborhood of over twenty survivors, he was the only one awakened.


    But if there really was a way to awaken abilities in people, then everything made sense!


    With that thought, he believed a bit more.


    Of course, it was also possible that Elijah was lying; after all, the only person he had truly seen demonstrate abilities was that iceberg beauty.


    "I believe you. How can one obtain this thing that awakens abilities?" Elijah extended a finger.


    "100 corpse cores for one dose of awakening potion, or equivalent materials would suffice. However, our team currentlycks enough awakening potion, so as long as Quentin knows about it, he can prepare materials in advance. If you have plenty, I will prioritize you!"


    "Of course!" Quentin nodded solemnly.


    He wouldn''t go around telling everyone about this. Such information and channels should only be known to him.


    It was also a good opportunity to gather a group of loyal brothers.


    As for the corpse cores needed for exchange, he didn''t value them much.


    After all, they were collected casually while searching for supplies.


    If necessary, he could exchange them for materials.


    "By the way, I have a woman who craves fresh meat, and another who is fond of exotic nts. If Quentin encounters live poultry or livestock, or vibrant flowers and nts, they can be exchanged for materials with me, and I guarantee satisfaction !" Elijah casually mentioned.


    "Ah, I envy you for your fortune, buddy!" Quentin nced at Fiona and Hannah, giving Elijah a thumbs up.


    "If Quentin is willing, your settlement should also have plenty of people vying for your affection, right?" Elijah gave a knowing smile.


    Quentin scratched his head and chuckled.


    "But Elijah, you''ve found the right person. There are indeed seven cows in our neighborhood!" Elijah raised an eyebrow, surprised at how casually Quentin mentioned it.


    His real goal was the spirit nts, but of course, if there were poultry or livestock, it would be a pleasant surprise!


    "Quentin, are you kidding me? Livestock are not allowed in Neoville City, right?"


    "Well, naturally not allowed, but it happened right downstairs from me.


    I don''t know where they got seven calves from, but they kept them as pets on the balcony.


    Damn, the smell, so foul and noisy.


    I heard their neighborined, and if it weren''t for the sudden outbreak of the zombie virus, they would probably have been arrested by the police.


    It''s strange, after the virus outbreak, all the people died, but those seven calves were fine.


    After cleaning up the zombies, I started raising them."


    "If Elijah wants, I can sell two to you, but I don''t rmend ughtering them for meat now; they''re too small to yield much."


    "Ah, the world is indeed full of wonders!" Elijah sighed, "Thanks, Quentin!"


    Seeing the supplies loaded into the car, Quentin bid farewell to Elijah:


    "Tomorrow when wee to exchange supplies, I''ll bring the two cows. It''s gettingte today; we''ll take off now!"


    "Take care, no need to see us off!" Elijah watched Quentin and his group leave in the car, then turned to Fiona and Hannah, saying, "Let''s pack up quickly and head back to the ind after this wave!"


    As the sun set, the sky began to darken.


    Off the southern coast of Azure Isle, a small boat was approaching under the dimming sky, heading towards Azure Isle!

 Chapter 115: Intruders

    "Are you not staying here tonight?" Fiona asked.


    "No, these days Quentin and his gang should have some understanding of our strength. I believe they won''t dare to sneak over. Besides, the food in the supermarket and warehouse has been moved almost entirely by us, leaving only expired goods and daily necessities. There''s no need to keep watch. Moreover, even if I''m not here, I''ll leave the zombies behind, scattered around the mall.


    If there are any daredevils, let theme!"


    "Hmph, and you said you''d continue to keep mepany tonight!" Fiona grumbled. Elijah couldn''t help but be swayed by her words. This little devil! He nced at Hannah and found she wasn''t paying attention here. His hand involuntarily reached out to touch Fiona.


    "If you want, I cane to your room tonight?"


    "No, you can''te into our vi. The soundproofing there isn''t good, and letting you in might make everything public..." Fiona ruthlessly rejected despite Elijah not removing his hand.


    What ame excuse! The vi was so well decorated; how could there be soundproofing issues? Besides, the noise is just your ownck of self-control!


    "Then can youe to my room tonight?"


    "You won''t encounter Charlotte, will you?"


    "Uh... no! Wait, why are you so afraid of Charlotte?"


    "I''m not afraid of her!" Fiona huffed.


    ...


    "Jacob, look, the lights on Azure Isle are on ahead! There really is electricity!"


    On a fishing boat, several men looked excitedly at the distant ind.


    "Since it''s already dark, let''s elerate and move forward. Do you all remember your respective tasks?"


    Jacob squinted at Azure Isle, then turned to look at the people on the boat.


    In addition to him, Theodore, and Isaac, there were three other men and one woman on the fishing boat.


    "We remember!"


    "Don''t worry, Jacob!"


    "We remember!"


    Several men responded loudly, but the woman remained silent.


    "Sophia, what about you?"


    Jacob asked the woman.


    "I''ll be on guard duty, but after we seed, don''t forget what you promised me!"


    The woman spoke with a cold, emotionless voice, as if devoid of feelings.


    "Don''t worry, everyone will get what they were promised!"


    Jacob smiled slightly. He was confident.


    On this small boat, four awakened individuals had gathered. He didn''t think anyone could stop their attack. If not for fearing the two who could turn invisible, he wouldn''t have needed to find Sophia. And choosing to attack just as it got dark was a precaution against this. In the darkness, visibility was low for everyone, reducing the effectiveness of invisibility.


    Coupled with Sophia''s vignce with her sensing ability, it was foolproof.


    Enemies in the light, us in the dark, or even ambushes, how could we lose!


    Soon, the boat entered shallow waters. Ahead was Azure Isle''s most famous Golden Beach, no longer suitable for navigation.


    Anchoring the boat, the seven people disembarked and cautiously stepped onto the ind.


    "To protect the privacy of tourists, there are no surveince cameras installed on this side of the Golden Beach, but once we''re on the main road, we need to be careful!"


    Isaac led the way. He was somewhat familiar with the ind.


    "Sophia, use your abilities carefully and stay vignt at all times," Jacobmanded.


    "Don''t worry, there''s no one within 50 meters..." Sophia closed her eyes and sensed!


    Her ability was already proficient; in open areas, she could detect movement within a 50-meter radius.


    This was why Theodore suggested they recruit her.


    The only w in her ability was that if the subject remained stationary, they would disappear from her perception.


    And if there were obstacles obstructing her view, it would severely affect her sensing range and judgment.


    The seven continued forward, quickly passing through the Golden Beach and reaching the green belt by the main road.


    From here, they could already see two brightly lit vis, while the other buildings were shrouded in darkness.


    "It seems like these people live in these two vis. They''re quite close, which saves us the trouble of searching everywhere," Theodore muttered.


    "Jacob, what''s the n now?"


    "Follow the n. You three, walk in front!"


    Jacob ordered three men without awakened abilities.


    They were bait. These three had no idea about the abilities on the ind, only knowing that there was a group of women and two men.


    By upying this ce, they could do whatever they wanted with the women here. So they had no fear, but rather excitedly led the way.


    However, as they emerged from the green belt towards the vis, a small dog suddenly appeared in front of them.


    The dog first tilted its head in confusion, looking at them. Upon realizing they were strangers, all armed and looking fierce, its cute expression immediately turned into a snarl as it began barking wildly.


    "Woof! Woof woof! Woof! Woof!"


    This dog must have been fed on something to grow its voice so loud. In the silent ind, it was especially grating.


    "What''s going on?"


    Jacob red angrily at Sophia.


    Sophia showed an innocent expression.


    "You only told me to pay attention to people, you didn''t say anything about other animals! Besides, this dog was hidden by the green belt just now, so I didn''t notice!"


    "Damn it!"


    Jacob cursed.


    "No need to hide anymore, just charge straight in and kill any men you encounter!"


    "Got it, Jacob!"


    The three men in front immediately nodded.


    One of them grinned, "me it on this dog. I''ll kill it first and have dog meat for dinnerter!"


    After saying that, the man with a machete rushed towards the small dog.


    Without hesitation, the dog immediately turned and ran towards the direction of the luxury hotel.


    "Don''t chase after it, let''s go to the vi first!"


    Jacob stopped the man chasing the dog.


    The seven immediately ran towards the vi.


    Meanwhile, in the hotel''s monitoring room, Grace, responsible for monitoring the surveince, noticed the unusual movement of the small dog and immediately spotted the three men sneaking in.


    "Intruders?"


    Grace paused for a moment, then quickly opened the amplifier and microphone, shouting, "Intruders, intruders, intrusion in the direction of Azure Isle vi area, be on high alert! Be on high alert throughout the ind!"


    The voice echoed through the ind via the speakers.


    At the back of the hotel, at the storage room entrance, Charlotte and Lily, waiting for Fiona and the others to return and unload, were stunned, then their expressions changed dramatically.


    "Oh no! Be and Katherine are preparing dinner in the vi!"

 Chapter 116: Taste the Power of My Axe

    "Someone''s invading, someone''s invading..."


    The seven of Jacob, advancing towards the vi, paused at the words.


    Then they looked towards the horn hidden in the bushes.


    "Damn, we''ve been spotted, Jacob..."


    Isaac looked at Jacob.


    "Since we''ve been spotted, there''s no need to rush! The nearest vi isn''t far from here. Sophia, can you sense anyone around?"


    Sophia shook her head.


    "No, and it seems like there''s no one inside the vi either. But because of the walls blocking, my perception might not be urate. You guys can go in and check!"


    "Let''s go!"


    Jacob immediatelymanded the group to rush towards the nearest vi.


    The vi door was unlocked, and the seven entered smoothly.


    They split up, coordinating tacitly, three going upstairs, three circling the first floor and basement.


    Only Sophia stood in the living room waiting for a moment.


    "No one on the third floor!"


    "No one on the second floor!"


    "No one in the basement or first floor either!"


    Soon, the group quickly scanned the vi.


    This was the vi Fiona and her group upied, and since they were outside, naturally they couldn''t find anyone.


    "Huh? Did they all run to another vi?"


    Jacob wondered aloud.


    "Let''s go, let''s go to the other vi!"


    The seven immediately filed out, heading towards Elijah''s vi not far away.


    ...


    Charlotte realized something was wrong, immediately grabbed her longsword and sprinted towards the vi.


    She was already an athlete, with long legs, and now awakened abilities, greatly enhancing her strength. Running now was like lightning.


    "Hey? Wait for me!"


    Lily reacted a step toote, immediately losing sight of Charlotte''s figure.


    She had to shoulder her axe alone and run towards the vi.


    Though Lily had strength abilities, she carried too much weight and didn''t understand her body as well as Charlotte, not knowing how to leverage it better.


    Having strength without technique, although her running speed wasn''t slow, her upper body swung back and forth, but she was far behind Charlotte.


    Halfway there, she happened to encounter a small dog.


    The small dog barked at her a few times, then turned and ran towards the vi, dragging Lily along.


    With its four short legs surprisingly fast, just a bit faster than Lily.


    Meanwhile, inside the vi, Be and Katherine, hearing the broadcast, locked the door, each wielding weapons, ready for action.


    Katherine had killed zombies, experienced the Isaac incident, and looked rtively rxed.


    Be had gone through the scumbag Benjamin incident, had awakened herself, and had some confidence.


    Moreover, they both believed that once Charlotte discovered the situation, she would quickly resolve it ande to their rescue.


    "Is there someone inside this vi?"


    Be, hiding in the corner, suddenly heard someone talking outside.


    Sophia carefully sensed for a moment.


    She could sense the faint figures of two people inside the vi, appearing and disappearing intermittently. Judging by their body shapes, they were two women, each wielding a knife, ready to defend themselves. She hesitated for a moment, then finally spoke up, "No!"


    Her task was to alert to the presence of two invisible individuals, one male and one female. But these two were clearly not the invisible ones. The thought of these two falling into the hands of the group of men, possibly facing death, made her unable to do something against her conscience.


    "Go in and check!" Jacob ordered the others.


    "Wait, someone''sing, and they''re fast!" Sophia halted the group, but before she could finish her sentence, a gunshot rang out. One of the three powerless men suddenly screamed as blood instantly stained his shoulder. But the next moment, the scream abruptly stopped!


    "Bang! Bang! Bang!"


    Three consecutive gunshots, one directly hitting the head of the screaming man, instantly killing him, relieving him of any pain. The other two shots also found their marks, hitting another powerless man and Theodore. They fell to the ground without a sound.


    "Damn, they''ve got guns!"


    At this moment, the remaining few panicked, immediately seeking cover. Isaac acted the fastest; he was the only one among them who knew the other side had guns. He hadn''t told Jacob and the others about it, fearing they would give up. Anyway, as long as they were lured here, there was no turning back.


    Moreover, he had defensive abilities, able to withstand blows!


    "Damn it, Isaac, did you deceive me? Why didn''t you say they had guns? Sophia, where are the gunmen?" Jacob roared.


    "Jacob, I didn''t know they had guns either!" Isaac deflected.


    "To the west of the vi..."


    Sophia was about to finish her sentence when she noticed Charlotte had already walked into the light, unabashedly staring at the few hiding figures.


    "Oh, Isaac? The coward who ran away with his tail between his legs? You actually have the nerve toe back?" Charlotte sneered.


    "Damn it, who are you? Dare to look down on me? If you''ve got guts, throw away your gun and let''s settle this with our fists!"


    "Do you think I''m stupid?" Charlotte disdainfully curled her lips.


    In reality, she was quite relieved. Fortunately, she arrived in time and didn''t let them into the vi. Otherwise, Be and Katherine would be in danger. She had to reveal herself reluctantly, just to attract their attention and make them ignore the possibility of someone being inside the vi.


    "Thud! Thud!"


    At that moment, heavy footsteps resounded. The few hidden figures noticed another person running behind the woman who had just appeared. She was also a woman, but her chest was too exaggerated, her face looked quite tender, and she held a huge axe in her hand.


    Isaac was also stunned! Who was this woman he didn''t recognize?


    "Charlotte sis, I''m here!" Lily said and stood beside Charlotte. The little dog fell behind, panting, resting by the side. Ultimately, it couldn''t match Lily''s stamina and fell behind!


    "Lily, you have a chance to go to the vi gate to protect Be and the others. I''ll catch these rats!" Charlotte whispered to Lily.


    Just then, one of the figures on the ground suddenly sprang up and lunged at Charlotte.


    "Not dead? Pretending to be dead?"


    Without time to think, Charlotte instinctively aimed her gun at him.


    "Bang!"


    The bullet hit him, sending a spray of stones, but his figure was unaffected.


    "Hmm?" Charlotte was surprised. Even Abigail''s defensive ability couldn''t withstand bullets!


    "Charlotte sis, watch out!" Lily eximed.


    Charlotte agilely dodged the opponent''s heavy punch, countered with a kick with her right leg, striking the opponent. It felt like kicking a wall, making Charlotte''s leg numb, but at least it pushed the opponent back two steps.


    Charlotte finally saw the opponent''s face and the skin exposed outside, which seemed to be covered with ayer of stone.


    "Petrification?"


    "Hehe, that''s right! Little girl, I''m not afraid of your gun!" Theodore chuckled.


    His awakened ability allowed him to attach a highly defensive Petrificationyer to his body surface by absorbing soil and stones, making him fearless against most attacks! The only drawback was that activating the ability required some time to absorb soil, and his body became less agile.


    Just now, the bullet hit his Petrification skin.


    "Charlotte sis, let me deal with him! He''s not afraid of guns, right? Then let him taste the power of my axe!" Lily said and raised the axe, fiercely swinging it towards him.


    The huge axe seemed weightless as it floated towards Theodore. But wherever the axe went, it brought up a whistling gale.


    "Theodore, watch out!" Jacob loudly warned.


    Sensing something amiss, Theodore immediately rolled to the side, not attempting to resist.


    With a loud bang, when he turned back to look, there was a deep pit where he had just stood!


    "Damn it!"


    He couldn''t help but curse.

 Chapter 117: Isaac broke out in a cold sweat

    Theodore''s Petrification ability could withstand piercing attacks; the only thing he feared was blunt force. His internal organs didn''t have the robust defense of Petrification.


    The recent bullets had made his bones ache. If this big-breasted woman hit him, he would definitely suffer internal bleeding.


    Theodore, still fearful, stepped back a few paces, distancing himself from Lily.


    "Jacob, what do we do?"


    "Damn it, Isaac, you tricked me! What happened to only three abilities? Where did this new onee from? And with a gun?" Jacob cursed angrily.


    "Jacob, I''ve never seen these two women either. They might have joined in thest few days! And now''s not the time to talk about this. There are only two of them. Let''s finish this quickly. If others show up, we''ll be in danger!" Isaac protested.


    "Damn it, I''ll believe you for now. You and Theodore go deal with the one with the gun, I''ll handle the one with the axe. Let''s end this quickly!"


    As the three spoke, Lily was already charging with her axe, and Charlotte was providing cover with her handgun from behind. Theodore dashed forward first, dodging Lily''s axe and charging at Charlotte.


    "Bang!"


    Another gunshot rang out. This time, Charlotte aimed at Theodore''s head. He instinctively dodged, and the bullet grazed his stone-skinned face, sparking as it passed.


    Lily wanted toe to her aid, but Jacob, hiding nearby, finally sprang out. He swung his staff at Lily.


    Lily instinctively blocked with her axe.


    "ng!"


    A huge metallic sh resounded.


    Lily''s axe sank slightly, nearly slipping from her grasp.


    "An ability user with strength?"


    Lily was somewhat surprised!


    At this moment, Jacob''s muscles bulged as he pressed down with the iron staff, grinning:


    "Girl, you''re pretty big everywhere! But guess what, I''m big everywhere too. Come on, taste my big stick!"


    Lily could hear the malice in his words immediately. She snorted coldly, her muscles bulging as she lifted him off, breaking free from his suppression.


    "How is this possible?"


    Jacob was shocked!


    They were both strength-based ability users; how was she so much stronger?


    Lily didn''t give him time to think. After flipping him over, she swung her axe down.


    Jacob was not to be outdone. He gathered all his strength, swinging his iron staff to meet her.


    "ng!"


    A deafening crash resounded.


    Jacob was involuntarily pushed back, sliding along the ground, leaving a mark until he finally crashed into a tree and stopped.


    Lily didn''t pursue the victory; instead, she turned and strode towards the Petrification ability user.


    Charlotte didn''t fire again, fearing she might identally hit Lily behind. She was engaging Theodore.


    Theodore couldn''t believe that the immensely strong Jacob had nearly been overpowered in one encounter.


    When Lily''s axe swung at him, it was toote to dodge, and Charlotte blocked his escape route.


    Instinctively, he thickened the stone skin on his arm, using it to block.


    "sh!"


    An arm flew off, followed by a spray of blood.


    "Ah!"


    Theodore screamed, rolling on the ground clutching his arm.


    Charlotte ignored him, focusing on Jacob, who wasing to assist. She fired three consecutive shots with her handgun, "Bang! Bang! Bang!"


    Jacob dodged desperately but still took two hits. Fortunately, the bullets didn''t hit any vital organs; his bulging muscles stopped them, leaving only shallow wounds.


    "She''s out of bullets!"


    Isaac, who had been hiding, suddenly rushed out, giving Charlotte no time to reload, and swiftly shed at her with a machete.


    Jacob felt a surge of joy. Without the handgun, they could easily overpower her.


    "Everyone,e out and kill these two women!"


    He shouted and charged at Lily, who was still attacking Theodore.


    Sophia gripped her harpoon but didn''t move.


    Another survivor jumped out, brandishing a machete and charging at Charlotte.


    Facing the two of them, Charlotte remained calm. She parried Isaac''s machete with her longsword, then twisted her wrist, her sword striking like a viper at Isaac.


    Isaac felt a sh of light, and the sword tip was already before his eyes.


    "Shit!"


    He instinctively leaned back, dodging the thrust.


    He didn''t expect the sword to sh down, cutting his chest!


    He felt a chill on his chest; his clothes were split in half.


    A shallow cut appeared on his chest.


    Isaac broke out in a cold sweat.


    If he didn''t have defensive abilities, that sh might have disemboweled him.


    This was a skilled fighter!


    Meanwhile, another survivor swung a machete at her.


    Charlotte sidestepped to dodge it, sweeping her sword horizontally, grazing the man''s throat.


    "sh!"


    A line of blood appeared on his throat, followed by a gush of blood.


    The man clutched his neck tightly, his eyes wide with rage, coughing up blood and making choking sounds as he stumbled and fell to the ground.


    Isaac watched in terror.


    But he couldn''t stop. If he let this woman reload, they would all die.


    He had no choice but to press on, relying on his abilities to keep her engaged.


    Jacob, it''s all up to you,e on!


    Isaac shouted in his heart, but a quick nce showed him Jacob was brought to one knee by an axe blow, barely managing to hold off Lily''s axe with trembling hands.


    Theodore, who had been rolling on the ground in pain, forced himself to stand.


    He was about to attack Lily from behind when a bright silver spear suddenly flew out of the darkness of the night.


    "Bang!"


    The stone-like skin on his body tore like paper under the thrust.


    The spear pierced through his body, impaling a tree behind him with such force that it continued through the tree, leaving only the spear''s tail embedded in it.


    The force of the impact pushed Theodore back a few steps.


    He looked down in disbelief.


    A bloody hole had appeared in his chest, blood gushing out freely, quickly soaking his clothes.


    Blood trickled from Theodore''s mouth, his eyes slowly dimming, and he copsed to the ground,pletely still.


    "Theodore!"


    Jacob''s eyes widened in fury.


    Jacob roared, using all his strength to break free from Lily''s assault, rolling away to dodge her follow-up attack.


    Then he looked towards the direction from which the spear had been thrown, and saw a man striding towards them.


    It was Elijah.


    Because the remaining food in the supermarket was all in bulk, Elijah, Fiona, and Hannah had spent quite some time packing thest two carts. By the time they returned to the ind, it was alreadypletely dark.


    Grace had been waiting at the bridgehead for them, and she told them about the intrusion.


    Upon hearing this, Elijah rushed over without dy.

 Chapter 118: theres still a little tail here

    Just in time!


    "Elijah!" Lily called out happily as soon as she saw him.


    "Good job!" Elijah said, patting Lily''s head. "Let''s take care of these people first, then we can talk."


    As he spoke, Elijah removed the short-handled hammer from his waist and started walking towards Jacob.


    He wasn''t worried about Charlotte. A defensive-type ability user wouldn''t be able to pull any tricks. But this strength-type ability user could be dangerous if not handled carefully.


    Jacob watched Elijah warily. Remembering the spear that had easily pierced through Theodore''s stone skin and the tree trunk, he realized Elijah was also a strength-type ability user.


    "Damn it, Isaac''s getting me killed! Didn''t he say the guy had invisibility powers?" Jacob gritted his teeth in frustration.


    They came with seven people, and now only three remained. One wasn''t putting in any effort, and the other, who was putting in effort, was being overwhelmed.


    Jacob nced at Isaac, who was struggling under Charlotte''s relentless attacks. His clothes were in tatters, and his skin was covered in wounds.


    If not for his strong defensive abilities, he would have been killed multiple times already. Defeat was only a matter of time.


    Now, Jacob faced two strength-type ability users. He immediately thought of retreating. As long as he stayed alive, he could seek revengeter.


    Having made up his mind, Jacob didn''t hesitate. He turned and ran, leaving Sophia stunned. She had also been nning to run but didn''t expect Jacob to act so decisively.


    "Trying to run?" Elijah sneered. "Once you''re on this ind, you can''t leave!"


    With a swift move, Elijah chased after him. Jacob sensed the pursuit behind him. The pursuer was clearly faster than him. Fortunately, the beach was not far. Once he reached the water, he would be safe.


    He channeled all his energy into his leg muscles and bones, increasing his speed. But the next moment, he felt something off with the ground beneath his feet. His right foot seemed to slip, failing to grip the ground properly. Due to his momentum, his body surged forward, causing his left foot to slip as well. His legs spread apart in a painful split.


    "Rip!" "Crack!"


    The sound of his pants tearing and his bones being forcefully pulled apart echoed simultaneously.


    "Damn it!" Jacob screamed in pain. The intense agony in his groin almost made him pass out, but the cold touch kept him conscious. He braced himself with his hands, sliding forward in the split position until he was off the ice.


    "Why the hell is there ice here?" Jacob cursed, shivering as he tried to stand up but failed twice.


    "Ha!" A woman''s brightughter rang out.


    "Hannah, your ice ability always makes for a goodugh!" Fiona covered her mouth, her shoulders shaking withughter.


    Hannah, on the other hand, looked at Jacob expressionlessly. Jacob then realized that two women had been hiding nearby.


    And these two women were the same ones they had seen scouting earlier.


    "Ice ability..."


    Jacob''s heart went cold as he realized why he had slipped.


    "Run, we have to run! There are too many of them with abilities, we don''t stand a chance! Isaac, damn it!"


    Jacob gritted his teeth against the pain, standing up with trembling legs, ready to continue fleeing.


    "Hey! Hey! Don''t move recklessly!"


    Fiona warned Jacob, then two jade-like bone spurs aimed at his eyes.


    "These two bone spurs of mine are very sharp! Move and I''ll pierce through your brain!"


    "...Telekinesis?"


    Jacob was horrified.


    At this moment, Elijah finally arrived.


    "Well done!"


    Elijah chuckled.


    "What should we do with this one?"


    Fiona was unsure of what had happened over there. She and Hannah had heard from Grace about the group''s walking route, so they took a detour to intercept them to prevent their escape.


    "Kill him!"


    As Elijah''s words fell, two bone spurs thundered into Jacob''s eye sockets.


    "Crunch!"


    Jacob didn''t have time to react, feeling darkness engulfing his vision as he lost consciousness.


    Fiona''s actions were so swift!


    Elijah hadn''t even reacted.


    This guy... was just being polite to me?


    Elijah muttered.


    He noticed among the women, Fiona was the least averse to killing.


    Just like in the mall earlier, she was decisive and resolute!


    Plus, her clever mind.


    If she were an enemy, she would indeed be a headache!


    Fortunately... she''s on his side now!


    "Let''s go, back to check on Charlotte!"


    Elijah called out to the two.


    Fiona pulled the bone spurs out of Jacob''s eye sockets.


    The bone spurs, pristine and untouched, remained as white as jade.


    But instead of returning to Fiona''s side, the two bone spurs flew towards a nearby tree.


    "Wait, there''s still a little tail here!"


    Fiona looked towards behind the tree.


    "Little girl, I believe you''ve seen the power of my bone spur. I advise you not to act rashly!"


    Behind the tree, Sophia raised her hands and walked out helplessly.


    "Hmm? There''s actually someone else?"


    Elijah was somewhat surprised!


    But Sophia was even more astonished.


    She hadn''t expected this woman to be so sharp.


    You see, her perception ability not only allowed her to sense enemies but also slightly diminish her own presence.


    Although this reduction was very faint, in the pitch-ck night, it was extremely difficult to be noticed by others.


    That''s why she hadn''t been affected during the melee with Jacob and the others.


    As long as she deliberately hid, people would subconsciously overlook her existence. When Elijah arrived, he hadn''t noticed her presence either.


    So, after seeing Jacob flee, she followed suit, thinking of slipping away while she had the chance.


    She hadn''t expected someone to intercept her here and discover her.


    "I''m not with them, I just asked for help and came here reluctantly to help with vignce!"


    Sophia dropped the harpoon in her hand and spoke calmly.


    "Vignce? It seems you''re a power user? I didn''t notice you just now, was it also your ability at work? What is your ability?"


    Elijah asked with interest.


    "I can sense the movements of living beings within a certain range and diminish my own presence!"


    Sophia replied honestly.


    "Tsk, so you were sought after to counter Daisy''s ability, right? That''s quite clever!"


    Elijah suddenly understood.


    "That''s right, they said there are two invisibility ability users on this ind. I was asked toe mainly to be vignt against these two people."

 Chapter 119: Ill do anything you ask

    Sophia had experienced Elijah''s immense power and didn''t believe he was capable of invisibility, so she recounted every detail without reservation.


    "We don''t know if what you''re saying is true or not, but either way, you''ve helped them. You''re our enemy. However, we won''t kill you yet. We''ll wait until we catch Isaac and interrogate him to get to the bottom of this. In the meantime, I hope you''ll cooperate honestly and refrain from any tricks," Elijah said lightly.


    Sophia remained silent for a moment before replying, "Okay."


    "In that case, just to be safe, we''ll have to tie you up," Elijah signaled to Hannah.


    Hannah immediately understood, pulling out a rope from her backpack and approaching Sophia to bind her hands. Sophia remained still, allowing Hannah to tie her up.


    "Alright, let''s go back," Elijah said.


    The five of them returned to the front of the vi, where Charlotte was still exchanging blows with Isaac. Lily stood on the sidelines, while Be and Katherine had juste out of the vi.


    "Ugh, are they still fighting?" Elijah rubbed his forehead and called out to Charlotte with some helplessness, "Charlotte, you''ve yed enough. Don''t kill him yet; there are still things we need to ask."


    "Tsk! Finally found someone tough enough to not worry about identally killing!" Charlotte muttered, stopping her assault.


    Isaac immediately slumped to the ground, gasping for air. He looked miserable, his clothes shredded into pieces and his skin covered in crisscrossing wounds, some shallow with barely visible bloodlines, some deep enough to expose flesh and bone.


    Blood flowed freely from him as if it cost nothing.


    "Devil! This woman is a damn devil!"


    Isaac''s face was pale as he looked at Charlotte, filled with fear.


    After a few rounds of fighting, he realized how formidable she was. She could have easily ended him with one stroke, but she didn''t.


    Each time, she avoided fatal strikes, ying with him like a cat with a mouse.


    But Isaac dared not stop; he feared that if he didn''t resist, he would end up like the guy from earlier, throat slit and dead.


    He could only endure the pain akin to being cut by a dull knife, his inner fear growing deeper with each passing moment. Finally, it was over...


    "Isaac, huh? Didn''t expect to see you again," Elijah approached him, looking somewhat sympathetic.


    "I give up. Do whatever you want, whether it''s killing or torturing me," Isaac said weakly, feeling his body growing colder and weaker.


    "Tsk, fine! I''ll grant your wish, but before you die, there are a few things I need to ask you," Elijah replied.


    "Huh, why should I tell you anything, a dying man?" Isaac sneered.


    "Because it might make your suffering a little less," Elijah smiled faintly, though Isaac seemed skeptical. So, Elijah grabbed another piece of rope and securely tied him up without hesitation.


    Then, he turned to Be and said, "Be,e here, give him some treatment. Nothing too fancy, just enough to keep him alive!"


    "What are you nning?" Be asked, approaching and inspecting Isaac''s wounds.


    "Just want him to have a little taste," Elijah smirked.


    Be, though confused, obediently used her power to quickly heal some of Isaac''s most severe wounds.


    A miraculous scene unfolded as the deep, bone-visible wounds stopped bleeding and began to rapidly heal, leaving behind small, minor cuts.


    Isaac was astonished. The intense pain he had been experiencing noticeably eased.


    "That''s enough," Elijah nodded, then pulled out a knife and thrust it into Isaac''s palm, pinning it to the ground.


    "Ah!" Isaac screamed in agony, his face contorted, ring at Elijah. "What the hell are you doing?"


    "Hey, hey, no need to rush!" Elijah said lightly, then pulled out another knife. "I''ll fix it for you in a moment."


    He waved the knife in front of Isaac''s eyes, then nced at Isaac''s other hand.


    "Damn it, don''t... don''t stab again! I''ll tell you whatever you want to know!" Isaac pleaded.


    "Sigh! Boring, I still have many ideas to try!" Elijah sighed helplessly.


    But Isaac felt a chill in his heart. This guy... he''s a damn devil! How did I get myself into this situation, opposing them...


    "Do you know this woman?" Elijah pointed to Sophia, who was also securely bound.


    "Yeah! Sophia, a sensory ability user, Theodore... the guy with Petrification ability that you shot dead. He had been lusting after this girl, wanting to get her.


    Unfortunately, she''s extremely cautious, always living on a boat with her brother, never giving him a chance. This time, hearing that her brother was injured by something in the sea and urgently needed treatment, we wanted to find a sensory ability user to guard against your invisibility user. So, we used medicine as bait, asking Sophia to lend us a hand.


    But in reality, Theodore had no intention of saving her brother; he just wanted to wait until we took down Azure Isle and then get his hands on Sophia..." Isaac spilled out all he knew.


    "It seems you''re not lying," Elijah nced at Sophia, who hadn''t been paying attention to their conversation, instead staring at Be.


    Elijah''s heart stirred.


    "What? You''re struggling to survive yourself, yet you''re thinking of asking Be to help treat your brother?" Sophia finally turned her gaze upon hearing Elijah''s words.


    After the outbreak of the zombie virus, Sophia and her brother were lucky enough to survive.


    Their family had been fishermen for generations, relying on fishing for a living.


    Seeing zombies everywhere onnd, they chose to escape to their own fishing boat, avoiding the zombies while solving their food problems by fishing.


    asionally, they would go ashore to collect other necessary supplies.


    They had lived like this for ten days when, during a fishing trip, they encountered a strange and fierce fish they had never seen before.


    Her brother, excited to hunt it, volunteered to catch it, but the fish turned out to be aggressive and bit him severely during the struggle, causing serious tearing wounds.


    When they returned to shore, her brother''s wound became infected.


    Sophia hurried out to find medicine, but with too many zombies in the city, she was almost killed by them.


    She had to seek help from nearby survivors she had encountered before, resulting in the current situation.


    Witnessing Be''s ability, she was amazed. If her brother had received treatment from someone like Be, he would surely have been fine.


    Now, hearing Elijah''s question, she mustered up the courage to say, "As long as you can save my brother, I''ll do anything you ask! Even be your woman, I... I''m still a... virgin..."


    As Sophia''s words trailed off, all the women turned to look at Elijah.


    Elijah: "..."

 Chapter 120: Unique Style

    "Why are you all looking at me?" Elijah was rather speechless.


    His own woman at home hadn''t been conquered yet, so how could he look at other women? But, well, Sophia doesn''t look bad...


    It was only now that Elijah carefully assessed her appearance.


    Sophia''s first impression wasn''t particrly stunning. Her features weren''t as delicate as Be''s, not as charming as Daisy''s,cking Fiona''s allure, and different from Hannah''s aloofness.


    She belonged to the type that wasn''t striking at first nce but grew more appealing the longer you looked. Perhaps it had something to do with her skin; her tanplexion didn''t immediately catch the eye. However, once you got used to it, there was a certain charm.


    Apart from that, her figure was great. It had to be admitted; her long legs could rival Charlotte''s, and her chest wasn''t small either. Overall, she was a beauty with a unique style.


    What should one do when such a beauty suddenly says she''s still a virgin? Whatever Elijah wanted...


    But Elijah, looking at the women eyeing him fiercely, said solemnly, "Right now, you are our captive, and naturally, we can do whatever we want with you! However, since you had reasons for your actions and didn''t do anything harmful to us, we won''t make things too difficult for you. But about treating your brother..."


    Elijah paused for a moment, and then Be suddenly leaned over and whispered something to him, telling him that this woman had lied about there being no one in the vi earlier.


    Elijah nced at Sophia in surprise, greatly changing his impression of her. "Treating your brother isn''t out of the question!"


    He immediately changed his mind. "But since you know too much about our ind, you must stay here and cannot have any contact with the outside world for a while."


    "Okay..." Sophia''s expression dimmed. She thought Elijah had agreed to her request.


    To be his woman, a ything, imprisoned on the ind. But if she could cure her brother, it didn''t matter how much she gave.


    He was her only family!


    After resolving Sophia''s issue, Elijah turned his attention to Isaac again and asked him about Jacob, forming a rough guess.


    He didn''t know who controlled Azure Isle or built the entertainment city in his past life, but he had some impression of Jacob''s name, remembering him as the only second-tier strongman who barely rivaled Quentin.


    With this connection, many things became clear.


    In his past life, without his intervention, Fiona likely resisted Isaac with Hannah''s abilities.


    Isaac, unwilling to ept defeat, probably also joined forces with Jacob''s group.


    In his past life, Jacob''s group likely sessfully upied Azure Isle.


    Fiona and her group would have had a tragic end, possibly even dying directly.


    So Elijah had never heard of Fiona''s name.


    Otherwise, with her beauty, intelligence, and decisiveness, she wouldn''t have been unknown.


    After Jacob''s group upied the ind, they likely developed steadily, exploiting the secure geographical environment and familiar maritime resources, possibly even discovering the Crystal Grass on the ind.


    Jacob thus became a second-tier strongman, firmly establishing himself here...


    Of course, all this was Elijah''s spection, his past life now just a memory! In this life, Jacob''s group was dead, their stronghold only housing a few cats, all of them nearby fishermen who had either voluntarily or reluctantly joined him. They were no longer a concern.


    Finally, Elijah gave Isaac a quick and decisive death! After cleaning up the bodies of the attackers, ensuring the safety of Grace and Gabriel on the ind, and eliminating the danger, everyone returned indoors.


    "Everyone performed very well this time, and I especially want to praise this puppy!"


    "Let''s give it a name today, let''s call it Yello!"


    Everyone looked at Yello who was squatting on the ground and spitting out his tongue.


    It felt strange to Yello that everyone was looking at it, feeling a bit confused.


    Everyone smiled knowingly!


    Since arriving on the ind, Yello had been frolicking around, and with Elijah and Daisy often away, there was no one to take care of it but Grace and Katherine.


    Unexpectedly, it was the first to notice the invasion this time, indirectly alerting Grace on duty, allowing Charlotte to arrive first.


    Yello had made a significant contribution, and no one objected.


    "This incident serves as a reminder to everyone. Don''t assume that just because this ind is isted at sea, it''s safe without zombie troubles. Everyone must remain vignt at all times!"


    "Understood!"


    The women responded in unison, causing Sophia to nce sideways. Apart from Elijah, the ind was filled with women. And they were all beauties! All of them followed Elijah''s orders.


    If these women have no rtionship with Elijah, she wouldn''t believe it even if she were beaten to death. Immediately, she had a rough guess about Elijah''s temperament.


    Extremely lecherous!


    She sighed. It seemed like she had truly thrown herself into the lion''s den! As long as she could cure her brother...


    At least Elijah was handsome and powerful, able to make so many beautiful women willingly submit. Presumably, he wouldn''t be too harsh with them...


    With this thought, she felt slightly relieved. And, he already has so many beautiful women, I... I can''tpare to any of them. He might only be interested for a while. When he gets bored, I can leave...


    Elijah had no idea about Sophia''s wild thoughts. He continued, "Besides being vignt, everyone needs to continue improving their strength. Charlotte, I''ll leave that to you!"


    After Elijah finished speaking, Charlotte nced at Fiona, who guiltily turned her head away.


    "Got it," Charlotte said lightly.


    "Alright, that''s enough talk. Let''s have dinner!" Elijah''s words had just fallen when Grace and Katherine sandwiched him from both sides.


    "Honey Elijah, we''re the only non-empowered ones here!" Katherine cooed in a sweet voice.


    "Yeah, honey Elijah, when will we awaken?" Grace shook his arm.


    After today''s events, they were even more eager to awaken their abilities. Otherwise, they wouldn''t dare to say they could protect themselves.


    Listening to the two girls pretending to be cute, Elijah felt goosebumps all over his body. Especially facing Grace, in his impression, this girl was solid and capable, decisive, and straightforward. She really wasn''t suitable for acting cute.


    On the other hand, Katherine, usually gentle and quiet, tending to flowers and nts, had the potential of ady. When she acted cute, it made people''s bones turn to jelly!


    "I got it, I got it! I''ll choose one of you next time!" Elijah quickly freed himself from the two.


    It would be better to discuss such matters privately! It wasn''t appropriate in public!


    Cough, cough! Mainly because he was being stared at by a group of people, which was awkward.


    Grace and Katherine exchanged a nce, feeling the determination in each other''s eyes.


    Since only one could be chosen, there had to be a firste, first served rule! Even if they were good sisters, they wouldn''t yield to each other when it came to awakening abilities.


    Katherine bit her lip. If Fiona had already sacrificed herself, they wouldn''t be able to escape sooner orter!


    If that''s the case, why not do it sooner? They could prioritize awakening their abilities!


    Why not tonight then?

 Chapter 121: Double Joy

    Be had been observing the battle outside the vi and developed a good impression of Sophia, who had kept their presence hidden.


    During dinner, Be, worried that Sophia might feel neglected, had her sit nearby and inquired about her brother''s injuries, which reassured Sophia a lot.


    After the meal, Be arranged for Sophia to stay in the room next to Lily''s and instructed Lily to keep an eye on her, ensuring that Sophia wouldn''t run away.


    After dinner, Elijah went alone to the spirit nts cultivation room to check on the Crystal Grass and zombie grass.


    The first leaf of the zombie grass had already grown, and the second bud was beginning to sprout.


    In a couple of days, it could potentially awaken another person.


    However, this time Elijah didn''t n to harvest it early, despite promising Grace and Katherine that one of them would awaken soon.


    He hadn''t specified a time.


    Elijah intended to let the zombie grass mature so Be could use it to try advancing to a second-tier ability user.


    If she seeded, he would feel confident in harvesting the Crystal Grass.


    With both of their second-tier healing abilities, they might revive the Crystal Grass, allowing it to regrow from its old roots.


    Elijah checked the Crystal Grass.


    The second-tier corpse core had been effective; within just a day, the Crystal Grass had sprouted a third holes.


    At this rate, it might reach seven holes in about four days.


    However, one second-tier corpse core might not sustain it for that long.


    Thinking it through, Elijah took out the premium second-tier corpse core from the Telekinesis zombie and buried it at the root of the Crystal Grass for faster and more secure growth.


    After inspecting the spirit nts, Elijah left the cultivation room and locked the door.


    Currently, only he and Be had keys to this room, and no one else was allowed entry.


    When Elijah returned to the living room, the women had scattered to their various tasks.


    Even Sophia had been taken by Lily to help unload supplies from the vehicles parked by the warehouse.


    Only Charlotte remained in the living room, leisurely sipping tea as if waiting for him.


    "You didn''te back for our sparring yesterday. Had a great time sparring with Fiona instead?" Charlotte asked with a half-smile.


    "Uh, we''ve been training continuously, haven''t missed any progress," Elijah defended himself.


    "Really? Then let''s see how much you''ve improved. If you can''t beat me today, Fiona won''t be leaving the house tomorrow; I''ll train her thoroughly."


    "Uh, that sounds kind of off. You''re not a guy," Elijah muttered.


    The two went to their familiar beach for another sparring session.


    As soon as they arrived, Charlotte attacked without hesitation.


    Elijah reacted quickly, blocking with his arm and counterattacking.


    Charlotte also blocked, mirroring Elijah''s moves since he had learned them from her.


    However, Elijah''s strength was significantly greater, nearly overpowering Charlotte''s defense.


    Elijah''s fist hit her arm, causing it to hurt.


    She made a mistake in dealing with Elijah''s next punch, and was hit in the chest.


    The strong force made her retreat two steps.


    "Are you using your strength ability?" Charlotte questioned.


    "No?" Elijah responded, puzzled. He only had Abigail''s defense ability active as a precaution.


    "Really?" Charlotte was incredulous. "Two days ago, I could handle your strength, but now I can''t even block one punch?"


    "Have I gotten stronger? I didn''t notice," Elijah said, swinging his fist and generating a noticeable whoosh of air. "Hmm, seems like my strength has increased a lot."


    "What have you done these past two days for your strength to grow so fast?" Charlotte asked, surprised.


    "Nothing much, just moving supplies and killing zombies," Elijah replied, with a slight slip.


    Charlotte rolled her eyes. "That doesn''t exin such a significant increase in strength without you noticing."


    "Maybe it''s because I frequently use my strength ability while moving things, so when I deactivate it, my strength feels reduced¡­" Elijah spected.


    "Maybe," Charlotte pondered. "Switch to my introspection ability and examine your body closely."


    "Okay," Elijah agreed, switching to Charlotte''s introspection ability.


    He closed his eyes and mentally scanned every inch of his body.


    Indeed, he discovered his strength had significantly increased, almost reaching the limit of a second-tier ability user.


    His skin had also be extraordinarily tough.


    Although it wasn''t as impervious as when he used Abigail''s ability, it wasn''t as vulnerable as a normal person''s, which would tear easily under a zombie''s w.


    "What''s going on?"


    Elijah was initially stunned but soon filled with joy.


    He exined what he had sensed to Charlotte.


    Charlotte pondered for a moment. "I have a hypothesis."


    "What hypothesis?" Elijah asked, intrigued.


    "Abilities like strength and defense fundamentally alter the body''s physical attributes. You mentioned that when you use your strength ability, the energy within your body nourishes your muscles and bones, enabling you to unleash powerful strength. But when you deactivate the ability, do your muscles and bones revert to their original state? I don''t think so, at least notpletely.


    Your muscles and bones would retain some of the benefits, making you stronger. If you maintain this ability over a long period, your muscles and bones will gain more, making you stronger even when the ability is not active."


    "That''s an interesting hypothesis, and I think it''s pretty close to the truth," Elijah nodded. "A strength ability user essentially has two skills: an active skill for power bursts and a passive skill for strength enhancement. Since my ability is mimicked, I can''t use the active power burst skill when I''m not mimicking, but the passive skill doesn''t require activation¡ªit stacks passively.


    Does that analogy work?"


    "Perfect analogy! It seems you''ve not only stacked the strength enhancement but also the defense enhancement. Since that''s the case, let''s spar again without you using any abilities!" Charlotte said, excitedly.


    "You won''t be able to handle my strength," Elijah chuckled.


    "Just hold back a bit!" she retorted.


    "Alright," Elijah shrugged, and they began sparring again.


    This time, Elijah felt the difference even more clearly. Charlotte''s movements seemed significantly slower.


    In the past, he had to rely on instinct and experience to defend himself, but now he could clearly see her movements and predict her actions, blocking them effortlessly and counterattacking swiftly.


    "It seems my strength and defense have been greatly enhanced, almost reaching the limit of a second-tier physical strength, and even my reaction speed has significantly improved," Elijah observed as he effortlessly countered Charlotte''s moves, who was now struggling to defend herself, resorting to blocking with difficulty.


    "Looks like I can definitely win against Charlotte tonight. I can finally experience what it''s like to dominate with these long legs. This is truly a double joy¡­" Elijah thought, feeling a sense of triumph.

 Chapter 122: A Belated Surprise

    umted quantitative changes lead to qualitative changes.


    Over time, Elijah''s physical constitution had significantly improved, coupled with the passive effects of mimicking others'' abilities.


    Now, his strength, defense, and reaction speed far surpassed Charlotte''s.


    This made it increasingly difficult for Charlotte to withstand Elijah''s onught. However, she didn''t concede. Instead, she grew more exhrated, executing her moves with fluid grace.


    Elijah, in countering her attacks, also benefited greatly.


    His movements and techniques became increasingly refined, to the point where they felt entirely natural.


    Their battlested a long time, with Charlotte fighting to her heart''s content until she was utterly exhausted and had to stop.


    "That was satisfying!"


    Charlotte eximed, lying on the beach without a care for her appearance, her face glowing with the joy of a well-fought battle.


    This was the first time she had given her all, feeling like she had thoroughly revisited everything she had learned, gaining significant insights.


    She nced over at Elijah, who was lying beside her, his eyes unabashedly fixed on her chest.


    Her heavy breathing caused her chest to heave dramatically.


    Elijah''s gaze was appreciative¡ªif it could be called that.


    Men were all the same, she thought.


    Charlotte recalled the promise she had made.


    Although their sparring had no clear winner, with the fight going back and forth, it was because Elijah had been holding back.


    In terms of technique, she was undoubtedly superior, but in terms of raw power, she couldn''t confidently im to win unless she aimed for mutual destruction by targeting vulnerable areas like the eyes. But sparring wasn''t meant for that.


    Since she couldn''t beat him now, should she let him have his way? Charlotte pondered, feeling her earlier joy transform into a yearning.


    As a normal woman and an athlete, she asionally had physical desires. However, her parents, both teachers, had raised her strictly.


    Though not conservative, she wouldn''t settle for just anyone.


    A partner needed to impress her in martial arts to gain her admiration and respect.


    This was why she had been single for years, leading her parents to suspect she might prefer women.


    Usually, she handled her needs herself.


    Now, she finally met a man who barely met her standards, igniting a spark of impulsiveness within her.


    Maybe tonight, she should give it a try?


    Being a straightforward person, Charlotte acted on her thoughts. She suddenly flipped over, pinning Elijah beneath her. "Enjoying the view?" she asked, looking down at him.


    "Yes... very much!" Elijah was momentarily bewildered, finding the object of his gaze suddenly so close.


    "Would you like to see something even better?" Charlotte''s rare, seductive smile left no room for misunderstanding.


    Elijah quickly flipped her over, holding her down. "Definitely! Right here?"


    "Why not? I''m not worried," Charlotte replied, pushing off the ground to regain the upper position. "Don''t move!"


    ...


    This battle without smoke ended in Charlotte''s victory.


    Though Elijah technically lost, he also won¡ªhe seeded in making Charlotte his woman.


    The continuous physical exertion left Charlotte too weak to move, so Elijah carried her back to the vi.


    They were both covered in sand from their beach battle.


    Elijah didn''t return to his own room but carried Charlotte to her bedroom to clean up.


    In the bathroom, another yful tussle ensued.


    This time, Elijah came out on top, with Charlotte yielding in yful defeat.


    The next morning, before dawn, Elijah sensed the beautiful woman in his arms had left, and he opened his drowsy eyes.


    Last night, the two of them had fought several battles in different venues, each having their own victories and defeats.


    In the end, Charlotte was utterly exhausted and had to concede, and they finally stopped fighting and fell asleep in each other''s arms.


    At this early hour, Elijah found it strange that Charlotte was already up.


    He squinted his eyes and saw Charlotte in skimpy pajamas, sitting cross-legged beside him with her eyes closed.


    "Huh? What are you doing?" Elijah suddenly felt much more awake.


    "Meditating!" Charlotte opened her eyes. At this moment, her gaze was unprecedentedly clear and bright. She saw Elijah sit up as well and gave him a slight smile.


    "Meditating?" Elijah was even more confused.


    "Yes, remember I promised to give you a surprise?"


    "Of course I remember. You kept postponing it and finally said to wait until I beat you, so I''d have double the joy."


    Elijah chuckled and hugged her.


    "Last night''s first surprise was indeed very surprising. Is this meditation the second surprise?" What kind of surprise was this?


    "Yes and no!" Charlotte brushed off his hand and continued, "Do you remember when we first met, I talked to you about the Golden Elephant Body Forging Art?"


    "I remember. You said you learned it from an ancient book..." Elijah immediately recalled.


    Back then, Charlotte mentioned that the book containing the body forging technique had some additional mystical content that she needed to verify.


    Could the surprise be in thetter part?


    "Thetter part of that ancient book records a method of cultivation!"


    Charlotte didn''t leave him guessing for long and revealed directly.


    "Before the apocalypse, I also tried to practice it but with no effect. But when I saw you practicing the body forging technique with such powerful results, I immediately took an interest in thetter part of the content. After you all left, I began to study and practice ording to the method described! And it actually had some effects!"


    "Really?" Elijah''s expression turned serious, staring straight at her.


    "After practicing for a while, the energy within me increased slightly, andbined with the body forging technique, my physique has also greatly improved. Otherwise, how could I havepeted with you, who has advanced to the second tier, in just a few days?" Charlotte said with a smile.


    "It''s true..." Elijah had always thought Charlotte''s martial arts experience was extensive, but he forgot that after advancing to the second tier, his strength was iparable to before.


    Even for awakened ones, if they weren''t strength-based ability users, they would pale inparison to his formidable physique.


    Not to mention the enhancement from mimicking other abilities and various passive abilities.


    "If what you say is true, wouldn''t it mean that without using spirit nts, one could slowly advance through this cultivation method?" Elijah asked excitedly.


    He already had the Crystal Grass for advancing to the third tier, but the path beyond the third tier was unknown to him.


    Even a yearter in his previous life, there were no rumors of fourth-tier powerhouses.


    If advancement could truly be achieved through cultivation, his path beyond the third tier would be clear and no longer aimless and directionless.


    "It should be possible. I feel I''ve reached a bottleneck. Maybe we''ll see the results in the next few days!" Charlotte nodded. Elijah immediately hugged her joyfully and kissed her several times.


    "This really is a huge surprise!"

 Chapter 123: Speculations

    Hun Yuan Technique Meaning: In martial arts, Hun Yuan Technique may refer to a type of internal energy technique or boxing method that emphasizes the cultivation of both internal and external aspects to achieve a state of unity between body and mind.


    Charlotte rolled her eyes at Elijah and then wiped the saliva from her face.


    She continued, "Actually, if that were all, I would have told you the day I arrived at Azure Isle. But the moment I saw the Crystal Grass, I made new discoveries and spections!"


    "Crystal Grass?"


    "Yes, you also mentioned that spirit nts are a newly emerging kind of magical nt. Their most important feature is that they emit a sparkling glow."


    "Exactly!"


    Elijah nodded.


    "When I was practicing the Hun Yuan Technique, which is the second part of the body refining technique, I also felt a simr glow!"


    "Could it be... that glow is the energy floating in the air? The same energy that''s within our bodies?"


    Elijah had a sudden flood of thoughts. Including, what exactly is the corpse core?


    "Maybe, but there''s something strange: only when I''m practicing the Hun Yuan Technique can I sense it! I asked Daisy to try cultivating it, but she didn''t notice anything. However, the energy in her body did increase slightly! This shows that this cultivation method is universal, not just something only I can practice.


    I''ve also started teaching Be and Fiona these past two days, and they didn''t notice the fluorescence either!"


    "Daisy learning is one thing, but Fiona too? And you didn''t even tell me? So I''m thest to know?" Elijah looked exasperated.


    "Hmph, there''s a reason for that!" Charlotte retorted, pouting.


    "Let me teach you now, and you''ll understand."


    "Sure! Go ahead!" Elijah said eagerly.


    "First, sit cross-legged like me!" Charlotte instructed.


    Elijah mimicked her, cing his right foot on his left thigh, then his left foot on his right thigh, finally resting his hands on his knees with palms facing up.


    "Close your eyes, calm your mind, and empty your thoughts!" Charlotte continued.


    Elijahplied. Soon, he suddenly felt Charlotte''s finger touch his abdomen. Somehow, a warm sensation lingered there. Then the second spot, the third spot...


    "Guide the energy within your body along the points I''ve touched!" Charlotte instructed.


    Elijah had an epiphany! The points Charlotte touched were acupoints. He followed her instructions, moving the energy through the points she had indicated.


    The energy rose from his lower abdomen, flowed through his heart and lungs, moved into his limbs, then through his liver, spleen, kidneys, and other organs, finally gathering at the perineum before returning to the lower abdomen, forming arge cycle.


    After a few cycles, the warmth from Charlotte''s guidance faded. Elijah roughly remembered the locations but, fearing mistakes, he stopped. He sensed the energy within him and indeed felt a barely perceptible increase.


    "How was it?" Charlotte asked as he opened his eyes.


    "Pretty good. I did feel a slight increase in energy, but I didn''t see the fluorescence you mentioned," Elijah replied with a hint of regret.


    "Could it be rted to your ability to see inside yourself?" Elijah suggested.


    "I''ve thought about that too. Why don''t you try imitating my ability?"


    "Alright!" Elijah immediately switched to Charlotte''s internal vision.


    Charlotte again left warm imprints on his body. Elijah tried moving the energy, and a tiny portion split off to follow the path Charlotte indicated. After one cycle, Elijah suddenly noticed, in his internal vision, tiny points of fluorescence appearing in the surrounding darkness.


    They seemed attracted to his body, converging from all directions, merging into his energy flow, and slightly enhancing it.


    Not only that, even the stronger energy maintaining Charlotte''s ability benefitted, subtly increasing. Elijah ran a few more cycles, and as the warmth from Charlotte''s guidance faded, he stopped and exhaled deeply.


    Seeing Charlotte''s concerned gaze, Elijah nodded and said, "I saw it too!"


    "It seems it''s not just my imagination; there really is such an energy in the air, it''s just that we usually can''t see it. But when practicing the Hun Yuan Technique, we involuntarily absorb it," Charlotte eximed excitedly.


    "Has this energy always existed? Or did it only appear after the virus outbreak? Why do spirit nts have simr fluorescence? Are they also absorbing this energy? Is there a connection between the virus and this energy?" Elijah posed a bunch of questions.


    Even a year after the previous world, research on the virus, spirit nts, and corpse cores by surviving humans still remained limited to using corpse cores to cultivate spirit nts, and then using spirit nts for awakening and advancement.


    What connection did they have before? No one understood.


    Even the technique to enhance physical fitness was passed down by Charlotte.


    With that in mind, Charlotte must have discovered Chi in her previous life and attempted to cultivate it.


    "On this point, I have a guess!" Charlotte pondered for a moment before continuing, "In fact, there are records in many ancient texts that in ancient times, there existed a mysterious energy in our world called Chi!"


    "Chi?"


    "Yes, ording to records, Chi exists in everything in the universe, whether it''s the air, mountains, rivers, or nts, animals, and humans. Chi exists within them. Through cultivation, people can stimte the Chi within their bodies and, by continuously absorbing and strengthening it, allow it to flow through the meridians, granting them magical abilities.


    Like those immortals in ancient myths, controlling wind and thunder, emitting clouds and mist, and prolonging their lives ¡ª all of that was achieved through cultivating Chi!"


    "In that case, it''s simr to modern awakeners. But why hasn''t anyone discovered Chi in recent times? I don''t believe that with today''s technological level, it couldn''t be detected!" Elijah questioned.


    "I''m not sure about that," Charlotte shook her head. "But in recent times, there hasn''t been anyone with special abilities, not even in martial arts, which seems to have faded away gradually. It''s as if Chi never existed."


    "Chi existed in ancient times, but it disappeared in modern times, only to reappear after the virus outbreak," Elijah muttered to himself. "There must be a reason for this, but for now, we can''t see through it. Well, let''s not dwell on it. We know the role of Chi!"


    Elijah began to consider other questions, such as how spirit nts usually rely on absorbing external Chi to grow, but their growth rate is extremely slow. When cultivated with corpse cores, the growth rate significantly elerates. Could this corpse core be condensed from the Chi within the human body?


    Since humans can''t directly consume corpse cores, is it because during the condensation process, the virus also gets inside? Is there a way to absorb it like nts do?

 Chapter 124: Staring Each Other Down

    Elijah wanted to give it a try. He took out a corpse core from the pocket of his shorts lying on the ground and held it in his hand.


    "Come, help me guide it again!" he said.


    "What are you going to do?" Charlotte asked curiously.


    Elijah exined about the ability of the corpse core to cultivate spirit nts and also about Be''s ability to rejuvenate spirit nts.


    Only he, Be, and Daisy knew about this matter for now.


    Since Charlotte had given him such a big surprise, there was no need to keep things from her anymore.


    "I see! No wonder you asked Be to look after the spirit nts!" Charlotte said calmly.


    "Aren''t you surprised?" Elijah was a bit puzzled.


    "Not only am I not surprised, I think Fiona might have guessed something too!" Elijah suddenly remembered what Fiona had said about monopolizing high-end industriesst time. Well, this girl was probably testing him back then, wasn''t she?


    Without dwelling on it too much, Charlotte asked him to concentrate.


    Elijah began practicing again. After running the technique for several days, he didn''t absorb any energy from the corpse core.


    He couldn''t help but feel a little disappointed.


    It seemed that for now, the corpse core could only be transformed through spirit nts.


    Thinking about spirit nts, Elijah suddenly had another idea. Spirit nts could awaken and advance people because they contained arge amount of Chi that the human body could absorb!


    When he cultivated more spirit nts in the future, could he gradually increase the Chi content in his body by eating them, reaching the fourth or fifth tier, or even higher?


    But the premise was having enough spirit nts!


    Elijah made a mental note to collect more in the future. Even if the exposure of spirit nts could lead to awakening, it didn''t matter!


    After all, while others could only eat one nt and lose it, he could use them in an infinite loop.


    In this way, Be''s role became even more important!


    Apart from that, there was also a problem with the Hun Yuan Technique.


    "If others get the Hun Yuan Technique or any other martial arts secrets, can they learn it on their own?" Elijah asked Charlotte directly.


    "I don''t think it''s possible! The entry into the Hun Yuan Technique requires Chi sensitivity! Ordinary people can''t sense Chi, and their bodies don''t contain Chi, so they can''t even get started. As for awakeners, unless they awaken the ability to see inside like me and have a deep understanding of the human acupoints, it''s possible for them to learn on their own!" Charlotte said confidently.


    Back then, she relied entirely on her internal vision and had an extremely deep understanding of acupoints in the human body to sessfully practice the Hun Yuan Technique as recorded.


    She could be sure that without internal vision, even if she were an awakener, she wouldn''t be able to practice the Hun Yuan Technique!


    Because some descriptions in the Hun Yuan Technique greatly deviated from the current human acupoints.


    It was also with the assistance of her internal vision that she gradually found the corresponding positions and routes for practicing.


    Charlotte exined this once again, then continued, "You have even less understanding of acupoints, so you can only learn by continuously strengthening under my guidance."


    Elijah sighed with relief after hearing this. In this way, the mastery of the technique could be entirely within their team.


    Even if others learned it, without Charlotte''s internal vision, subtle control of Chi, and knowledge of human meridians and acupoints, they couldn''t teach it to others. In this post-apocalyptic world, strength was paramount.


    As long as his team remained the strongest, they could control countless wealth and power.


    However, this also meant that Charlotte''s importance to the team was as crucial as Be''s, and she needed to be protected.


    Then Elijah remembered the positions Charlotte had guided him to during practice. Positions like the abdomen, limbs, and back were okay, but positions like the chest and perineum were too intimate. It wouldn''t be easy to touch those if they hadn''t been intimate before.


    No wonder she insisted on mentioning it only after I had won her over and we became intimate.


    But wait, if that''s the case, doesn''t it mean Daisy, Be, and Fiona have all been seen and touched by her? Hmm... but Charlotte is my woman! Well, that settles it!


    However, Elijah wondered if Fiona was afraid of Charlotte; maybe it had something to do with this?


    Thinking of Fiona led Elijah to think about her brother, Gabriel. How would that kid learn the Hun Yuan Technique?


    Elijah would never let Charlotte help other men guide their techniques.


    Well, using zombie grass to awaken his abilities would be enough!


    Wanting to learn the Hun Yuan Technique? Dream on!


    Hmm, it seems only recruiting women was the right strategy. This way, there wouldn''t be such problems!


    After some wild thoughts, Elijah confirmed some future ns and then continued to practice the Hun Yuan Technique under Charlotte''s guidance.


    After a dozen or so cycles, his body gradually became familiar with the route and started operating without Charlotte''s assistance.


    Elijah was currently at the second tier. After running a dozen or so cycles, there was a slight increase in energy in his body, but it wasn''t very noticeable.


    It might take a long time to advance to the third tier relying solely on the Hun Yuan Technique.


    Compared to zombie grass and Crystal Grass, the difference was too obvious. However, Elijah didn''t mind.


    Even mosquito legs were meat after all.


    When the sky brightened a bit, Elijah stopped practicing, and Charlotte, who was sitting beside him, was focused on meditating.


    The light from outside shone on her serene and peaceful face, making her look exceptionally pure.


    However, she was wearing very cool pajamas at the moment, with no bra to hinder, revealingrge areas of smooth skin, and the contours of her chest were clearly visible!


    Her slender legs were crossed, and she wore only thin panties inside.


    The blend of purity and temptation was perfect at this moment.


    Elijah swallowed and thought about the wonderful long legs fromst night, feeling a bit eager.


    But seeing Charlotte concentrating on her practice, he didn''t dare to disturb her.


    Oh well, I''ll go find Be instead. She should be up by now, right? Elijah slid off the bed without putting on any clothes.


    Yesterday''s clothes were too dirty, and he didn''t have any here. Besides, Be, Daisy, and Charlotte on the second floor knew him inside out; there was no need to hide anything.


    So, he held the dirty clothes in his hand and walked out of the room swaggeringly. However, as soon as he stepped out, he saw a woman wearing cool pajamas yawning and walking out of his room.


    "Huh?" Elijah was stunned! Howe Katherine was in his room?


    Katherine, with her groggy eyes, also saw Elijah. She saw himing out of Charlotte''s room. She saw him with no clothes on. Her eyes widened instantly! The two stared at each other, neither saying a word for a moment.

 Chapter 125: Why didnt you guys continue

    In the end, it was Katherine who became embarrassed first. She averted her gaze and mumbled, "So you were in Charlotte''s room, huh? I waited the whole night for nothing!"


    Last night, while Elijah was intensely focused on his "battle" with Charlotte, Katherine had mustered up the courage to quietly sneak to the door of Elijah''s bedroom.


    Knowing that Elijah would practice with Charlotte untilte every night, she didn''t knock but went straight into his bedroom.


    She spent a long time building up her courage, sitting on his bed nervously, waiting for Elijah to return.


    But she waited and waited until she eventually fell asleep on the bed, never seeing him.


    Early this morning, she woke up to find the room empty and guessed that Elijah had probably slept in some other woman''s bed.


    She sighed with a hint of resentment but also felt a strange sense of relief.


    Afraid of being discovered, she decided to sneak back to her room early.


    Unexpectedly, as soon as she opened the door, she saw Elijah, who wasn''t even dressed!


    "Did you wait for me all night?"


    Elijah walked up to her without any embarrassment.


    Instead, he focused intently on Katherine.


    Her delicate face, without any makeup, still had traces of sleepiness, making her look adorably dazed.


    Her pajamas were light, revealing her delicate corbones and part of her chest.


    This was one of Elijah''s proud achievements; the pajamas he had brought back were anything but conservative.


    "N-no! I have something to do, so I have to go!"


    At the critical moment, Katherine became shy and wanted to run away.


    Elijah didn''t believe her. Coming out of his room early in the morning, dressed so lightly¡ªeven if there was nothing, he would make it into something.


    He blocked Katherine, pressing her against the door.


    Katherine felt arge something bump into her, making her body instantly stiffen, a blush spreading across her face.


    "...Elijah..."


    She called out his name shyly.


    "I like it when you call me Elijah, honey!"


    Elijah said with a chuckle.


    Katherine blushed even more, obviously recalling her coquettish moments.


    Just as Elijah was about to take it a step further, the door to Be''s room suddenly opened, and Be walked out.


    "??"


    Be looked at the two of them, utterly confused.


    Elijah and Katherine were both taken aback, their expressions mirroring Be''s.


    The atmosphere became extremely awkward!


    "Uh... sorry for interrupting, you guys carry on!"


    Be quickly reacted, took two steps back, and closed the door.


    Katherine also snapped out of it, struggling to break free and slipping out of Elijah''s embrace.


    "I... I''ll head back now!"


    In a sh, she was gone without a trace!


    Elijah touched his nose and walked towards Be''s room.


    The door wasn''t locked, and Elijah walked straight in. Be chuckled lightly.


    "Why didn''t you guys continue?"


    "You scared her off. You owe mepensation!"


    Elijah pulled her into his arms, letting her feel his tension.


    "Hmph, why don''t you go find whoever you were having fun withst night?"


    Be pushed against his body with both hands.


    "But right now, I only want you!"


    Elijah gazed at her passionately.


    "Really? But I''m on my period right now!"


    Be said with a yful smile.


    Elijah''s expression froze instantly!


    "Pfft!"


    Be found his reaction amusing and couldn''t help butugh.


    No wonder she''s been locking the door and not letting me in these past few days! Elijah''s face showed a look of helplessness. Seeing Be''s slightly smug and carefreeughter, a thought suddenly struck him.


    "Even if you''re on your period, there are still other ces we can use, right?"


    Elijah said with a mischievous grin.


    Be''sughter stopped abruptly!


    ...


    In the kitchen, Hannah, Lily, and Sophia were already preparing breakfast. It was unusual for Be, who usually woke up early, not to be in the kitchen. Hannah found it strange, but Lily didn''t seem to mind.


    Elijah''s back. It''s normal for Be to sleep in after spending some cozy time with him at night. Lily understood!


    Sure enough, a little whileter, Elijah and Be came downstairs together.


    "Sorry, I slept in today!"


    Be apologized immediately upon seeing so many people in the kitchen. Then she gave Elijah a sideways nce.


    If it weren''t for him insistently feeding her a nutritious breakfast, she wouldn''t have been dyed until now.


    "Today, you can take a good rest. I''ll make breakfast!"


    Hannah said, kneading dough with her hands.


    "Alright, I''ll help you out then!"


    Sophia stood nearby, helping to pick vegetables. She watched the warm, harmonious scene, feeling a bit dazed.


    Is this really the harsh world filled with zombies everywhere?


    This ind truly feels like a paradise.


    If I could live here forever, maybe it wouldn''t be so bad?!


    On the other side, Elijah went out as usual to check on the morning training group.


    Charlotte had somehowe out and was supervising Fiona, Grace, and Katherine as they exercised.


    Katherine''s expression turned slightly unnatural when she saw Elijah, causing her movements to be a bit awkward.


    "Katherine, pay attention to your form!"


    Charlotte immediately corrected her.


    "O-okay!"


    Katherine focused straight ahead and resumed her exercises earnestly.


    Fiona, however, sneaked a funny face at Elijah. But as soon as Charlotte''s gaze turned towards her, she instantly put on a serious expression.


    Elijah smiled.


    This girl is both timid and lively. It''spletely at odds with her usual smart, wise, and elegant demeanor.


    But it was this side of Fiona that Elijah liked even more.


    After watching the elegant and captivating training of the four women for a while... uh, I mean their graceful postures, it was soon time for breakfast, and everyone headed back to the vi together.


    After breakfast, Elijah told Fiona, Hannah, and Lily not to rush to the mall just yet.


    He wanted to first take Sophia back to get her brother so Be could treat him.


    With the eight zombies under his control at the mall, there was no need to worry about the safety of the supplies.


    If Elijah didn''t go with them, the distance would prevent him from controlling the zombies, which could endanger Fiona and the others.


    "In that case, why don''t we all go together... to help out?" Fiona suggested.


    Hey! Hey! You''re revealing your true intentions! Elijah saw Charlotte giving Fiona a disapproving look and gave Fiona a "good luck" nce.


    Fiona hesitated for a moment before adding, "We could take the yacht! We can wear swimsuits!"


    Fiona had perfectly grasped Elijah''s interests.


    "Alright, it''s decided then!" Elijah concluded decisively.


    "If everyone leaves, the ind''s defense will be weak. Hannah and Lily can go, but Fiona should stay. I can give you some extra lessons," Charlotte said calmly.


    Fiona''s face fell, but then she straightened up as if remembering something.


    "If I don''t go, no one will be able to drive the boat!"


    "Sophia can, right?" Charlotte looked at Sophia.


    Sophia looked bewildered. "I think I can... probably..."


    "Well then, it''s settled!" Elijah pretended not to see Fiona''s pleading eyes and said to Sophia, Hannah, and Lily, "Let''s get ready to leave!"


    "Fiona,e with me to the room. I need to check if you''ve forgotten anything I taught you," Charlotte said with a smile, leading Fiona upstairs.


    "Fine, I''ll go!" Fiona said resolutely, as if heading to her doom.


    "Is Fiona going to be okay?" Lily asked worriedly.


    "She''ll be fine," Elijah said calmly. After all, it''s just Charlotte checking up on her... uh, why do I suddenly feel a bit envious?


    Elijah nced at Hannah and Lily beside him. Once they put on their swimsuits, the view was definitely going to be pleasant! Mmm! Mmm! Elijah nodded to himself in satisfaction.


    Soon, Elijah, Abigail, Hannah, Lily, and Sophia arrived at the dock. There were many yachts docked there, including arge, impressive one as well as medium and smaller-sized yachts. Sophia''s eyes lit up as soon as she saw the yachts.

 Chapter 126: he almost reached inside

    "Sophia, which yacht do you think is suitable?" Elijah asked. He wasn''t familiar with these things and preferred to rely on professional advice.


    Sophia hesitated for a moment and finally chose a medium-sized yacht.


    Ideally, she wanted to take a 6-8 seater speedboat to get back quickly to treat her brother.


    However, considering they might want to swim and y, she opted for the yacht.


    It was a medium-sized luxury yacht, about 15 meters long, with two levels. Inside, there were sofas, a coffee table, a dining area, a kitchen, and bedrooms, almost like a small hotel.


    Once on board, Hannah and Lily went exploring, while Elijah followed Sophia to the helm, watching her start the yacht.


    "Is this thing easy to drive?" Elijah asked, feeling a surge of excitement. Every man has the urge to drive¡ªbe it a car, ne, or boat¡ªand Elijah was no exception.


    "It''s easy to drive, but docking and undocking can be a bit tricky," Sophia exined while she maneuvered the yacht out of the dock.


    On the open sea, Sophia pointed to the wheel. "In simple terms, it''s not much different from driving a car, except there are no brakes!"


    "Can I give it a try?" Elijah asked eagerly.


    "Sure!" Sophia stepped aside, indicating the direction to go. Elijah immediately took over.


    The yacht surged forward with the wind and waves, the vast ocean offering a sense of freedom. Though not as fast as a car, the driving experience was exhrating.


    Seeing Elijah immersed in driving, Sophia quietly took out a swimsuit from her backpack.


    Earlier, Elijah''s eyes had lit up when Fiona mentioned wearing swimsuits; he seemed to like them.


    Since she was eventually going to be his, making him happy might ensure her brother received better care.


    Sophia hesitated for a moment but then quietly changed into the swimsuit.


    When Elijah turned around and saw Sophia in a bikini, his eyes widened.


    Her swimsuit was quite bold and revealing, simr to the one Fiona had shown him before, covering only the essential areas, entuating her impressive figure.


    Her long, toned legs and tanned skin added an exotic charm.


    Why didn''t she give a heads up? I could have watched her change! Elijah thought, staring at her. Sophia, feeling embarrassed by his gaze, looked away.


    "Sophia, I''m not quite sure about some things. Could youe over and teach me?" Elijah called out.


    "What do you need help with?" Sophia asked, trying to hide her embarrassment, and walked over.


    Elijah patted his seat. "Sit here!"


    Sophia hesitated but eventually sat down, barely touching the edge of the seat. Elijah half-embraced her, holding the wheel, and pointed to the dashboard. "What do these mean?"


    Sophia began exining, but after just a couple of sentences, arge wave lifted the yacht''s bow, making her lose her bnce. She slid back, her smooth back pressing against Elijah.


    Elijah instinctively held her to steady her. "Are you okay?"


    His breath was warm against her neck, sending a shiver down her spine. "I''m fine," she stammered.


    "Good, then hold the wheel yourself; that''ll keep you steady," Elijah suggested.


    Sophiaplied, while Elijah kept his hands on her waist. Thinking about her offerst night¡ªwhen she said he could do anything¡ªElijah let his hands wander over her body.


    Smooth, he thought.


    Sophia''s body tensed, her face turning red. They were now intimately close, chest to back, thigh to thigh. She could feel a change in Elijah''s posture, growing more intense.


    Just as she was about to lose herself, she heard Hannah and Lily talking nearby.


    "They''reing!" Sophia eximed.


    Elijah let go immediately. Sophia quickly stood up and moved to the side, relieved.


    So close... he almost reached inside, she thought, exhaling deeply.


    At this moment, Hannah and Lily finally finished their tour and walked into the helm.


    Lily, seeing Sophia in her swimsuit, eximed in surprise, "Hey, Sophia, why did you change into a swimsuit? Wow, your figure is amazing!"


    Lily, who wasn''t very tall and had shorter legs, looked at Sophia''s long legs with envy.


    "Huh? Didn''t Fiona say to wear swimsuits while on the yacht?" Sophia was taken aback.


    "Pfft!" Hannah couldn''t help butugh. "That was Fiona messing with this big pervert next to you!"


    Sophia felt embarrassed and quickly started putting her clothes back on.


    "Hey? It looks good like that!" Elijah protested, ring at Hannah.


    Hannah ignored him, suppressing herughter and looking away. Sophia, hearing Elijah''sment, hesitated about whether to put her clothes back on or not.


    Lily stepped in to change the subject. "Sophia, how far are we from your brother? Are we almost there?"


    Talking about her brother immediately shifted Sophia''s focus. She quickly put on a T-shirt and said, "At our current speed, we''ll be there in about ten minutes."


    "Really? Sailing on the sea is so convenient, and we don''t have to worry about zombies! By the way, I heard your brother was bitten by a fish? What kind of fish is that fierce?" Lily asked curiously.


    "We haven''t seen anything like it before. It was a pretty big fish, about a meter long, silver and shiny. It tore our and swam around our boat, asionally surfacing. My brother got annoyed and tried to spear it, but missed several times. The fish bit the spear and dragged him into the water.


    In his panic, he managed to spear the fish, but not before being bitten several times and dragged for dozens of meters. The fish died, and I managed to pull my brother out of the water," Sophia exined.


    Elijah''s interest was piqued. "Where is that fish now?"


    "It''s on our boat. Since my brother was injured, I didn''t have time to deal with it, so I just salted it and hung it to dry."


    "When we get there, show it to me," Elijah requested.


    "Okay!"


    Lily asked curiously, "Elijah, do you know what kind of fish it is?"


    "I''ve heard of something simr," Elijah replied vaguely, though he was actually guessing.


    In his previous life, he had heard rumors about strange fish in the sea, which seemed to possess some kind of intelligence, being cunning and fierce.


    If encountered in the water, a person could easily be injured or even killed.


    Besides, the meat of these fish was said to be incredibly delicious, with people paying high prices just to taste it.


    Elijah had dismissed these as mere stories, not taking them seriously.


    His abilities and superpowers were not suited for a life at sea, and he wouldn''t spend a fortune for a taste of exotic fish.


    Moreover, there were other mutated animals that people were willing to pay a lot for to eat.


    However, these were even rarer, with hardly any animals left alive in Neoville city, let alone mutated ones.


    It was said that such creatures were asionally found in rural areas.


    Now, with Charlotte''s revtion about the existence of Chi, Elijah began to specte that these mutated animals and fish might also be influenced by Chi.


    Perhaps they containedrge amounts of Chi that could be absorbed by humans, simr to spirit nts, and might even help people awaken abilities.


    There was a fish right in front of him; all he needed was to test it to answer his questions.


    If his guess was correct, then Sophia would be someone worth pulling closer. Her abilities and fishing skills would be invaluable for capturing these extraordinary fish.


    With these thoughts in mind, Elijah was eager to reach their destination quickly.

 Chapter 127: The Feeling of Flying

    In just a few minutes, they approached Fisherman''s Wharf. As they neared, Elijah vacated the helm, allowing Sophia to take control.


    Instead of heading straight into the dock, Sophia steered towards a nearby fishing boat.


    "That''s our fishing boat. My brother is on it!" Sophia exined.


    The luxurious yacht stood out starkly against the modest fishing boats, drawing the attention of several nearby survivors who peeked out curiously.


    "There are quite a few survivors here," Elijah noted, spotting four or five people immediately.


    "They''re all survivors from around here. With too many zombies on the shore, the sea became a safer refuge. Whether they knew how to sail or not, they all ended up on boats," Sophia said as she carefully maneuvered the yacht closer to her family''s fishing boat.


    At that moment, a young boy emerged from the fishing boat.


    He looked about fifteen or sixteen, still school-aged.


    His right leg and left arm were wrapped in white bandages, stained with fresh blood.


    He hobbled to the edge of the boat, holding a fishing spear, and eyed the yacht warily.


    "Is your brother still school-aged?" Elijah asked.


    "He''s sixteen. He quit school and didn''t want to study, so he joined our parents fishing," Sophia exined before calling out, "Xavier, it''s me, your sister!"


    Xavier''s face lit up with joy. "Sister, did you take back Azure Isle?"


    "Wrong, quite the opposite. Your sister has been captured by us!" Elijah stepped out of the cabin and onto the deck, staring at Xavier.


    "Who are you? Is my sister okay?" Xavier asked, full of suspicion.


    "I warn you, don''t bully my sister, or I won''t forgive you!" Xavier threatened.


    "With your half-injured state?" Elijah chuckled softly, then dipped his spear into the sea.


    A wave of cold air flowed from the spear into the water, instantly forming a thinyer of ice.


    As the cold air continued, the ice thickened, creating a solid bridge between the yacht and the fishing boat.


    "An ice ability user?" Xavier eximed, wide-eyed with surprise.


    "That''s right. Sophia, we''re good to go. No need to anchor; let''s make this quick!" Elijah called out, masking his exhaustion.


    Despite the short distance, freezing that stretch of water had almost drained him.


    No more showing off next time!


    Sophia emerged, followed by Hannah and Lily.


    Seeing his sister unharmed, Xavier breathed a sigh of relief.


    However, he couldn''t help but stare at the stunning Hannah and the voluptuous Lily.


    "Kid, stop staring. They''re all my women!" Elijah jumped onto the fishing boat, blocking Xavier''s view.


    "Your women? Who exactly are you?" Xavier''s face flushed, oblivious to Elijah''s implication about his sister.


    Sophia, Hannah, and Lily also jumped over.


    "Who am I? I''m your future brother-inw!" Elijah teased.


    "You''re lying!" Xavier shouted angrily.


    "Elijah, stop teasing him. Let''s go check out that fish," Sophia said, her face tinged with embarrassment.


    "Alright, the kid looks badly injured but seems energetic. Let''s go see the fish," Elijah agreed.


    Sophia led the way as the group followed. Xavier, still wary, kept an eye on Elijah while trying to process the strange situation.


    Elijah finished speaking and followed Sophia onto the deck of the fishing boat.


    Xavier, still mumbling under his breath, "You haven''t told me who you are yet," couldn''t help but steal nces at the two beautiful women nearby.


    He didn''t dare to look directly, only sneaking peeks.


    Hannah''s cold and beautiful face gave off a feeling of unapproachability, making Xavier hesitant to stare.


    On the other hand, Lily''s cheerful demeanor and her ample bosom made it hard for him to look away.


    "Do we need to bring this boat back? Should we lift the anchor?"


    Lily, pretending not to notice Xavier''s stares, asked Hannah while casually lifting the anchor chain.


    The sound of the chain clinking caused the boat to sway slightly.


    Xavier''s eyes nearly popped out in shock as he watched Lily effortlessly lift the anchor, her yful attitude contrasting with the feat of strength.


    "Strength ability user?"


    He was so frightened that he dared not look around anymore.


    "Hmph!" Lily, satisfied, put down the anchor and pped her hands. "That''ll teach you not to stare!" she seemed to say with her actions.


    Hannah, observing their little interaction, smiled slightly. Xavier immediately felt his fear dissipate, reced by a warm feeling. "She''s like an angel," he thought.


    Meanwhile, Elijah inspected the fish.


    Unfortunately, it had been half-dried and salted, making it hard to recognize its original appearance.


    Nheless, he nned to take it back for Be to cook and taste.


    "Do you have anything else you need to pack?" Elijah asked.


    "No... nothing else," Sophia replied.


    After seeing the abundance of supplies on the ind yesterday, she realized she didn''t need anything from the boat.


    Everything from the clothes she was wearing to her shoes, swimsuit, and even her pajamas were picked out yesterday with Lily''s help.


    She had also seen two better fishing boats at the dock, specifically luxurious ones meant for wealthy tourists.


    "Alright then, let''s head back now!"


    Elijah said, carrying the fish and jumping back onto the yacht.


    "Elijah, how is Xavier going to get over there?"


    Sophia asked, looking at the significant height difference between their fishing boat and the yacht.


    Given Xavier''s current state, he couldn''t jump across on his own.


    "Lily!" Elijah called.


    "Oh!" Lily understood immediately. She stood behind Xavier, grabbing his arm and his clothes.


    "What... what are you doing?" Xavier eximed, startled and trying to struggle. But when Lily tightened her grip on his arm, he froze in ce.


    "You''re about to experience the feeling of flying!" Lily said with a sweet smile before tossing him effortlessly onto the yacht.


    "Ahhh!" Xavier screamed as he was thrown through the air toward the yacht.


    Just as he was about to collide with it, a strong hand grabbed him firmly and set him down on the yacht''s deck. Heart pounding, Xavier looked up at Elijah, filled with awe and fear.


    "Such... such strength! Isn''t he an ice ability user? How is he so strong too?" Xavier thought, bewildered.


    Hannah then jumped onto the deck, followed by Sophia, whonded gracefully with Lily''s help. Finally, Lily leaped lightly and safely returned to the yacht.


    "Alright, let''s go home!" Elijah said, smashing his spear onto the ice, causing the frozen sea surface to shatter into pieces.


    Sophia started the yacht, slowly steering it away.


    Xavier, meanwhile, struggled to his feet, immediately captivated by the yacht''s luxurious interior.


    As he wandered into the salon on the second floor, he noticed a woman sitting on the sofa.


    She was also stunning and, intriguingly, dressed in a cosy outfit, her legs partially concealed, which drew his attention.


    "Your name is Xavier, right?" Elijah asked, having ced the fish securely and now sitting on the sofa, observing Xavier.


    "Yes. Are you people from Azure Isle?" Xavier replied, starting to piece things together.


    He recalled his sister mentioning going to Azure Isle with Jacob from Fisherman''s Wharf.


    He knew Jacob well enough to understand that he wouldn''t make a trip without expecting some benefit.


    Given that his sister had returned with these strangers and not Jacob, and the mention of her being a captive, it was clear that this group had overpowered Jacob''s party.


    "That''s right. Your sister has joined us and asked for our help to treat your injuries. Now, let''s take a look at those wounds. Remove the bandages for me," Elijah instructed.


    Xavier hesitated, feeling a mixture of gratitude and suspicion.


    He knew his sister must have made some significant sacrifice to secure this chance for his treatment.


    Reluctantly, he began unwrapping the bandages, exposing his injuries for Elijah to see.

 Chapter 128: just staying like this was nice

    In just over ten days before the apocalypse, he witnessed the cruelty of human nature and grew a lot, no longer believing that there are free lunches in the world.


    "What price did my sister pay? I''ll pay it for her!"


    "I''m not interested in men!"


    Elijah sneered!


    "Then I won''t treat you, let us go!"


    "It''s toote, I''ve already taken interest! Stop being a wimp and hurry up with the bandages!"


    Xavier thought his sister had already been abused by the man in front of him, immediately filled with anger, wanting to beat him up.


    But considering his freezing ability and immense strength just now, he realized he was no match and held back!


    I... I can''t waste my sister''s sacrifice!


    Xavier endured the sourness in his heart, silently starting to unwrap the bandages on his legs and arms.


    As the bandages came off, huge and gruesome wounds were exposed, especially on his legs, as if a piece of flesh had been torn off.


    The wounds had stopped bleeding, the flesh pale and some areas even oozing pus.


    "Tsk, you''ve got some grit, kid!"


    Elijah carefully examined his wounds.


    "Unfortunately, grit alone won''t do you any good. Your wounds are festering. If you don''t get timely treatment, you won''t be able to save your legs and arms, and you might even be in danger of losing your life!"


    As the bandages were unwrapped, pulling on the wounds, beads of sweat formed on Xavier''s forehead.


    "Do you have a way?"


    "Indeed, but it might hurt. Can you bear it?"


    "I can, just do it!"


    Xavier''s face hardened.


    "No need to rush, wait a bit longer!"


    Elijah said lightly. Then he took out a dagger and sterilized it with the lighter he carried.


    Whether it was effective or not, Elijah didn''t know nor did he count on it.


    After another ten minutes or so, Azure Isle came into view.


    Elijah sensed Be''s ability and signaled for Hannah toe over.


    "Get a towel to stuff his mouth, then help me ice his wounds to ease his pain!"


    Hannah nodded and found a clean towel from a drawer.


    Xavier took the towel and stuffed it into his mouth, feeling a bit puzzled.


    Why was it this big sister icing his wounds?


    Shouldn''t it be Elijah who had the freezing ability?


    Before he could dwell on it, Hannah followed Elijah''s instructions, cing her hands on Xavier''s leg.


    Xavier immediately felt a chill, and the pain in his wounds immediately eased a lot.


    "Lily, help me restrain this kid so he doesn''t move around when I''m cutting!"


    "Got it!"


    Lily held down Xavier''s leg with both hands. Elijah took the dagger and immediately began to cut around Xavier''s leg, slicing off the festering flesh.


    Despite the icing on the wounds, the intense pain still surged.


    Xavier was sweating all over, his body wanting to move uncontrobly, but Lily held him down firmly.


    He wanted to scream, but his mouth was gagged with a towel, only able to make a "wuwu" sound.


    As the old wounds and flesh were cut away, fresh blood flowed out of the newly cut wounds.


    Elijah immediately switched to Be''s healing ability, covering his hands over the wounds.


    As the energy flowed rapidly out of his body, Xavier''s bleeding wounds stopped, and flesh rapidly regenerated at a visible speed under the blood cover.


    Xavier felt the pain ease a lot, but following it was a tingling numbness, making him even more ufortable.


    He couldn''t help but want to scratch, but Lily pped his hand away.


    The treatmentsted for about a minute, and just as Elijah had regained his energy, he stopped, wiping the sweat from his forehead.


    Looking at Xavier''s wound now, it had miraculously healed, though the new skin hadn''t fully formed yet, appearing a bit raw.


    "Is... is that it?" Xavier, soaked in sweat from the intense pain, had no time to dwell on that now.


    He waspletely stunned!


    He tried moving his legs and found them agile and pain-free, as if he had never been injured in the first ce!


    The only odd sensation was the tender new skin, slightly itchy, tempting him to scratch it.


    But he resisted, his eyes filled with astonishment as he looked at Elijah.


    "What kind of ability do you have? First freezing, then strength, and now healing!"


    "I''m tired and don''t want to talk," Elijah flopped down onto the couch.


    "I''ll massage your head for you!" Lily volunteered, helping Elijah rx.


    "Mmm, that feels much better!" Xavier didn''t mind the intrusion.


    He nced at his arm''s wound, hope filling his eyes.


    With such a miraculous ability, he could soon be back to normal!


    But the thought of his sister sacrificing herself for this chance at healing dimmed his spirits.


    He swore to himself he''d repay her, ensuring no one ever mistreated her again, not even this man before him.


    At that moment, the yacht finally coasted to a stop, smoothly docking.


    Sophia emerged from the cockpit, hurriedly making her way to her brother.


    When she saw his legs fully restored, she gasped, covering her mouth with her hand, tears welling in her eyes.


    She spun around to Elijah, seeing him exhausted on the couch.


    Though Be wasn''t there, her brother''s legs had miraculously healed, undoubtedly the work of the man before her.


    "Th-thank you, Elijah!" Sophia''s voice trembled with gratitude.


    "We''re all friends here, no need for formalities," Elijah waved weakly. "Be will have to take care of the wound on his arm; I need a moment to rest."


    "Alright, thank you!" Sophia''s face lit up with a radiant smile, her worries dissipated.


    "Hannah, you take them back," Elijah gestured towards them, "I''ll rest here for a bit."


    "Sure thing!" Hannah led Sophia and Xavier away.


    Elijah had intended to meditate for a while to recover, but Lily suddenly spoke up, "Elijah, just lie down and rest. I''ll continue massaging your head."


    "Um... okay." Elijah obedientlyy down on the couch.


    Lily also sat on the couch and lifted Elijah''s head, cing it on herp.


    Though Lily''s legs weren''t as long as Charlotte''s, as slender as Daisy''s, or as shapely as Be''s, Elijah found them surprisingly plush andfortable against his head.


    Who would have thought that lying against someone''sp could be sofortable?


    Elijah mused, but when he tried to look up again... he couldn''t see a thing! Lily''s face waspletely obscured from view by a pair of ample objects.


    "Hey? I can''t see anything!" Lily also realized she couldn''t see Elijah''s head and said in frustration.


    "Wait a moment, Elijah!" Lily pushed him up and then turned around so that her body was facing Elijah''s back, before gently cing him back down.


    Elijah felt his head nestled between two soft objects, bouncing back and forth a few times before sinking inpletely.


    It was incrediblyfortable! Whether she massaged his head or not didn''t matter; just staying like this was nice!


    Elijah muttered to himself.


    Meanwhile, as they made their way to the vi with Hannah, Xavier watched his jubnt sister, struggling to find the right words to say.

 Chapter 129: should I wear it for him to see again

    As they neared the vi, Xavier nced ahead at Hannah''s back, seeing that she wasn''t paying attention, he pulled his sister aside.


    "What''s wrong?" Sophia looked at her brother, thinking he was worried, and reassured him, "Don''t worry, we''ll find Be soon, her healing ability canpletely fix your arm."


    "It''s not that," Xavier carefully chose his words, "Sis, are you really being held captive by them?"


    "Well... kind of," Sophia hesitated for a moment. "Last night, Jacob and the others were defeated and killed. They spared me because I didn''t fight back."


    "How could they agree to help you heal me then?" Xavier didn''t explicitly ask what price his sister had paid, but it was obvious. If she was a captive, why would they be so kind to her?


    Sophia''s face turned somewhat unnatural as she nced aside, unsure how to respond. She had always believed that Elijah agreed to help her because of what she had said: "You can do anything to me, I''m still a virgin..." But how could she exin that to her brother?


    "Elijah... is he really going to be my brother-inw?" Xavier blurted out involuntarily, seeing his sister''s expression.


    "Not... not yet..." Sophia didn''t want to hide it; this was something he would find out sooner orter.


    "Not yet? Did he lie to me? No, he still wants to make a move on you!" Not yet didn''t mean never! From Elijah''s tone, it was obvious he had intentions towards his sister!


    But regardless, Xavier felt relieved, and his impression of Elijah changed significantly. "What did he lie to you about?" Sophia asked curiously.


    "He said something about taking interest? So he had to heal me!" Xavier muttered.


    "He had to heal you?" Sophia''s heart warmed instantly, even more grateful to Elijah. But when did he take interest?


    Suddenly, Sophia remembered shortly after they set sail, when she changed into her swimsuit, he was touching her here and there.


    A blush spread across her face.


    Did Elijah really like seeing me in a swimsuit?


    After all, in terms of looks and figure, Sophia felt she couldn''tpare to any woman on the ind.


    Feeling grateful towards Elijah and considering herself already his, she couldn''t help but entertain a thought. Next time... should I wear it for him to see again?...


    The three of them unconsciously arrived at the vi.


    Be, Charlotte, and Fiona were waiting inside.


    Xavier, feeling relieved, couldn''t help but be stunned by the sight of the three unbelievably beautiful elder sisters.


    Howe there are so many beauties on this ind?


    Each one is stunning, and they all have different qualities.


    "These are all my women!" Xavier suddenly remembered something Elijah had said.


    All along the way, he hadn''t seen a single man; it was all women.


    Was he the only man on this ind?


    Were all these beautiful sisters really his women? Xavier couldn''t help but feel a mix of envy and jealousy.


    But as soon as he thought about his own sister being among them, targeted by Elijah, he felt that such a man was too fickle, unreliable, and despicable.


    No, he had to advise his sister. Before that guy seeded, she needed to get out of there as soon as possible. Xavier made up his mind.


    At that moment, Hannah recounted what had happened. Be inspected Xavier''s arm wound and immediately said, "Let''s follow Elijah''s process and treat it again!"


    Upon hearing this, Xavier pushed aside his distractions and prepared himself mentally to endure the pain of treatment again.


    When Elijah returned to the vi, Be had already finished the treatment.


    She looked rxed, unlike Elijah, who had been almost exhausted.


    This was mainly because her condition was better, and the wound on her arm wasn''t as severe as the one on her leg.


    By now, Xavier was bouncing around, asionally kicking his legs and moving his arms, while Sophia watched him with a contented smile.


    Elijah nced at Xavier and then handed Be the magical fish that had bitten him. "Be, add this fish to lunch. Stew it!"


    "Is it a sea fish? Or dried fish? I''ve never made it before; I might not do it right." Be took the fish, examining it closely, realizing she had no idea what it was and feeling a bit at a loss.


    "I''ll help, Be. I''ll do it," Sophia spoke up from the side.


    "Oh right, Sophia grew up by the sea. She must be good at handling these kinds of fish! You mentioned yesterday that you''re good at fishing too, right?"


    "Yes."


    "Well, then we''re in luck. You can catch more fish in the future, and our menu will expand!"


    "Yeah, okay!" Be and Sophia enthusiastically began discussing it.


    Seeing Xavier fully recovered and his eyes wandering sneakily towards the women, Elijah snorted coldly in his heart. "This little brat, quite bold! Doesn''t he know these women all have someone?"


    "Now that you''re healed, Xavier, let''s go with us!" Elijah said, gesturing to Lily, Fiona, and Hannah.


    The three women immediately stood up to leave.


    "Where are we going?" Xavier asked warily.


    "To arrange your amodation!"


    Elijah and Abigail followed behind Hannah as they walked out of the vi together.


    Xavier hesitated for a moment, seeing his sister happily chatting with the elder sister who had treated him.


    He gritted his teeth and followed along.


    They all got on the shuttle bus and quickly arrived at the hotel entrance, where several vans were parked.


    Lily, Hannah, and Fiona each got into a van. Elijah also got into one, then looked at Xavier standing still and said, "What are you waiting for? Get in the car!"


    "Oh!" Xavier replied and was about to sit in the front passenger seat when Abigail beat him to it. Xavier had no choice but to sit in the back of the van.


    As the vehicles started moving, they filed out of the area and drove along the bridge to the service area on the shore.


    Gabriel and Emily were already waiting there. When Gabriel saw Elijah, he immediately shouted, "Brother-inw!" and ran over excitedly.


    Ever since he learned that his sister had sessfully awakened her ability with Elijah''s help, Gabriel''s attitude towards Elijah had be even more enthusiastic.


    He wasn''t afraid of Fiona''s temper; he just called Elijah "brother-inw" whenever they met.


    Even if his sister might scold him, as long as his brother-inw was happy, it could help him awaken his ability!


    Emily also followed behind Gabriel, calling out to Elijah before and after Gabriel. She had long noticed that Daisy didn''t seem to like her, and Elijah was indifferent towards her as well.


    She had no intention of provoking Elijah.


    There were already so many women on the ind, each more beautiful and outstanding than her, and even her only advantage had been surpassed by Lily.


    So she had long decided to just hold onto Gabriel tightly.


    With Fiona''s rtionship, they wouldn''t be mistreated!


    Elijah nodded to the two of them and then asked Xavier to get out of the van.


    He turned to Gabriel and said, "His name is Xavier. Arrange a ce for him to stay. From today onwards, this kid is your responsibility!"


    "Okay, brother-inw! Xavier, right? Follow meter!" Gabriel said.


    Xavier looked at Gabriel in astonishment.


    This was only the second man he had seen among this group.


    But hearing Gabriel address Elijah, he understood that he was simr to himself, a brother of one of the women on the ind.


    Seeing Gabriel''s enthusiasm towards Elijah, he couldn''t help but feel disdain.


    Could his sister be so happy even after being "bullied" by this person?


    Then he looked at Emily and found her exceptionally beautiful with a great figure.


    Especially the asional hint of mature charm in the corners of her eyes made his heart skip a beat.


    He stood next to Emily, listening to Elijah and Gabriel''s conversation while sneakily ncing at Emily from time to time.


    Gabriel didn''t miss any of this.

 Chapter 130: Making Elijah his brother-in-law didnt seem so bad

    "Organize a few rooms as warehouses. Put some unimportant materials from the mall here."


    "Alright! Brother-inw! I''ll arrange it right away!"


    After Elijah finished giving orders and drove away, Gabriel looked at Xavier.


    "Xavier, right? I''m Gabriel, a few years older than you. Just call me Gabriel."


    "Gabriel!"


    Xavier obediently responded.


    "I didn''t see you yesterday. Were you brought back by Brother-inw?"


    Xavier exined about his injury and treatment.


    Upon hearing that Xavier''s sister was among the group from yesterday and had stayed on the ind, Gabriel understood.


    He put his arm around Xavier''s shoulder and said familiarly, "So you''re Brother-inw''s nephew. Then we''re like brothers. Come on, let me arrange a nice room for you and show you around the area!"


    "Elijah is... not my brother-inw!" Xavier protested.


    "Hey, it''s just a matter of time! Let me tell you, women who settle on that ind sooner orter belong to Brother-inw!"


    Gabriel patted his shoulder.


    "What?" Although Xavier had suspected before, confirming it still left him incredulous. Several beautiful women...


    "Kid, let me remind you, don''t mess with the women on the ind!" Gabriel warned, seeing Xavier''s stunned expression.


    "Are you just going to watch your sister being bullied by him?"


    Xavier couldn''t believe it.


    "Well, so what? You''re too young and inexperienced. Before the apocalypse, wealthy and powerful people had plenty of mistresses privately! There was this guy I knew who used the funds from a real estate project to build a building, then he housed a bunch of mistresses there, each with her own suite.


    He woulde home like he was returning to a pce, flipping through cards to decide which room to go to! Before the apocalypse, even people with capability did this, let alone now! Those with power are the bosses! Our brother-inw not only has great power but also controls the entire ind, collecting countless resources so we never have to worry about food and drink.


    So what if he has a few more women? Moreover, Brother-inw even has a method to awaken abilities!"


    Gabriel''s words shattered Xavier''s worldview. Then hearing that Elijah had a method to awaken abilities, his eyes widened even more.


    "What? Awakening abilities?"


    Xavier felt his heart pounding rapidly.


    If he had abilities, why would he let a fish bite him?


    His sister had to seek help from others, resulting in her falling into Elijah''s hands, all for his treatment... Wait, didn''t his sister seem unharmed?


    She even seemed quite happy? Xavier recalled his sister''s expression today.


    It seemed like the first time he''d seen her so happy since the apocalypse!


    "Yeah, my sister''s ability was awakened with Brother-inw''s help!" Gabriel boasted, as if he himself had awakened.


    Was Elijah''s "help" really genuine? Xavier wanted to curse but held back. He felt a slight shift in his mindset!


    "Let me tell you, in this apocalypse, having no ability is not enough," Gabriel continued. "Zombies are everywhere, and without abilities, you''ll be eaten alive in minutes! But with awakened abilities, it''s different. Not only can you defend yourself, but you know why?"


    "Why?" Xavier asked, puzzled. Although his sister''s perception ability was somewhat mysterious, her physique was inferior to his own, and she could only run away from zombies. That''s why he was genuinely curious.


    "Hehe, ordinary auxiliary abilities are easy to fail against zombies. But Brother-inw has a special method to rapidly improve the physique of those awakened, making their strength grow rapidly, bing superhumans without any shorings!"


    No wonder those women all had abilities, and they all seemed powerful!


    Jacob and his group deserved their deaths!


    Xavier suddenly realized, feeling even more shaken.


    "Once you have abilities, once you have strength, don''t you want to enjoy more women? Oh, by the way! Look at your age, you''re still a rookie, haven''t tasted the vor of women yet!"


    Xavier blushed at being described as such, but couldn''t refute it.


    He was indeed a novice. However, Gabriel''s description made him look at Emily''s tempting figure beside him, and his inner resistance suddenly copsed, giving rise to a thought.


    Making Elijah his brother-inw didn''t seem so bad?


    "Smack!" Xavier was interrupted by a p on the head, halting his thoughts.


    Gabriel said impatiently, "What are you thinking? She''s my woman! You little rookie, let me tell you, if you want women, find your own, don''t touch the ones on the ind, especially not my woman!"


    Emily turned to look at Xavier, a hint of teasing in her eyes.


    Caught red-handed, Xavier blushed and couldn''t speak.


    Gabriel didn''t embarrass him further, instead putting his arm around his shoulder.


    "Brother, as someone who''s been there, let me give you some advice. They say youth is wasted on the young! When you have the chance, I''ll find you someone experienced so you can experience and learn, hehe..."


    Elijah and the others arrived at the mall smoothly, everything was as usual.


    Lily and the rest continued to transport supplies, while Elijah summoned four dormant zombies and fed each of them a corpse core.


    If everything went as expected, these four zombies would awaken today.


    He would then have to consider giving up two of them to make room for the contracts with Sophia and Xavier.


    "It seems like I need to hurry up and advance to Tier 3!" Elijah hadn''t expected that the first to reach the limit would be his Seed of Consciousness contract quota.


    Today, because of Sophia''s matter, Elijah was dyed a bit, so after dealing with the zombies, he also started to hurry up with transporting the supplies.


    He made several trips back and forth in the morning, and time quickly passed!


    By noon, Elijah was thinking about the magical fish and didn''t stay at the mall. Instead, he went back to the ind with the others.


    As soon as they unloaded the supplies in the vi, they smelled the fragrant aroma of food, especially the fresh scent of the fish filled the room, making them unable to help but salivate.


    "Wow, it smells so good!" Lily couldn''t wait and rushed into the kitchen as soon as she smelled it. Hannah and Fiona also couldn''t help but peek inside.


    "Why does this fish smell so good?" Fiona had eaten a lot of delicacies from bothnd and sea, but none were as enticing as this fish.


    "Because this fish is extraordinary!"


    Elijah chuckled, feeling even more certain that this fish was the delicacy he had sold for a high price in his previous life.


    No, it was more appropriate to call it the Spirit Fish now.


    But he wondered if it had any magical effects. That needed to be tested!


    Soon, the meal was served.

 Chapter 131: Ive awakened an ability

    The spirit fish was served on arge square tray.


    Be invited everyone to sit down and specially introduced it, saying, "This fish was made by Sophia, and it smells incredibly delicious! Sophia not only knows how to cook various fish and seafood, but she also catches them. We''ll all be in for a treat from now on!"


    "Great!"


    Everyone praised in unison, making Sophia feel a bit embarrassed, but more than that, she felt warm inside. It made her feel as if she were back before the apocalypse, dining and chatting with her girlfriends.


    At this moment, Elijah pped his hands!


    After attracting everyone''s attention, Elijah said, "I have a hypothesis I want to test with this fish, so I''m sorry, but no one can eat it just yet!"


    Charlotte and Fiona looked at Elijah thoughtfully.


    "Katherine!"


    Elijah suddenly called out.


    "Huh? I''m here!" Katherine responded somewhat flustered!


    "You eat this fish!"


    "Oh!"


    Seeing everyone looking at her, especially Grace''s envious gaze, Katherine somewhat realized what was going on. Her expression immediately turned a bit excited.


    "Could it be..."


    "It''s just a hypothesis for now. You eat first!"


    "Okay! Okay!"


    Katherine nodded repeatedly, immediately picking up her chopsticks and eating without hesitation.


    As soon as the fish entered her mouth, Katherine felt it was as soft and tender as tofu. She barely had to chew before it turned into juice, filling her mouth with its vor.


    Her mouth was immediately filled with the fresh and fragrant taste of the fish.


    "So delicious!"


    Katherine didn''t care about her image and began to eatrge mouthfuls.


    The other women couldn''t help but swallow as they watched her enjoy the food, especially Grace.


    Here, only she and Katherine have not awakened. Elijah promised them that he would not forget to help them awaken.


    But there is always a sequence between the two of them. If she hesitated for a moment, Katherine would take the lead!


    She clearly saw Katherine running back from Elijah''s vi with disheveled clothes this morning.


    "Damn Katherine... sigh, I should have been more decisive!"


    She thought unwillingly!


    "No, I must take action tonight. I can''t wait any longer!"


    Grace hadn''t forgotten that Gabriel was also waiting for Elijah to arrange his awakening.


    The defenses at the riverside service area have always been weak, and if Fiona were to speak on Gabriel''s behalf again...


    Although Grace believes it''s unlikely that Fiona would do such a thing, you can never be too careful!


    While Grace was lost in her thoughts, Katherine had unknowingly eaten two-thirds of the fish!


    This fish was quiterge, and although it had shrunk significantly from being salted and dried, two-thirds of it was still enough to stuff a grown man!


    It was already astonishing that Katherine had eaten this much.


    However, judging by her expression, she didn''t seem to be in any difort.


    Nheless, she gradually put down her chopsticks.


    Katherine only felt a warm sensation throughout her body, as if she were soaking in a hot spring.


    Countless energies were circting rapidly within her body, merging into her cells.


    At a certain moment, her body suddenly trembled, and the energy inside her began to flow along a specific path.


    She received some information in her mind.


    Information about the application of a certain ability!


    "I''ve awakened an ability!"


    Katherine opened her eyes, beaming with joy.


    "Really?"


    "What ability?"


    "Show us quickly!"


    The women chattered excitedly around her, except for the neer, Sophia, who looked bewildered but was inwardly shocked beyond measure!


    "Is it possible to awaken abilitiester in life?"


    She muttered to herself.


    "Indeed! We have to thank you for bringing this Spirit fish!"


    Elijah said happily.


    "Spirit fish?"


    "The name I gave it!"


    Elijah looked at Sophia, genuinely grateful to her.


    If it weren''t for her encounter with this Spirit fish, he wouldn''t have figured this out so soon.


    "Humans can awaken abilities, and so can animals and nts!


    However, most animals and nts don''t exhibit such extraordinary phenomena as humans do, since humans are the spirit of all things!


    I named these special animals and nts ''spirit nts,'' ''Spirit fish,'' and ''spirit beasts''!


    And when humans consume these spirit nts, Spirit fish, or spirit beasts, they might awaken abilities!"


    Elijah exined his hypothesis in one breath.


    Sophia was already stunned by what she heard!


    "No wonder... almost everyone here has awakened abilities..."


    Sophia murmured to herself.


    Meanwhile, Grace, who was one of the few exceptions, was regretting her actions in a corner.


    At this moment, Katherine also began to demonstrate her ability.


    She took a potted nt from the balcony and ced it on the table, then covered the nt''s roots and stem with her hands.


    Ayer of luminous white light emanated from her hands, and the nt in the pot immediately began to grow rapidly.


    In the blink of an eye, the ntpleted its growth stage, blooming with flowers.


    One by one, flower buds emerged and quickly blossomed into beautiful flowers.


    Then, the flowers withered at an astonishing speed, producing seeds!


    The cycle of blooming and wilting, spring and autumn, seemed to pass in an instant.


    The women were mesmerized!


    Elijah and Be exchanged a nce!


    The two had a tacit understanding and couldn''t help but think of spirit nts.


    They wondered if Katherine''s ability would work on spirit nts as well?


    "How amazing!" Lily whispered.


    "Katherine, is your ability to rapidly elerate the growth of nts?" Fiona asked.


    "Yes, my ability can promote the rapid growth and development of nts! But ites at a cost. First, it consumes my energy, and second, it causes severe depletion of soil nutrients," Katherine exined, picking up a withered nt. The soil around its roots, once fertile, showed signs of cracking and hardening.


    "Well, that''s easy to handle. We can use some nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium fertilizers to replenish the lost nutrients in the soil. Besides, we don''t need to ripen the nts all at once!" Fiona said with a smile. "For vegetables that missed their growing season, we can elerate them to the appropriate growth stage and then let them grow naturally!


    In the future, we''ll rely on Katherine to have fresh vegetables every day!"


    "Hey, that''s right! I''ve always thought our current selection of vegetables is too limited. With Katherine''s ability, as long as we find seeds, we can quickly grow a batch, making our menu much more diverse!" Be said happily.


    As soon as Be finished speaking, the women surrounded Katherine, chatting excitedly and asking about the seeds avable on the ind that they could try to grow.


    In fact, Fiona had even more ambitious ns. She thought about cultivating the ind''snd on arger scale for food production, including wheat, rice, vegetables, and fruits.


    After all, the supplies they had gathered would eventually run out if they didn''t cultivate their own.


    Although she had mentioned to Elijah about using monopolies on certain items for trade, it didn''t stop her from making additional preparations.


    The ind''s limited area could at least ensure self-sufficiency for their current group.


    Moreover, they could grow some crops specifically for research purposes, like experimenting with using corpse cores to cultivate ordinary nts.


    Even though Elijah hadn''t told Fiona the secret of spirit nt cultivation, through practicing the Hun Yuan Technique taught by Charlotte and some previous hints, she had a vague idea.


    Seeing the miraculous effects of this fish confirmed her suspicions.


    Thus, her ideas were not baseless; they might even produce some special varieties.


    They could then sell seeds to other settlements, creating another monopolistic business.


    Farming was ingrained in their culture, and Fiona believed that if they had unique crops that only they could produce, they would be highly sought after, creating a lucrative business opportunity.


    Even if all these ideas were mere fantasies, at the very least, it would ensure they had fresh vegetables year-round, which was quite a benefit.


    They could ripen whatever they wanted whenever they needed it.


    Elijah''s thoughts were simr to Fiona''s. He knew that in the previous world, some had tried to use corpse cores to cultivate ordinary nts, but the long growth cycles and unsatisfactory results wasted many corpse cores without significant progress.


    However, with Katherine''s ability, it was a different story!


    She could condense a nt''s growth cycle, which might normally take half a year or even a year, into a short moment, vastly increasing efficiency.

 Chapter 132: He couldnt disappoint her

    Several thoughts quickly shed through Elijah''s mind.


    First, he needed to test Katherine''s ability to see if she could rejuvenate spirit nts after they were harvested.


    Next, he wanted to give Katherine a batch of corpse cores to see if she could use them to cultivate ordinary nts.


    Finally, in future expeditions to gather supplies, he nned to prioritize finding crop seeds and fertilizer.


    After making a simple n in his mind, Elijah snapped back to reality and noticed the women all staring at him.


    Smiling, he looked at the remaining third of the Spirit fish and said, "What are we waiting for? Everyone, take a piece!"


    "Yay!" Lily cheered.


    Be took the initiative to divide the fish into portions, giving each person a piece.


    "Wow! It''s delicious!" Everyone praised Sophia''s cooking.


    "Sophia, when can we catch another Spirit fish like this?" Grace, eating vigorously, asked between bites.


    "I''m not sure! These fish are very cunning. Even if we encounter one again, there''s no guarantee I''ll be able to catch it," Sophia said a bit sheepishly.


    "I have an idea. In a couple of days, once we''ve moved most of the supplies from the mall, we can go out to sea together and try catching some," Elijah pondered for a moment before saying.


    "Okay... sure!" Sophia quickly responded, but the thought of going out to sea alone with Elijah made her blush, and her eyes started to flicker.


    She remembered the morning when Elijah taught her how to drive the yacht.


    At that moment, Yello, who had been ying somewhere, burst into the vi with his tongue out, looking a bit wild.


    He ran straight to Elijah''s side, sat obediently, and stared intently at Elijah''s bowl.


    Yello''s tongue hung out as he panted, and his tail wagged like a windmill.


    "You little guy, your nose is pretty sharp! Speaking of which, you did a great job yesterday, so you deserve a reward!"


    Elijah noticed there were some fish scraps and broth left on the tray holding the Spirit fish.


    He took it over, added half of his own fish portion, and ced the tray in front of Yello.


    Without hesitation, Yello lowered his head and began to eat noisily.


    "I wonder if eating this Spirit fish meat will cause any magical changes in you," Elijah muttered to himself. He had never seen a spirit beast in his previous life.


    These creatures were even rarer than spirit nts.


    He had only heard from Christopher that some people specifically bought spirit beast meat.


    If Yello really turned into a spirit beast, should he eat it or keep it?


    Elijah looked at Yello with a mischievous glint in his eyes. Yello shivered inexplicably, shrank his neck, nced around, and, seeing nothing unusual, eagerly continued eating.


    Yello ate with relish and cleaned the te thoroughly. He even devoured the fish bones left uneaten by the women. After that, he didn''t eat anything else and went to rest.


    After lunch, Elijah took Be to the spirit nts cultivation room, intending to test Katherine''s ability.


    However, the zombie grass had only two leaves, and the third leaf was just emerging, making it unsuitable for harvesting.


    Simrly, the Crystal Grass''s fourth node was only just beginning to form, making it even less suitable.


    Elijah didn''t want to mess with the two spirit nts, so he brought in a pot nt from outside.


    He picked up a pair of scissors and cut the nt''s stem.


    "Snap!" The nt broke at the cut, leaving only a bit of the stem and root, simr to a harvested zombie grass.


    Elijah immediately switched to Katherine''s ability, attempting to stimte the remaining stem to grow.


    As energy flowed into the nt, he could feel its roots absorbing arge amount of nutrients from the soil.


    The stem above ground seemed to sprout new buds, struggling to break through.


    But in the next second, the nt''s roots began to age and wither, and the buds lost their vigor, unable to grow.


    It seemed as if the sensation from a moment ago was merely an illusion.


    "Failed..." Elijah sighed.


    "But it wasn''tpletely ineffective. Maybe once Katherine''s abilities improve another level, it''ll work!" Beforted him.


    She had also been carefully observing the nt with her abilities. At first, it showed signs of revival, but unfortunately, at a certain moment, its vitality couldn''t sustain, and it suddenly died.


    "Yeah, you''re right," Elijah nodded.


    He wasn''t too troubled. After all, Be''s abilities were still here. If Katherine''s abilities seeded, that would be great, but failure wouldn''t cost them anything.


    "Next, let''s see if we can stimte the growth of the spirit nts!" he said.


    He didn''t dare touch the Crystal Grass recklessly, as he needed it to advance to the third tier. But the zombie grass didn''t matter as much!


    Elijah walked over to the zombie grass, gently stroking its leaves with his hands, then activated his ability.


    His hands emitted a faint white light, and energy continuously flowed into the zombie grass.


    The leaves of the zombie grass began to grow visibly, and underground, several corpse cores wrapped by roots started to shrink rapidly.


    In an instant, one of therger corpse cores disappeared, and the others also shrank significantly.


    But at this point, the zombie grass stopped its rapid growth.


    Elijah realized that no matter how much he activated his ability, the zombie grass showed no further signs of rapid growth.


    "It seems Katherine''s ability can only stimte the growth of one leaf on the zombie grass," Elijah shook his head, not too disappointed.


    Stimting the growth of one leaf meant saving a day''s time, which was still pretty good.


    At this point, the second leaf of the zombie grass had fully grown, the third leaf was half-grown, and the fourth leaf had just started to sprout. If it was just for awakening, it might be ready by tomorrow!


    "Let''s leave it at that! We''ll observe it for a day first," Elijah decided not to stimte the Crystal Grass and opted for a more cautious approach.


    With this, the test concluded, and Elijah and Be left the spirit nts cultivation room.


    Just then, Katherine and Hannah came out of the kitchen, having finished washing the dishes.


    Elijah called out to Katherine.


    "Do you need something, Elijah...big brother?" Katherine almost called him "Elijah brother" but corrected herself just in time.


    Elijah took out a bag of corpse cores and handed it to her.


    "Keep these corpse cores; I have a task for you."


    "Okay, Elijah, tell me!" Katherine epted the corpse cores, eager and full of energy.


    "From now on, in addition to your training, try to use these corpse cores to cultivate some nts..." Elijah exined the key points of using the corpse cores.


    Katherine''s eyes sparkled as she listened. Gradually, she realized that she might have just learned Elijah''s secret to cultivating spirit nts.


    And now, he was entrusting this important task to her. She felt a surge of excitement.


    "Elijah, don''t worry, I''ll make good use of these corpse cores!" Katherine said confidently.


    Elijah nodded in satisfaction. After giving these instructions, he was about to leave when Katherine suddenly said in a soft voice, "Elijah brother...remember toe back tonight..."


    Her voice was sweet and tender, full of charm.


    "Hmm?" Elijah turned around, but Katherine had already run off!


    Remembering how Katherine had waited for him all night the previous evening, Elijah felt a warmth in his heart. He couldn''t disappoint her!

 Chapter 133: youre generous

    In the afternoon, Elijah and his team headed back to the mall.


    As soon as they got within five kilometers of the mall, Elijah noticed something unusual. Thest four zombies he had contracted had all awakened!


    The group hurried to the mall without dy. Elijah immediately called the four zombies over.


    From a distance, he spotted an unusuallyrge female zombie.


    She was nearly two meters tall, with an extremely bulky, distorted body. As she approached, she looked like a mountain.


    "What a huge zombie!"


    Lily, the shortest among them, eximed.


    "This one is just big. It doesn''t have any other special abilities."


    Elijah shook his head in disappointment.


    This was a zombie with a mutated body.


    Despite its size, in terms of attack power, it might not be as strong as another mutated wed zombie.


    Additionally, it moved very slowly and would likely consume a lot of corpse core daily.


    Elijah decided to abandon it right away.


    He then turned his attention to the other three zombies.


    Their appearances hadn''t changed noticeably. Through the Seed of Consciousness, Elijah quickly understood their abilities.


    One zombie had awakened a defensive ability, simr to Abigail''s.


    However, Abigail had grown continuously over time and, with the feeding of corpse cores, her defensive abilities were much stronger than this newly awakened zombie''s.


    Elijah also put this zombie on the discard list.


    He then looked at the abilities of the remaining two zombies.


    "Hmm? This ability is interesting!"


    Elijah gestured to the air, and countless water droplets condensed in his hand, slowly forming a bead, which eventually gathered into a ball.


    "The power to control water flow, so we''ll never have to worry about water supplies when we go out!"


    Elijah nodded in satisfaction.


    "And it matches well with Hannah''s ability!"


    Fiona remarked, also looking surprised.


    "I can condense water vapor from the air myself!"


    Hannah said defiantly. She could even turn it into ice and eat it to cool down!


    "I think this ability has more potential. It might be even more useful in rivers,kes, or seas."


    Elijah didn''t argue but took a different angle.


    Yes, he could experiment with this ability when they went fishing or ying at the sea in the future!


    "What''s thest zombie''s ability?"


    Lily asked curiously.


    "This one¡­"


    Elijah''s face turned awkward.


    Seeing that Fiona and Hannah were also interested, Elijah had no choice but to exin, "Its ability is to perform photosynthesis like a nt, so it doesn''t need to eat to get food¡­"


    "This ability¡­ well, if it were a normal human, it would seem useful!"


    Fiona said, holding back herughter.


    "For a free zombie, it''s not bad either!"


    Hannah nodded with a straight face, though the corners of her mouth twitched slightly.


    "But it doesn''t seem very useful for Elijah. We don''tck food!"


    Lily thought for a moment.


    "nts use chlorosts for photosynthesis. Will Elijah turn green when he uses his ability?"


    "..."


    No way I''m turning green!


    Elijah spat and decided to discard this one too.


    "Alright, alright! We''ve seen the zombie abilities, let''s get back to moving supplies!"


    Elijah cracked a joke to change the subject.


    The four of them were busy all afternoon until around four o''clock when Quentin and his group finally arrived again.


    "Elijah, I brought the two calves you wanted!"


    Quentin shouted from a distance.


    Elijah was loading the truck. Hearing this, he raised his hand and smiled in response.


    Then he noticed Quentin holding a potted nt.


    As Quentin got closer, Elijah realized it was a zombie grass!


    At the entrance of the warehouse, there were only Elijah and Fiona.


    Fiona also noticed the zombie grass in Quentin''s hand.


    The two exchanged a silent nce and nodded slightly.


    Elijah greeted warmly, "I thought you wouldn''te today!"


    "Haha, why would I miss it? But our expansion to the south today almost went awry!" Quentinughed heartily and then added with some relief, "Oh? What happened?"


    "We encountered a mutant zombie! Fortunately, thanks to Elijah''s previous briefing, we didn''t panic!" Quentin sighed helplessly. "And thus, we lost two brothers."


    "s, such is life! May they rest in peace!"


    Elijah, having witnessed countless living beings being surrounded and killed by zombies in his past life, and having met his own end this way, remained quite calm inside.


    Nevertheless, he yed along with Quentin''s sentimentality. "Life and death are fated."


    Quentin quickly adjusted his mood and then looked at a huge zombie beside him.


    Just now, they had seen it from afar and were startled.


    If it weren''t for seeing Elijah, they probably wouldn''t have dared to approach.


    "Elijah, has the zombie you control awakened again?"


    "Ah, it''s just a physical mutation, looks big but not very useful," Elijah shrugged.


    Behind Quentin, a neer, hearing Elijah''s modest words, looked enviously at him, his eyes turning red with envy.


    If only he could have such a zombie, he could dominate in the apocalypse...


    "I envy Elijah!" Quentin also nced at him enviously.


    Then he continued, "By the way, Elijah, when we were cleaning up the zombie bodies in the neighborhood and collecting corpse cores as you instructedst time, we happened toe across one simr to what you wanted. Take a look, see if it''s what you''re looking for?"


    "It looks simr, but I''m not sure. But why does this flower look so withered? It seems almost dead!" Elijah pretended to be uncertain.


    "I''m not sure either. It was growing well in the neighborhood, but who knows, as soon as we transnted it, it turned out like this!" Quentin scratched his head.


    "Anyway, thank you, Quentin! Whether it survives or not, I''ll take it first and see if my girl likes it!" Elijah pretended to be uncertain.


    "Thank you, Elijah, for your expertise in flowers, I admire it!" Quentin chuckled.


    "Oh, stop it..." Both of them chuckled.


    Then Quentin handed over two young calves to Elijah.


    Elijah didn''t want to treat him unfairly, so he said, "These two calves, one male and one female, you''ve put in effort. If they can breed in the future, I''ll have to thank you properly.So, for these two cows and that pot of flowers, I will give you 50 corpse cores worth of supplies!"


    "Brother, you''re generous!" Quentin grinned widely.


    These three items, especially the two calves, were also reluctantly given by him. He hadn''t expected to get much in return, just to solidify the rtionship between them. Now that Elijah was so straightforward, he thought he hadn''t misjudged him.


    "I also have 20 corpse cores here, Elijah, take a look..." Quentinughed and took out another transparent bag filled with corpse cores.


    "No problem, I''ll take as many as you have!" Elijah took them casually.


    Both sides were very satisfied, agreeing on the delivery location. Elijah let Lily and the others start moving the perishable goods outside, while Quentin''s men also happily started carrying their share.

 Chapter 134: Youve made a good arrangement

    Elijah and Quentin were chatting on the side, and Elijah asked about the mutant zombie they encountered, which had me abilities and a strong body, simr to one of the zombies Elijah controlled.


    Fortunately, the me ability of that zombie wasn''t very powerful, so they managed to ughter it.


    After chatting for a while, Elijah remembered that once the transaction for the perishable goods from the supermarket waspleted, there wouldn''t be much left.


    So he said, "Quentin, the supplies in the supermarket are almost depleted. In two days, we might move to explore other ces."


    Quentin was startled, as he was still thinking about the awakening potion. "Then... will Elijah still collect corpse cores in the future? How should I contact you..."


    "We will still collect corpse cores, as well as the livestock and nts you brought today! If you have any other poultry, we''ll take those too!" Elijah replied readily. "As for how to contact..."


    Elijah thought for a moment and decided to be straightforward.


    Their location wasn''t particrly secretive; as long as someone passed by the Coastal Highway at night, they could see the brightly lit Azure Isle.


    However, there were currently very few people daring to move around at night, but as time passed, more and more people would start venturing outside.


    It was only a matter of time before their location was discovered.


    Now Quentin deeply understood the gap between them, so telling him wasn''t a big deal.


    "Do you know Azure Isle, about four kilometers east from here, near the coast?"


    "Of course, but isn''t it under development?" Quentin asked in surprise. "So Elijah has taken over there? That''s a good ce!"


    "Exactly! If you need to trade anything in the future, you can find me at the service area on the shore there! The road from here to our ind has already been cleared!" Elijah smiled.


    "No problem!" Quentin patted his chest, then asked hesitantly, "I don''t know when Elijah mentioned the awakening potion... when will it be avable?"


    Elijah looked at the withered zombie grass and the 20 corpse cores in his hand.


    He could make one now.


    But this zombie grass couldn''t be given to him!


    Their own people hadn''t fully awakened yet!


    However, it wasn''t appropriate to keep him hanging either.


    After careful consideration, Elijah said, "If Quentin can gather 100 corpse cores or equivalent supplies, I can prepare an awakening potion for you in six days."


    "Really?" Quentin''s face lit up with surprise.


    "Of course!"


    "Alright, it''s a deal!"


    Quentin was delighted. Elijah chuckled and nned to exchange the zombie grass and a few corpse cores Quentin gave him back for 100 corpse cores or a few truckloads of supplies.


    Elijah''s group hadn''t really exerted much effort or spent much time; they basically gained 100 corpse cores or supplies for free!


    That''s how profitable it was!


    And this model was sustainable.


    As long as they maintained it, Elijah''s group wouldn''t have to worry about food and drink in the future.


    They could even offer rewards for anything theycked, and there would be people willing to work for them in exchange for awakening potions.


    Of course, doing nothing wasn''t an option.


    Only with sufficient strength could they maintain all of this!


    Currently, except for Grace, Gabriel, and Emily, all of them were awakened.


    When the zombie grass was brought back to the ind and cultivated, Elijah would arrange for the three of them to awaken.


    Then, the next step would be to sell awakening potions in small quantities while advancing their own people to the second stage.


    By then, Elijah should also be at the third stage!


    This way, they could continue to maintain dominance over external forces.


    At this moment, Elijahpletely forgot about Xavier... That little brat could wait for now!


    "Since Elijah doesn''t have much supplies left here, we won''te tomorrow. We''lle find you once we''ve gathered enough supplies or corpse cores!" Quentin, who had been calcting for a while, spoke up again.


    Elijah sensed a hint of satisfaction in his words and couldn''t help but probe, "It seems like Quentin has found a good ce?"


    "Hey, it''s nothingpared to Elijah''s big supermarket; it''s just a small convenience store!" Quentin''s smile became even more apparent.


    "I see," Elijah nodded. "We currently don''tck food. If Quentin wants to exchange food for awakening potions, we don''t want perishables; we only ept items with a shelf life of over a year."


    Quentin''s smile froze for a moment. "Naturally, naturally."


    He also wanted items with a long shelf life! But Elijah was the client; if he wanted awakening potions, Quentin could onlyply with his terms, even if it meant changing the exchange rate of corpse cores for food or epting items with a longer shelf life.


    After chatting for a while, the supplies were quickly counted and transported. Seeing that everything was packed up, Quentin waved to Elijah, "Elijah, we''ll head back now. See you in a few days!"


    "Alright, see you then!"


    Quentin''s convoy slowly departed, and Elijah pointed to the two cows tied nearby, saying to Lily, "Lily, get these two onto the truck!"


    "Sure thing!" Lily rolled up her sleeves and went to tug the two calves. Unexpectedly, they were quite stubborn and refused to move with Lily.


    "Hmph! You''re defying me!" Lily snorted and pped one of the calves on the buttocks.


    Startled, the calf stumbled forward a few steps, almost falling to the ground.


    "Moo~" The other calf, frightened, also tried to run, but Lily held onto the rope firmly, keeping it in ce.


    Watching this scene, Elijah shook his head and chuckled. Then, he took out a few corpse cores and buried them in the pot of zombie grass. The wilted zombie grass immediately straightened its leaves and revived.


    "Exactly as expected," Fiona nodded slightly beside him. This time, Elijah didn''t keep anything from her, confirming some of her previous spections.


    "I didn''t tell you before, but now you''re my person inside and out, so I won''t hide anything from you anymore..." Elijah chuckled.


    "Is that so? But it seems like there''s still someone who isn''t yours?" Fiona nced at him, then at Hannah next to her.


    "Well... they''re all on the same team!" Elijah quickly changed the subject, exining Be''s abilities, the cultivation of spirit nts using corpse cores, and spections about Spirit fish and spirit beasts.


    As Fiona listened, her eyes brightened, and she became more confident about the future. On the other hand, Hannah, who was hearing about this for the first time, had a surprised expression on her cold face.


    Meanwhile, Lily had finished her struggle with the calves and was leading them away, so she didn''t hear the conversation just now.


    "You''ve made a good arrangement!" Fiona nodded in approval after hearing Elijah''s ns for the future.


    "It''s been 14 days since the apocalypse started, and we''re notcking in supplies. In theing days, there will be many survivors starting to move around, so the most important thing right now is to improve our strength. You mentioned a way to catch Spirit fish; why not take Hannah and Sophia to try it out tomorrow?


    Hannah''s ability can preserve the fish, and Sophia''s ability can help you sense the creatures in the ocean!" Fiona suggested.


    "But what about the supermarket here..." Elijah hesitated.


    "There''s no longer anything important in the supermarket, and we''ve traveled this road so many times already. Lily and I can handle itpletely!" Elijah considered Fiona''s proposal seriously.

 Chapter 135: I like that title

    He realized that he had been protecting the women too well all this time.


    With their abilities awakening and the practice of body-strengthening techniques, their strength had made a qualitative leap.


    Ordinary zombies and survivors could no longer pose a threat to them.


    Even if they encountered mutated zombies, they should have no problem escaping.


    Elijah felt a bit mncholic, as if his children were finally going out to explore the world on their own.


    However, this should be the norm in the apocalypse.


    "Alright!" Elijah nodded in agreement.


    Thinking about children going out to explore, Elijah thought of Daisy, who hadn''t returned for two days and nights.


    If he couldn''t sense Daisy''s approximate location and her constant movement, he would have been really worried that something had happened to her.


    Maybe he should go check on herter! Elijah thought.


    "Since it''s decided, then for the rest of the afternoon, let Hannah apany you to get familiar with things. I''ll take the two cows back first and bring the zombies away as well!" Elijah announced his decision.


    "Huh? Elijah is leaving?" At this moment, Lily returned. She had herded the two cows into the car.


    "Yes!" Elijah repeated Fiona''s suggestion.


    "Oh, I see! Elijah, don''t worry about us, we''ll be fine!"


    Lily patted her chest, causing a slight tremor. Elijah''s eyes couldn''t help but linger, reminiscing about the scene of Lily pressing her head against him that morning.


    Hmm, he needed to find an opportunity to take Lily down and enjoy her ample bosom.


    Surely, Lily wouldn''t refuse... Several thoughts ran through Elijah''s mind before he finally reluctantly looked away under Fiona''s intense gaze.


    Since he had decided to leave, he had to deal with the controlled zombies.


    Elijah decided to give up a few.


    As they returned to the warehouse entrance, the zombies he controlled came back one after another.


    Eight zombies lined up in a row, including the first wild mutated female zombie he controlled, whose ability was visual perception.


    There were three zombies whose abilities awakened yesterday and four that mutated today.


    Unfortunately, except for Abigail, none of the eight zombies showed signs of regaining intelligence. However, recently, although Abigail still didn''t talk much, Elijah felt that her eyes were bing more lively, not as dull as before.


    "How are you going to transport so many zombies? Especially that huge one?" Fiona looked at the neatly arranged eight female zombies.


    "Don''t need it! My contract quota is full now. I need to give up a few zombies to contract Sophia and use her ability!"


    Elijah walked around the female zombies, deciding to give up the giant zombie and the defense zombie.


    As for the nt zombie... forget it, turning entirely green was out of the question!


    Elijah controlled the w zombie and killed three zombies, reiming their corpse cores.


    Then he had the remaining five zombies get into the car, squeezing in with the calves.


    The two calves, seeing the five zombies, became restless but didn''t dare to move rashly as they were surrounded, so they huddled quietly in the corner.


    Elijah nodded in satisfaction, closed the car door, and sat with Abigail in the driver''s and passenger''s seats.


    "I''ll head back first. You three, stay safe!"


    Elijah waved to the three women, started the car, and quickly returned to the riverside service area.


    Gabriel, Emily, and Xavier were unloading the supplies brought back earlier.


    Without the physique of awakened ones, they moved the goods rtively slowly.


    Gabriel and Emily had slightly improved their physiques through days of body-strengthening exercises.


    Xavier relied entirely on his original physical fitness and was already panting from exhaustion, but he gritted his teeth and kept going withoutining.


    This earned Gabriel''s admiration.


    "Take a break!" Elijah got out of the car and handed them a few bottles of chilled drinks.


    "Thank you, brother-inw!" Gabriel took the drink and handed it to Emily and Xavier.


    Emily also sweetly said, "Thank you, brother-inw!" That was a perfect example of marital harmony!


    Gabriel saw Xavier dumbly epting the drink without saying anything and smacked his head. "Say something!"


    "Huh? Oh! Thank you, brother-inw!" Xavier stammered.


    "Mm?" Elijah looked at him in confusion. Xavier realized he had called him wrong and immediately blushed. Unexpectedly, Elijah smiled brightly, "I like that title. Say it again!"


    Xavier, ultimately too shy, couldn''t call out again.


    Elijah didn''t mind and instead said to Gabriel, "Xavier is still young, so he doesn''t need to do manualbor all the time. Teach him more about the body-strengthening techniques."


    With Charlotte''s exnation, Elijah had understood that the body-strengthening technique was specifically designed for ordinary people.


    Those like him, who had awakened powers, could learn the Hun Yuan Technique through Charlotte''s guidance, but what about those who hadn''t awakened?


    The body-strengthening technique could help ordinary people absorb Chi into their bodies, and with continued practice, it could integrate into their system.


    With consistent effort over a few years, even an ordinary person with good aptitude could gradually develop a sense of Chi.


    At this point, if they had a master to guide them, they could also sessfully practice the Hun Yuan Technique.


    "I''ve tried to convince him, but this little guy is pretty stubborn! He insists on working alongside us!" Gabrielughed, his eyes showing a hint of admiration.


    "Stubborn, huh? Well, I''ve brought back two stubborn things. Let him take care of them!" Elijah opened the car door, and Gabriel and the others were stunned.


    "Cows?"


    "Where did you get these?"


    "It''s unbelievable! In a city where you can hardly find living people, there are cows!"


    "I traded for them," Elijah said as he let the zombies out of the car.


    Xavier watched in amazement.


    He had previously been curious about Elijah''s ability and had asked Gabriel, so he wasn''t too surprised to see zombies in the car.


    He just thought to himself that only those contracted by Elijah were truly part of this team.


    When would he be contracted? Did he really have to call him brother-inw again?


    Since finding out that Elijah could awaken ordinary people, Xavier had no intention of leaving.


    Even if he were to leave, it would be after he had awakened.


    "These two cows are your responsibility to feed. There are plenty of grassy areas around, so just take them out and let them graze."


    "Okay, brother-inw!" Gabriel nodded and then, seeing Xavier still in a daze, smacked him on the head again.


    "This job is yours. Say something!"


    "Okay, brother-inw!" Xavier blurted out instinctively.


    "Mm!" Elijah nodded in satisfaction. Although Xavier still felt a bit awkward calling him brother-inw, it was less so than before.


    He couldn''t help but speak up again, "Brother-inw, when will you contract me?"


    Indeed, this kind of thing was like cross-dressing; after the first and second times, the third time came naturally.


    "Oh, right!" Elijah pped his forehead. "I almost forgot about that!"


    Elijah made a small cut, squeezed some blood into a bottle of drink, and handed it to Xavier. "Here, drink this." He then switched to Be''s ability, and the wound healed instantly.


    "Okay, brother-inw!" Xavier took the drink and gulped down most of it. Elijah immediately sensed a link forming between him and Xavier.


    "Alright, you guys carry on. I''m going back to the ind!" Elijah said, letting the zombies back into the car and driving towards the ind.


    Once back on the ind, Elijah drove straight to the vi. He then carried the zombie grass into the spirit nts cultivation room.

 Chapter 136: An interesting ability indeed

    This zombie grass already had three mature leaves, which theoretically could be picked to awaken someone.


    However, Elijah didn''t n to use it right now; he wanted it to continue growing to full maturity, allowing Be''s ability to advance.


    There was another zombie grass that had already been hastened once and had three leaves as well.


    Elijah nned to let it grow a bit more before using it to awaken Grace, to see if there would be any differences in the effects after being hastened.


    Be and Sophia weren''t in the vi.


    Elijah saw them in the distance, practicing body-strengthening techniques under Charlotte''s guidance.


    Not wanting to disturb them, he noticed it was still early and decided to visit Daisy at Seabreeze Terrace.


    This time, Elijah didn''t drive the truck but switched to the escort vehicle.


    The distance to Seabreeze Terrace was about the same as to the mall, though one was south and the other was north.


    On the way, Elijah encountered a few zombies but ignored them, plowing through and quickly arriving at Seabreeze Terrace.


    At themunity entrance, he was surprised to find that the previously knocked-down parking barrier had been blocked with debris, turning themunity into a closed-off area again.


    "Did Daisy do this?" Elijah muttered.


    Unable to drive in, he got out of the car with his weapons, opening the door to let the female zombies out.


    The main gate was blocked, but the pedestrian gate could still be opened, though it was tied with wire.


    Elijah left one zombie to guard the car and, with Abigail and the remaining zombies, entered themunity through the small gate.


    Inside, the previously active zombies were nowhere to be seen, not even their bodies, though some ck and red bloodstains remained on the ground.


    Elijah headed straight for Daisy''s vi, sensing her location and condition.


    Her breathing was steady, slow and even, indicating she was likely asleep.


    In Daisy''s yard, Olivia was diligently practicing body-strengthening techniques.


    Beside her was a beautiful woman imitating her movements.


    Compared to Olivia, the woman''s actions were mere mimicry without any real effect, yet she persisted.


    This morning, she had overheard Daisy teaching Olivia, learning that mastering this technique could quickly increase strength to Daisy''s level.


    Remembering Daisy''s mysterious abilities and formidable strength, the woman envied and longed for the power to protect herself.


    Although Daisy only taught Olivia and didn''t instruct her, she also didn''t forbid her from learning, so she continued to imitate Olivia''s movements.


    As the woman was seriously trying to grasp Olivia''s actions, Olivia suddenly stopped, her face showing panic, and rushed into the house.


    "What''s wrong?" The woman followed, and they both ran to the second-floor door of Daisy''s room.


    "A group of people ising this way, six of them!" Olivia said anxiously as she knocked on the door.


    "Squeak!" The door quickly opened, and Daisy emerged, holding her katana.


    She still looked sleepy but her eyes were bright and clear.


    Without waiting for Olivia to exin, Daisy said, "I just heard them. What''s the degree of malice among these six people?"


    "Two are white, neutral; four are red, full of malice!" Olivia closed her eyes to sense and quickly reported. "They are almost at the entrance!"


    "Don''t panic!" Daisy remained calm, walking to the second-floor balcony to look out.


    She saw Elijah leading a group of zombies around the corner and immediately felt relieved.


    Olivia and the woman saw Elijah approaching with zombies and were shocked.


    "Are those zombies behind him?" the woman eximed.


    "Yes, don''t worry, they''re on our side!" Daisy stretched, her sleepiness returning.


    "On... our side?" Olivia and the woman exchanged nces, both feeling somewhat relieved.


    "Come with me to open the gate," Daisy yawned and headed downstairs.


    Elijah arrived at the gate and saw Daisy looking tired, his heart aching for her. "Have you not been resting well these past two days?"


    Daisy''s eyes welled up instantly, and she rushed into Elijah''s arms. "Elijah~"


    Elijah held her tightly. "What''s wrong? Did something happen?"


    At the same time, Elijah noticed the two women behind Daisy.


    "I found my father, but¡­" Daisy choked up, unable to continue.


    Elijah gently patted her back,forting her, "Don''t worry. I''m here, Abigail is here, and we''ll always be with you."


    "Mm~" Daisy felt sad for a moment but quicklyposed herself. She broke away from Elijah''s embrace and ran to Abigail.


    "Abigail, do you still recognize me?"


    "Daisy!" Abigail tilted her head and looked at her.


    "Mm-hmm!" Daisy immediately brightened up.


    "Oh, I almost forgot to introduce everyone!" Daisy turned around and pointed to Olivia. "This is Olivia. I found her in the neighborhood. She''s a high school student!"


    Olivia looked a bit nervous as she greeted Elijah, "H-hello!"


    Daisy then pointed to the woman. "And this is Jasmine. She''s a neighbor I''ve seen a few times and has a good rtionship with my mom."


    "Hello, I''m Jasmine!" Jasmine introduced herself gracefully.


    "Nice to meet you both. I''m Elijah, Daisy''s boyfriend," Elijah said with a nod. "Let''s go inside and talk."


    Elijah left two zombies to guard the entrance and led everyone back to the living room.


    "Daisy, where did youy your father to rest?"


    "I buried him in the garden of the neighborhood¡­" Daisy then briefly recounted the past two days.


    On the first night she arrived, she began clearing the zombies from the neighborhood and met Olivia in the process.


    After settling Olivia in, she continued clearing zombies.


    By the next day, worried about the potential dangers of taking Olivia back to the ind, she decided to stay in the neighborhood.


    After a nap and some food, she resumed clearing zombies.


    Despite Seabreeze Terrace having fewer residents, she still didn''t find her parents by dusk.


    Daisy then started checking each vi. When she reached Jasmine''s house, she recognized her.


    Jasmine, seeing Daisy''s impressive ability to clear zombies, asked to join her.


    With food and water running out, Jasmine hadn''t eaten for two days. Learning Daisy was looking for her parents, Jasmine leveraged her slight connection to Daisy''s mother to persuade Daisy to take her in.


    Daisy brought Jasmine back to her vi and left her with Olivia before continuing her search.


    Near dawn, she found a severely decayed body in a vi''s yard.


    From the clothes, essories, and some body features, Daisy confirmed it was her father. She buried him in the neighborhood garden, mourning her loss.


    "Take me to pay my respects to your fatherter," Elijah said,forting her. "So, there''s no sign of your mother yet?"


    "No, Jasmine said she hasn''t seen my mom around the neighborhood these past two days, so she might have gone out¡­"


    Jasmine quickly added when she noticed Elijah looking at her, "I''m not sure, but there are only two or three houses left to check. If she''s not in those, then she probably left the area."


    With only two or three houses left, Elijah thought it unusual that Daisy would stop searching.


    "So, are there people in those remaining houses who aren''t cooperating with you?" Elijah asked.


    "Mm¡­" Daisy hesitated but then nodded. "There''s one vi with three people, one of whom seems to have abilities and harbors strong hostility towards us."


    Daisy then exined Olivia''s ability and recounted her encounter at that vi.


    Elijah nced at Olivia in surprise. She could sense people''s feelings of good and evil towards her? An interesting ability indeed!

 Chapter 137: There’s no one you’re looking for here

    Elijah frowned as he recalled Daisy''s encounter near the vi.


    "You felt an uncontroble fear, disabling your abilities and preventing normal movement whenever you approached the vi?"


    "Yes, but as soon as I moved away, everything went back to normal. That''s why I think there''s an ability user inside," Daisy said, still a bit shaken.


    "You''re probably right. It sounds like a mental-type ability," Elijah spected. In fact, Elijah, Fiona, and even Charlotte could be considered mental-type ability users, each with their unique way of applying their powers.


    "Mental-type?"


    "Yes, simr to characters from anime or games with psychic abilities. But I think ''psychic intimidation'' fits better," Elijah exined, then turned to Olivia. "There were three people in that vi, right? What about the emotions of the other two?"


    "Oh, they were gray. Gray represents no emotions, which I encountered for the first time," Olivia answered, a bit flustered by the sudden attention.


    "No emotions?" Elijah found this peculiar.


    Olivia then remembered something else. "The ability user in that vi is a man I''ve met before. Before I met Daisy, I passed by his vi. He greeted me and tried to lure me inside with food. His emotions were yellow, which felt malicious to me, so I ignored him and ran away."


    "Did you notice how many people were in his house at that time?" Elijah asked.


    "I think... two?" Olivia said uncertainly.


    "Got it." Elijah nodded, having a clearer picture now. He had seen this type before in his past life: some were after wealth, some after women, some after both, and some even went as far as taking lives.


    "I''ll have the zombies probe the area. Do you need more rest?" Elijah asked Daisy.


    "No need! Let''s go together," Daisy replied.


    "Okay."


    The group left the vi and, led by Daisy, approached the suspect vi.


    Elijah sent the sensing female zombie forward to slowly approach the vi. At first, everything seemed normal.


    But as the zombie neared the front door, it suddenly halted.


    Elijah sensed a disruption in his mental link with the zombie, as if something was pulling it, making it highly unstable.


    The sensing zombie''s body twisted unnaturally before breaking free from Elijah''s control, seemingly terrified, and fled in another direction.


    "Interesting," Elijah said, not rmed but rather amused.


    Elijah''s words had barely left his mouth when the fleeing sensing female zombie stopped abruptly. Once it was out of the vi''s influence range, Elijah regained control over it.


    "The other party can even affect your control over zombies?" Daisy asked, astonished.


    "The sensing female zombie is a wild awakened zombie, so it''s naturally resistant to my control," Elijah exined nonchntly. "Let''s try another one."


    This time, Elijah sent the strength-type zombie forward. It was the small female sales associate who had been among the first zombies he contracted.


    After awakening her powers, her physique had grown considerably, nearly matching Lily''s stature.


    As the strength-type zombie approached the vi, Elijah again felt the mental link being disturbed.


    However, this time the zombie did not lose control.


    Following Elijah''smand, it tensed its muscles and smashed open the half-closed iron gate, stepping into the yard.


    "Hey, we''ve got no past grudges, no recent conflicts. Why are you suddenly breaking into my house?"


    A man appeared on the second floor of the vi, ring at Elijah.


    His eyes shed with a greedy desire when he saw Abigail, Daisy, Olivia, and Jasmine behind Elijah.


    "We''re looking for someone. If everyone in the vies out, we won''t have to go in," Elijah repliedzily.


    "There''s no one you''re looking for here!" the man snorted coldly. "If you don''t leave, don''t me me for being unkind!"


    "Oh? I''d like to see how unkind you can be," Elijah sneered.


    The strength-type female zombie, receiving hismand, tensed its muscles and swiftly moved to the vi''s front door.


    With a loud crash, the vi''s security door was kicked open by the zombie, revealing the entrance.


    The man on the second floor''s expression changed instantly.


    He had barely drawn a bow and arrow, realizing he wouldn''t have time to use it.


    He put down the bow, grabbed a long sword, and positioned himself at the top of the stairs, ready for the zombie''s attack.


    However, Elijah had no intention of sending the zombie intobat inside the vi where he couldn''t see.


    He merely wanted to use the zombie as a distraction.


    Elijah nned to sneak closer himself, believing his second-tier abilities would offer significant resistance to the mind control powers of a first-tier user.


    Suddenly, Elijah thought of Olivia''s ability. He cut his finger, squeezing out a drop of blood for Olivia. "Here, drink this!"


    "??" Olivia looked bewildered.


    "Don''t worry, Elijah wants to borrow your ability. Drinking his blood means you''re truly joining us," Daisy exined.


    Olivia, sensing no malice from Elijah and trusting Daisy, swallowed the blood without hesitation.


    Immediately, Elijah and Olivia established a link, and he switched to Olivia''s ability.


    His vision became clear, and he saw three figures in front of him.


    Two were shrouded in gray, seemingly lying on the ground, while the third, glowing red with a sword, stood at the top of the stairs.


    Elijah sensed a strong malice emanating from the red figure.


    "Got you!" Elijah murmured. Switching back to the zombie''s strength, he leapt onto the roof of the adjacent vi.


    He switched back to Olivia''s ability to confirm the man''s position, then raised his spear, aiming carefully.


    "Go!" The silver spear turned into a bolt of lightning, shattering the window and piercing through the man''s back before he could react.


    With a loud thud, the spear pinned the man to the wall, and he fell down the stairs with a crash.


    Elijah checked the situation again through Olivia''s ability, confirming the threat was neutralized.


    He jumped down and told Daisy, "Getting too close makes us susceptible to his powers. Long-distance attacks are safer. It''s done now. Let''s go in."


    "It''s over just like that?" Olivia was dumbfounded.


    Jasmine was also in disbelief.


    "Heh, Elijah is very capable!" Daisy said proudly, following Elijah into the vi.


    The strength-type zombie waited by the door, where the broken security door had created a mess.


    Elijah stepped over the debris and headed straight to the stairs.


    Halfway up, he found the man lying on thending, a gaping wound in his chest gushing blood.


    The man looked at Elijah with a mixture of despair and anger. "Damn it, why..."


    His voice was hoarse and weak, clearly dying. Elijah ignored him and continued to the second floor.


    In the upstairs living room, Elijah saw two women. Both were naked, with dog-like tails, cored, and kneeling on the floor.


    They looked at Elijah with slightly wagging tails, their faces showing a dull, fawning smile.


    Elijah sighed softly at the sight.


    Daisy, following closely, was equally shocked. "That bastard!" she hissed through clenched teeth. "How could he do this?"


    Olivia and Jasmine also arrived, both gasping in shock.


    "That''s¡­ Aunt ra¡­ How did she end up like this?" Olivia said in disbelief.

 Chapter 138: Daisys finally back

    In her impression, Aunt ra was gentle, dignified, and noble, but at this moment, she seemed to be like a dog, staring at her foolishly, without any reaction as if she hadn''t met anyone familiar.


    "Do you know them?" Daisy, who was helping the two of them find clothes, asked.


    "I know the one on the left, she''s Aunt ra from the next door next door to my house..." Olivia struggled to speak.


    This scene was too shocking for her, still in middle school!


    "I... I know the one on the right!" Jasmine suddenly spoke up.


    There was a hint of relief in her eyes.


    "She lives in the house behind my house, I don''t remember her name..."


    "They''re all survivors of the neighborhood... I think there must be more than just the two of them, others may have been killed by someone!" Elijah said lightly.


    "And the reason they became like this... probably due to long-term psychological intimidation and torture by that man, eventually leading to a mental breakdown!"


    In short, messed up!


    "Damn it!" Daisy draped clothes over the two women, but they trembled in fear.


    "I''m going to kill him!" Daisy angrily stormed down the stairs.


    She soon returned, looking frustrated.


    "Damn it, I let him off too easily, letting him die so easily!"


    Daisy rarely cursed.


    "This is the end of the world... You might encounter even worse in the future!" Elijah shook his head, thinking of the despicable Matthew, his enemy whom he had never met.


    What that man did was far worse than what this man did.


    When the women on the ind be stronger, I should pay him a visit and get to know him properly!


    A cold light shed in Elijah''s eyes.


    Then Elijah walked around the house and found a sketch.


    It depicted theyout of the entire neighborhood, with several vis marked with crosses, which Elijah guessed had been searched by that man.


    In addition, Daisy''s vi was specially marked.


    "It seems he found Daisy a long time ago? Maybe he saw Daisy cleaning up zombies, so he didn''t make a move?"


    Elijah shook his head, not thinking further.


    "Daisy, let''s go! There''s no sign of your mother here! Your mother might have really gone out! There''s nothing to find here,e back to the ind with me today!"


    "What about the two of them?" Daisy looked at the two women who couldn''t get up no matter how much they were helped and weren''t wearing clothes.


    "They''ve had a mental breakdown. Even before doomsday, mental issues were the trickiest." Elijah said lightly. "They''re not suited for survival in this cruel end of days. Let''s give them some relief."


    "Understood," Daisy replied, her voice tinged with sadness.


    Upon hearing this, Olivia couldn''t help but cry, covering her mouth. Jasmine also felt a pang of sorrow. If it weren''t for meeting Daisy, she might have ended up like them. So none of them voiced any objections, knowing this might be the best oue.


    "You two go down, I''ll handle it," Elijah said to the three of them as the sky darkened.


    "Elijah, let me help," Daisy didn''t leave but came to Elijah''s side.


    "No need to force it."


    "Not forcing it, but under your protection, I''ve somewhat overlooked the dangers of human nature. I want to remember that," Daisy said with a determined tone.


    Elijah nodded silently.


    Watching Daisy knock them unconscious, allowing them to die in ignorance, and then destroying their brainstems so they wouldn''t turn into zombies again, the two of them finally worked together to bury them nearby.


    Daisy took Olivia and Jasmine back to pack their things, while Elijah went to pay respects to Daisy''s father. By the time they finished packing, it was already dark.


    The few of them returned to the convoy and headed towards Azure Isle.


    The women remained silent throughout the journey.


    It wasn''t until they saw a dazzling sunset on the horizon that it diluted a bit of their sorrow.


    Gabriel had been keeping an eye out for Elijah''s return. As soon as he saw the convoy, he opened the iron gate.


    "You''re back, brother-inw..." He stopped short when he saw Daisy in the passenger seat.


    The term "brother-inw" froze on his lips.


    "Daisy sister is back too!" Gabriel tried to ease the awkwardness by patting Xavier beside him.


    "Daisy... sister!" Xavier, looking at the stunning Daisy, stuttered a bit.


    Howe every woman around brother-inw is so beautiful?


    Daisy nodded slightly in acknowledgment, not saying much.


    "Alright, we''re going back. You guys rest early!" Elijah said.


    "Okay! Take care, brother-inw!" Seeing Daisy didn''t re at him, Gabriel felt relieved.


    Once Elijah and the others were out of earshot, Gabriel sighed, "Two more beauties again, one big and one small, could they be mother and daughter? Brother-inw sure knows how to y!"


    Hey! Hey! You call him brother-inw! And you''rementing about him ying women?


    Xavier internally cursed.


    "Kid, keep your eyes open. Did you see Daisy just now? She''s brother-inw''s main girlfriend. ording to ancient terms, she''s the primary wife, the main mistress, and no one should offend her," Gabriel warned.


    Xavier felt helpless about Gabriel''s antics.


    "But really envy brother-inw, he can handle so many women, damn, just one woman tires me out!" Gabriel subconsciously rubbed his waist.


    Xavier looked at him with some envy.


    I haven''t had the chance to rub my waist yet!


    "Kid, don''t rush. You''ll enjoy itter! But it''s best to wait until after your abilities awaken and your body strengthens, otherwise, your waist won''t be able to take it!"


    On the other side, Olivia and Jasmine looked amazed at the scenery on both sides.


    As the sky grew darker, lights illuminated the ind, making their eyes sparkle even more.


    How long had it been since they had seen lights like these?


    "When we arrive on the ind, you two can freshen up properly! Oh, and there are clothes and shoes, feel free to pick whatever you like!"


    Daisy, feeling much better as the ind drew nearer, introduced to the two of them.


    Soon, Elijah parked the car in front of the vi. All the women were back, preparing dinner. When they saw Daisy and Elijah walking in, they all gathered around Daisy.


    "Daisy''s finally back!"


    "We missed you so much!"


    "Yeah! Howe you were gone for so long?"


    "Who are these two?" They didn''t overlook Olivia and Jasmine standing behind Daisy.


    Olivia and Jasmine were already in awe.


    The women before them were tall and graceful, elegant and cold, delicately beautiful, and youthful with stunning proportions... Each had her own unique traits, but the onemonality among them all was their extraordinary beauty.

 Chapter 139: Should he go find Fiona or Katherine

    "I''ll introduce everyone," Daisy responded warmly to the sisters'' enthusiasm and proceeded to introduce Olivia and Jasmine to them.


    The two of them also gave brief self-introductions.


    When they heard Jasmine say she was almost 40, everyone found it unbelievable.


    "Jasmine looks like she''s only around 30! How does she maintain herself?"


    "I don''t have any special skincare routine, just some yoga at home in my free time..."


    Jasmine was adept at socializing and quickly bonded with everyone.


    Olivia, on the other hand,cking in social graces, but being the youngest, received special attention from everyone and soon found her ce among them.


    Finally, Fiona led them both to their vi and showed them to their rooms.


    Seeing the luxurious furnishings andplete facilities, especially therge bathtub, they couldn''t contain their joy and hurriedly went in to freshen up.


    It had been a while since they had properly cleaned themselves.


    Daisy also went back to her room to take a good bath. When she came down again, dinner was already served, and Yello had somehow returned.


    Upon seeing Daisy, Yello immediately got excited and ran over, wagging his tail vigorously, circling around her incessantly.


    "Wow, you''ve grown so much in just two days!"


    The previous Yello was barely half a meter tall, but now, having suddenly shot up, he was nearly 50 centimeters tall.


    Elijah was also surprised. He realized that the Spirit Fish he fed at noon had only been half a day ago, yet Yello had grown about one-third in size.


    "Now we can''t call you Yello anymore, it should be Big Yello."


    Daisy patted the dog''s head, and Yelloyfortably on the ground, exposing his belly. After ying with Yello for a while, Olivia and Jasmine returned to the vi.


    Everyone had a lively dinner. After dinner, Charlotte didn''t ask Elijah for a spar but took the women for training.


    This made Elijah a bit ufortable, but he followed along, admiring the wonderful sight of the women stretching and lifting their legs.


    Elijah felt his blood boiling. They exercised untilte, and Charlotte finally announced the end of the session.


    As they were leaving, Fiona pulled him aside discreetly and gave him a flirtatious look.


    Elijah understood her intentions but then thought of what Katherine had said.


    He subconsciously looked at Katherine. Katherine met his gaze shyly, then lowered her head and walked away.


    Hmm... a bit tricky indeed!


    Elijah was now facing a dilemma. Should he go find Fiona or Katherine?


    "Ugh, too many women!" he muttered to himself. "If only they could be together!"


    Shaking his head, Elijah decided to go back to his room and freshen up.


    It wouldn''t be appropriate to go to Fiona''s room with everyone watching.


    Hmm... he could use Daisy''s ability?


    That way, he wouldn''t be under everyone''s scrutiny! But the premise was not to be caught by Daisy!


    Back at the vi, Elijah saw Daisy walking arm in arm with Charlotte, chatting andughing as they entered Charlotte''s room.


    A thought struck him.


    He immediately switched to Daisy''s ability, blending into the darkness, and ran towards Fiona''s vi.


    Inside the room, Olivia was about to go to bed when she suddenly noticed a figure approaching rapidly.


    From the size, she could tell it was a man.


    Though the person had no malicious intent, Olivia felt a bit worried.


    She quietly opened the door to observe, but there was no one in the corridor.


    However, in her perceptual field, there was clearly a man ahead.


    "It must be Elijah, using Daisy''s ability..." Olivia quickly realized. But the next moment, she felt a strong curiosity. What could Elijah be sneaking over for?


    Elijah didn''t know Fiona''s room, but he could sense her position with his mental thread ability.


    Soon, he arrived at a room and found the door unlocked. With a gentle push, the door opened easily.


    Inside, there was no one, just a few pieces of women''s clothing scattered on the bed.


    The sound of running water could be heard faintly from the nearby bathroom.


    Elijah''s heart raced. He quickly took off his clothes and pushed open the bathroom door...


    Meanwhile, Olivia eximed, "Elijah and Sister Fiona, actually..."


    She blushed, realizing that in her perception, the green humanoid light representing Elijah was closely entwined with another green humanoid light, obviously that of a woman.


    Olivia remembered it was Fiona''s room, as she had mentioned during room selection.


    "Isn''t Elijah''s girlfriend Daisy sister? Why is he doing this with Sister Fiona? No wonder he sneaked over secretly!"


    Olivia thought, feeling somewhat sympathetic towards Daisy sister.


    She wasn''t a child anymore; she knew what those two were up to.


    She intended to close her ability, but couldn''t resist the urge to take another look.


    "I... I''m observing the crime scene for reporting to Daisy sister!" Olivia murmured to herself as she hugged the nket tightly.


    As she continued to use her perceptual ability to observe, her legs subconsciously straightened, and her feet twisted together.


    Though she only saw two light figures without much detail, the asional movements were enough to broaden her horizons.


    "I didn''t expect Sister Fiona to be so... proactive!" Olivia''s eyes sparkled with curiosity and excitement for the new knowledge.


    She didn''t know how long it had been until the two figures in her view finallyy still, no longer moving.


    Olivia also breathed a sigh of relief and rxed her body.


    "Is it finally over?" she muttered to herself, blushing as she got out of bed. "Maybe... I should take a bath!"


    In Fiona''s room...


    "How do you n to use the newly acquired zombie grass?" Fiona asked softly, curled up in Elijah''s arms.


    Elijah ran his hand over her smooth skin and replied, "What are your thoughts?"


    "I have none, I''ll follow your arrangement! It doesn''t matter who we give it to; it''s just a matter of time!" Fiona''s little hand yfully traced patterns on his chest.


    "In that case, I n to give it to Grace and let the people on the ind awaken first," Elijah casually said.


    "Hmph! I knew it!" Fiona snorted lightly. "You don''t want to? Isn''t Grace your little sister?"


    Elijah was puzzled.


    "No, it''s not that I don''t want to, I just feel like you''re snatching another flower!" Fiona pouted.


    "In the future, who will there be left as a little sister? They''ll all be your women!"


    Elijah didn''t say anything but kissed her instead. Fiona''s slight jealousy was quite adorable.


    "Hmph!" Fiona snuggled in Elijah''s arms, causing him to inhale sharply.


    "You still want to y after being such a rookie? Who was begging for mercy and calling for ''big brother'' just now?"


    Fiona''s eyes sparkled with mischief and fear.


    In the end, she resisted the temptation to tease Elijah further.


    She was afraid she wouldn''t be able to get out of bed tomorrow.


    Elijah wasn''t as gentle as the first time just now; she almost fell apart!

 Chapter 140: This must be a surprise for me

    "Have you heard that Daisy cleaned up Seabreeze Terrace?" Fiona abruptly changed the subject.


    "Yes!"


    "That ce is nice. Since it''s cleaned up, leaving it vacant would be a waste!"


    Fiona squinted her eyes.


    "Do you have any good ideas? Let''s hear them!"


    "I think... maybe we could develop a subordinate force to ce there. This subordinate force wouldn''t require our direct management or provision of resources; they would fend for themselves. They might even contribute by providing us with necessary supplies! And we would only need to control the mid to high-level management personnel and elitebatants."


    Upon hearing Fiona''s words, Elijah''s first thought went to Quentin. "Are you suggesting we bring Quentin and his group under our control?"


    "Anyone will do, including Quentin and his group, as long as they are obedient!"


    "Well, I have a way..." Elijah nodded.


    "What way?"


    Elijah hesitated for a moment, then decided to disclose his hypnotic ability.


    Fiona was too perceptive and intelligent.


    Even if he didn''t say it, if Quentin and his group were truly subdued, she would remain wary of them.


    Over time, if Quentin and his group were too obedient, she might be suspicious. It was better to let her know now.


    With her intelligence, it would benefit future nning and development.


    "In fact, my ability isn''t entirely uncontroble by humans; I can..." Elijah briefly exined his subconscious hypnotic ability.


    Fiona had initially thought they would control Quentin''s group through an awakening potion.


    She hadn''t expected Elijah to possess such a hidden and unknown ability.


    She wasn''t angry; the more she listened, the brighter her eyes became, and numerous ideas shed through her mind.


    "Subconscious hypnotismbined with awakening potions, a double insurance, enough to firmly control a group of people... Even the limited sale of second-tier potions in the future..."


    Fiona quickly came to a point with Elijah. "Unfortunately, this n can''t be implemented now. We''ll have to wait until your third-tier contract quota increases again."


    "You hit the nail on the head!" Elijah sighed. Fiona not only quickly identified the limitations of his current abilities but even guessed his thoughts about controlling buyers when selling second-tier potions.


    "Well, when Quentin and his groupe to trade next time, I''ll test it out!" Elijah nodded.


    After discussing business, Fiona''s expression suddenly became ambiguous.


    "I wonder why I so easily surrendered to you. Tell me, did you secretly suggest something to me?"


    "Absolutely not!" Elijah shook his head. "


    I just ensured that you all maintain goodwill and loyalty towards me, and don''t act against our collective interests."


    "Hmph! I''ll trust you for now!"


    Fiona didn''t delve deeper. It was useless to investigate such matters.


    Could she even get rid of him? And there was no need to.


    In this brutal apocalypse, this ce was already like heaven.


    Elijah let out a long breath, checking the time; it was already midnight.


    "It''ste! Katherine said she''d wait for me toe back... I wonder if she''s still waiting?"


    Elijah used the Seed of Consciousness to sense Katherine''s location and found her indeed in his room.


    "Huh? Wait, why is Grace there too?"


    After finishing her evening training, Grace returned to her room and enjoyed a rxing bath.


    Once she finished getting ready, she hesitated again, thinking about her earlier decision.


    "Do I really want to take the initiative...?" she pondered.


    However, the thought of even the neer awakening her abilities while she remained ordinary finally strengthened her resolve.


    Grace found herself resolved to go ahead.


    Later, Grace rummaged through her wardrobe and found a skimpy nightgown she had secretly acquired earlier that day.


    As she changed into it, a woman with a shapely figure, barely clothed yet exuding immense allure, stared back at her from the mirror.


    Grace blushed slightly, feeling her attire was a bit too provocative.


    Nevertheless, she didn''t change and quietly slipped out of her room.


    Inside the vi, everyone else was already resting, and it was quiet.


    Grace cautiously left her vi and entered Elijah''s vi.


    She knew theyout of Elijah''s room very well and had even visited during the day when the door was unlocked.


    There were no unexpected encounters along the way, and she smoothly made her way into Elijah''s room.


    Finding it empty, she felt a mixture of relief and curiosity.


    "Where could Elijah be? Has he gone to someone else''s room? Did I wait here for nothing?"


    Anxiously, she sat on the edge of the bed, uncertain whether to stay or leave.


    After what seemed like an eternity, she suddenly heard faint footsteps outside.


    Someone stopped at Elijah''s door.


    Grace nervously stared at the door.


    The door was gently pushed open, just like when she entered, without making any noise.


    Then, a graceful figure in a nightgown cautiously stepped in.


    Grace was stunned when she recognized the familiar figure.


    "How did you get here?" she couldn''t help but blurt out.


    Katherine, who had just closed the door, jumped at the sound, then upon seeing Grace, also let out an exmation.


    "What are you doing here?"


    The two stared at each other wide-eyed, momentarily frozen in ce.


    Meanwhile, Elijah, in his room, couldn''tprehend why both Katherine and Grace were in his room.


    Katherine''s presence he could understand, given their previous hints, but Grace... Did Katherine bring her along?


    This must be a surprise for me!


    Elijah couldn''t contain his excitement at the thought.


    "It''s gettingte, I... I should go back!" he abruptly announced, nting a quick kiss on Fiona''s cheek before scratching his head apologetically.


    Fiona wrinkled her nose, slightly displeased, but seeing Elijah''s apologetic expression, she soon understood.


    "Hmm, Daisy hasn''t been back for two days. You should go and spend time with her! Go on, go on!"


    If she hadn''t hinted, he probably wouldn''t havee to her room tonight.


    Fiona huffed internally.


    "Tomorrow... Tomorrow night, I''lle to find you again!"


    Elijah hugged Fiona, gave her another affectionate kiss, then reluctantly dressed himself, feigning reluctance.


    Hmm! Sometimes it''s nice when women are perceptive!


    Elijah secretly rejoiced. He hadn''t even thought of an excuse, but Fiona had found one for him.


    He did want to go find Daisy, but Daisy was with Charlotte, having ate-night conversation by candlelight.


    He figured he''d likely get kicked out if he went there.


    So, why not go find Katherine and Grace instead? They were both in his room!


    Once out of Fiona''s room, Elijah immediately activated his ability to meld into the shadows, eager to return to his bedroom.


    Meanwhile, in Elijah''s bedroom, Grace and Katherine were still staring at each other, both understanding why the other had appeared here.


    Especially seeing what they were both wearing¡ªextremely sensual nightgowns. Even a fool could guess.

 Chapter 141: why dont you both stay

    However, Grace had assumed that Katherine had already slept with Elijah. Katherine, on the other hand, hadn''t expected Grace to choose the same approach as her. The two of them felt awkward for quite some time.


    Finally, Grace broke the silence. "I saw you leaving this vi this morning. Why did youe over here tonight?"


    Katherine''s expression became even more embarrassed at Grace''s question. "Last night... um... I..."


    Katherine stumbled over her words, unsure of how to exin.


    "What happened to youst night? Didn''t you have fun? Are you missing men again?" Grace teased.


    "No, that''s not it. I waited all night and he never showed up!" Katherine blurted out.


    Grace burst intoughter, but then quickly caught herself. "So, you and Elijah... haven''t yet?"


    She stared intently at Katherine''s sensual figure as if trying to see through her.


    Katherine nodded sheepishly.


    "If you''ve awakened your ability, why did you stille here? Are you... really that eager for a man?"


    "When I went back this morning, I happened to run into Elijah... I told him I''d be waiting for him tonight..." Katherine muttered softly.


    Wait a minute! It''s not like I''m the only one who came over. Why does it seem like I''m the only one here for an affair?


    Seeing Grace in her skimpy nightgown, Katherine felt emboldened.


    "And what about you? You came over too! Humph, it''s not just me who''s eager for a man!"


    "Hold on!" Grace ignored Katherine''s retort, her attention drawn to Katherine''s murmured words just now.


    "Are you saying... Elijah wille back tonight?"


    "He... probably will!" Katherine replied uncertainly.


    "Then... you keep waiting. I''ll go back first!" Grace immediately stood up and rushed to the door.


    "???" Katherine''s gaze followed her, puzzled.


    However, as Grace opened the door, a figure appeared at the doorway. Unable to stop, she crashed into the person''s arms.


    Elijah caught Grace, feeling the smoothness of her skin in his hands as he lowered his gaze to her.


    The neckline of Grace''s nightgown was low, offering a captivating view of her curves.


    "...Elijah!" Grace eximed, a mix of panic and shyness, trying to pull away from his embrace.


    "Where are you going, Grace?" Elijah didn''t let go but instead took a step forward, closing the door behind them.


    "I... I was going back!" Grace looked at the closed door, feeling Elijah''s warm hand around her waist and smelling his masculine scent. Her face flushed with embarrassment.


    "I''m back now. You don''t need to leave. In fact, I have a gift for you..." Elijah''s warm breath tickled her ear as he whispered.


    It sent shivers down her spine, making her heart race.


    "But... Katherine is still here..." She found an excuse for herself.


    Elijah looked at Katherine, who was shy yet curious beside the bed, and chuckled softly. "Then... why don''t you both stay?"


    With that, Elijah lifted Grace and carried her to the bed.


    "Ah!" Grace gasped softly, then was gently ced on the bed...


    Olivia emerged from the bathroom, still steaming from her shower. Her skin was smooth and radiant, glistening with moisture.


    She walked to the closet, selecting a fresh outfit before returning to the bed. Just as shey down, she absentmindedly activated her ability, only to be startled.


    Fiona''s bedroom was empty, leaving only Fiona. Had Elijah gone back?


    Muttering to herself, Olivia''s curiosity peaked, and she unconsciously nced towards the other vi nearby, just about 20 meters away, still within her ability''s range.


    Soon, on the second floor of the neighboring vi, she spotted a familiar figure in the shadows. It was Elijah!


    But the next moment, Olivia''s eyes widened, her mouth dropped in unconscious surprise, her face contorted with shock. Because Elijah wasn''t alone.


    Though the distance was far and she couldn''t make out the details, the intimacy between the two was unmistakable. Just after expanding her perception, Olivia knew what it meant!


    But more crucially, beside them, there was another human-shaped shadow. Judging by its position, it was in one of the rooms.


    "What... what''s going on?" Olivia felt like her head was about to explode. She had a hunch.


    "No, I have to tell Daisy!" A thought shed through Olivia''s mind. "This Elijah is too much of a jerk. I can''t let Daisy be kept in the dark! And I need to confirm the identities of those people!"


    Olivia clenched her fists. "But how do I confirm?"


    She struggled, carefully considering a clumsy method. All the sisters on the ind lived in two vis. If she sensed them all, she could see who wasn''t in their room, narrowing it down, even if there might be some errors.


    Olivia started immediately, focusing all her senses on each room. Shadows formed by clusters of red or green light appeared in her perception.


    "This is Fiona''s room, someone''s there! This is Hannah''s room, someone''s there too! This is Grace''s room... hmm, no one! Next to it, Katherine''s room is also empty... Jasmine Auntie''s room has someone!"


    Besides Daisy, the people in this vi were the ones she knew the best. She hadn''t expected to find out so quickly.


    But fearing that Grace and Katherine might be out for other reasons, she didn''t jump to conclusions, continuing her observation.


    There was no one within 50 meters.


    Olivia shifted her focus to Elijah''s vi. "In the basement, there are five human-shaped shadows emitting red light, those few zombie girls. In the two rooms on the first floor, someone''s there, should be Lily and Sophia. On the second floor, someone''s in the farthest room, not sure who. The adjacent room also has human-shaped shadows emitting red light, probably Abigail..."


    Olivia had asked Daisy about Abigail, so she remembered this beautiful cosy zombie sister distinctly.


    Apart from these rooms, there were only three people and two people in thest two rooms respectively.


    In the room with two people, both were sitting cross-legged, probably meditating! One of the shadows was very familiar to her, Daisy.


    The other shadow should be Charlotte?


    Case solved! Olivia hadn''t expected those two to be Grace and Katherine.


    Just then, the shadows in Elijah''s room began to shift.


    ...


    For the sake of reporting to Daisy, Olivia continued to observe the process until 2 a.m. Then she took another shower, changed clothes, and fell asleep in a daze.


    She didn''t sleep well that night. She kept dreaming of two aunts in desperate and tragic situations, mentally broken. She also dreamt of herself being less vignt and walking into that vi.


    Huh?


    In the next moment, Olivia suddenly felt chilly, her clothes vanished into thin air. Then, a man approached¡ªit was Elijah!


    ...


    Olivia woke up abruptly from her dream, looking around. She found herself lying on an unfamiliar bed, fully clothed, with no man around.


    "It was just a dream..." Olivia muttered. "Sigh, I shouldn''t use my ability recklessly on the ind!"


    The young girl sighed. Otherwise, even taking a shower would be unbearable! She recalled the scenes from her dream, a slight blush tinting her cheeks. Feeling ufortable with the dampness of her clothes, she looked outside. The sky was already turning pale.


    Deciding to get up, she grabbed a fresh set of clothes and headed back into the bathroom...

 Chapter 142: Which man wasnt lustful

    The 15th day after the apocalypse, dawn!


    Elijah slowly woke up from deep sleep.


    The moment he regained consciousness, he first felt two arms tightly wrapped around him.


    He opened his eyes and looked to his left, where a delicate face without makeup was resting on his arm, sleeping peacefully!


    It was Katherine, curled up beside him, pressed closely against him with only a thin nket covering her.


    Elijah could distinctly feel her graceful body against his, the wonderful sensation.


    Elijah then looked to his right, where Grace was also sleeping soundly on his arm.


    Unlike Katherine, Grace had one hand and one foot draped over him.


    Like Katherine, her clothes had long disappeared, and her body was pressed tightly against Elijah''s.


    Embraced from both sides, what bliss!


    Elijah hadn''t expected to experience such a day. He looked at the beautiful faces of the two women so close to him, recalling the scenes fromst night, feeling a surge of emotions. The taste of it was indescribable.


    Last night, the two of them showed a profound sisterhood, after numerous failures, they finally joined forces and conquered Elijah, the big boss, making him surrender.


    Elijah reminisced for a moment, feeling eager for another round, showing that he wasn''t so easily defeated.


    But when he peeked through the curtains, he realized it was already bright outside. Though he didn''t know the exact time, it was definitely not early.


    Downstairs, there were probably many peopleing over for breakfast, or they might have already eaten. It was no longer suitable for antics!


    Just then, perhaps sensing Elijah''s movements, Katherine furrowed her brows, hummed a few times, and slowly opened her eyes.


    The first thing she saw was Grace still asleep opposite her. Then she raised her head and saw Elijah''s indulgent smile.


    The scenes fromst night shed through Katherine''s mind like a whirlwind, immediately waking her up. Blushing, she buried her head in Elijah''s arms, like an ostrich.


    "Last night... was so absurd, how could I..." She felt like she was burning up, her mind in a haze.


    "Don''t hide, the sun''s already shining!" Elijah chuckled. "Oh? What time is it now?"


    At Elijah''s words, Katherine immediately realized something, scrambling up and grabbing the phone beside her to check.


    Unnoticed by her, her movement caused the nket draped over her to slip off, fully exposing her upper body to Elijah''s eyes.


    "Tsk, no wonder so many kings neglect their duties... no one can resist this!"


    "Oops, it''s already past 8!" Katherine eximed. "Everyone else must have finished dinner by now, except us. They''ve probably guessed..."


    She wore a worried expression.


    Seeing Elijah''sck of response, Katherine turned to him and immediately noticed his gaze fixed on her.


    "Oops!"


    Only then did Katherine realize she wasn''t wearing anything on her upper body. Her snowy, glistening skin exposed, creating a picturesque scene.


    She hastily pulled the nket up, feeling a bit embarrassed, and chided, "Elijah, were you even listening to me?"


    Hearing Katherine''s sweet tone calling him "Elijah," Elijah remembered how she had pleaded with himst night, much the same way.


    It felt as refreshing as eating an ice cream in the heat.


    "I am, I am!" Elijah chuckled.


    His gaze didn''t waver, and with Katherine''s partial obstruction, it became even more tantalizing.


    "Well, if they guessed, they guessed. Everyone knows sooner orter you two will be mine," he dered.


    "Oh... that''s... embarrassing!" Katherine pouted.


    Just then, Grace began to stir from the noise the two were making!


    She first moved her hands and feet, which were resting on Elijah.


    Sensing an unfamiliar touch, she groggily opened her eyes and looked around.


    Then she saw Elijah and Katherine staring at her.


    "Hmm?" Grace was puzzled!


    Then the memories ofst night flooded back.


    Her face immediately reddened, but unlike Katherine, she wasn''t as bashful.


    Having been through it once, she was more open-minded. Otherwise, she wouldn''t have willingly sought Katherine''s helpst night, and she became even more courageous afterward!


    "Is it... morning already?" Grace nced at the sky outside, then excitedly sat up.


    "Oh, it''s morning! Elijah, get up quickly, I want to go awaken!"


    "Uh..." Elijah was pulled up by Grace. Watching her lively and bouncy demeanor, he couldn''t help but rub his nose.


    "Let me tell you, there''s a different taste after Grace lets go!"


    After regaining her strengthst night, Grace saw Katherine asking for help and became quite proactive, simr to Fiona but not as hesitant.


    She was the main force in defeating Elijah, the big boss,st night.


    "Katherine, why are you still standing there? Hurry up and get dressed!"


    Grace hopped off the bed, picking up her own pajamas from the floor.


    "Oh! Right!" Katherine replied absentmindedly, and followed her to get dressed, giving Elijah quite the view!


    When all three were dressed and downstairs, they found the living room deserted!


    "Phew~ Thank goodness, nobody saw, so there''s no embarrassment!" Katherine breathed a sigh of relief.


    "Grace, let''s go back and change clothes!" Katherine quickly suggested.


    "Okay!" Grace nodded in agreement, and the two slipped back to their own vi.


    Meanwhile, not far away, Olivia, who was being supervised by Charlotte practicing martial arts, noticed the two''s tracks.


    She couldn''t help but remember how she had secretly told on Daisy earlier at breakfast.


    To her surprise, Daisy didn''t care at all. She even pointed out to Olivia which sisters already had a thing going on with Elijah.


    This shattered Olivia''s worldview.


    In this post-apocalyptic world, there were nows or morals anymore; the strong could do as they pleased!


    Elijah was powerful and could protect them, helping them be stronger to survive in this world.


    Being lustful was nothing, not even a w.


    Which man wasn''t lustful?


    Even before the apocalypse, who knew how filthy those seemingly attractive men were on the inside, making one sick to the stomach?


    Daisy''s words reminded Olivia of the two aunties in her neighborhood vi.


    They were not treated as human beings at all, but rather, they seemed to be domesticated like dogs.


    Just the thought of that scene sent shivers down Olivia''s spine.


    How could someone''s heart be so cruel?


    With that thought, she immediately felt Elijah didn''t seem so bad after all?


    Ah, humans, always fearingparison! Olivia thought about theforts she had enjoyed fromst night until now, contrasting it with the miserable existence of being alone.


    Her attitude towards Elijah began to subtly shift. At least Elijah had been very good to them.


    However, Daisy solemnly reminded her that despite this, she still needed to beware of Elijah, the big scoundrel!


    Olivia was still young, especially mindful not to be deceived by him.


    "Olivia! Pay attention!"


    Just then, Charlotte suddenly looked at her!


    "Oh! Oh!"


    Olivia immediately dared not to indulge in idle thoughts and began to practice seriously. ...

 Chapter 143: Is your ability to control electricity

    Elijah walked into the kitchen and found some food already prepared, enough for four or five people judging by the portion size!


    But in a while, Grace would awaken, and this amount of food might not be sufficient!


    Elijah rummaged through some pre-packaged food in the vi''s pantry and then brought all the food from the kitchen to the dining table.


    By the time he finished this, Grace and Katherine had also returned, changed clothes. Grace was in the lead, holding Katherine''s hand, rushing over eagerly.


    After the close cooperationst night, the two were truly like sisters now.


    "Elijah, is it ready?" Grace couldn''t wait as soon as they entered the dining room.


    "It''s ready, I''ll go get the zombie grass!"


    Elijah turned and went into the spirit nts cultivation room.


    The fourth leaf of the zombie grass, which had been ripened yesterday, had fully grown, and its effects were enough to awaken a person.


    He cut off the roots, switched Be''s ability to healing, and when the zombie grass regained vitality, Elijah buried several corpse cores into it beforeing out with the cut zombie grass.


    "Have something to eat first!" Elijah smiled, seeing the longing look in Grace''s eyes.


    He now understood that these spirit nts contained arge amount of Chi, and when consumed by a person, they could trigger the body''s potential, stimting awakening.


    During the awakening process, the body would absorb Chi from within and around it like a ck hole to nourish the cells and sustain the functioning of abilities.


    Most of this Chi came from the spirit nts, but if the Chi content of the consumed spirit nts was insufficient, it would squeeze the trace Chi from the food consumed by the person.


    This would cause hunger, necessitating the need to replenish energy through food to continue the awakening process.


    If an adequate amount of food wasn''t ingested, it could result in the awakening ability not reaching its normal level or even awakening failure.


    Therefore, survivors of the apocalypse concluded that different spirit nts had optimal stages for awakening ability, such as zombie grass, which required three or more leaves to ensure normal human awakening.


    So, it was essential to fill up beforehand!


    "Okay!" Grace immediately dove onto the table, devouring the food eagerly.


    Then, she looked at Elijah expectantly.


    Elijah didn''t dawdle any longer, handing her the zombie grass. Grace took it excitedly, without hesitation, and popped it into her mouth, swallowing it down.


    Grace chewed on the zombie grass vigorously, a bitter taste spreading in her mouth, followed by a chilling sensation, akin to drinking bitter melon juice mixed with mint.


    Yet Grace didn''t even furrow her brow; she swallowed all the zombie grass without hesitation. Instantly, her body seemed to ignite like a fireball.


    The mes were scorching but not ufortable, quickly turning into a warm stream that began to circte within her, giving her a tingling sensation.


    At the same time, her body signaled hunger.


    Prepared in advance, Grace immediately buried herself in eating until two-thirds of the food on the table vanished.


    Now feeling a surge of energy within her, Grace felt she could utilize this energy for something.


    She extended her fingers, prompting the energy within her to flow.


    A spark of electricity immediately shed across her fingertips, striking the tabletop with a crackling sound.


    "Electricity?" Katherine eximed in astonishment. "Is your ability to control electricity?"


    "It seems so," Grace replied, closing her eyes to feel it carefully. "


    I can generate some electricity, but the intensity is limited and quite draining on my body''s energy!


    Rtively speaking, it''s easier to control existing electricity!"


    "Wow, that''s impressive! In ancient legends, your ability would be akin to a thunder deity or something!" Katherine eximed excitedly.


    "First-tier abilities have limited effects. The most important thing is to raise the body''s limit, allowing you to quickly increase your physical fitness through body tempering techniques!" Elijah nodded with a smile.


    Controlling electricity was indeed fantastic. Although it might not seem strong now and didn''t have much effect on zombies, it could be quite useful against humans or in daily life.


    "Yeah, yeah!" Grace nodded in agreement. "Next, I''ll go find Charlotte, continue to refine my body tempering techniques!"


    "I''ll join you after finishing my meal!" Katherine, who had also recently awakened, didn''t want to fall behind and immediately sat down to eat.


    After the three finished their meal, they headed to the ce where Charlotte and the others were practicing body tempering.


    At that moment, Charlotte, Hannah, Sophia, Olivia, and Jasmine were exercising, while Be was monitoring in the control room.


    When the three arrived together, some of the women had neutral expressions, some looked surprised, and some wore mischievous smiles.


    All eyes focused on Katherine, making her feel a bit embarrassed, but Grace was unfazed. She happily said to Charlotte, "Charlotte, I''ve awakened too! I''m here to practice with you all!"


    "Oh? What ability did you awaken?" Charlotte asked in surprise.


    "Electricity!" Grace said, extending her palm, with her index finger and thumb apart.


    Suddenly, a spark of light appeared between her two fingers, emitting a crackling sound.


    With a flick of her hand, the electric arc shot onto a nearby tree, ckening it and sending up a wisp of smoke.


    "Not bad! For the next few days, you''ll follow me to strengthen your body tempering training and try to raise your physical fitness as soon as possible!" Charlotte nodded in approval.


    "Okay!" Grace happily agreed.


    "And you, Katherine, don''t ck off!" Charlotte warned.


    "O-okay!" Katherine shrank back nervously.


    As the three were conversing, Jasmine, who was practicing body tempering nearby, waspletely stunned. "Her ability... just awakened?


    Am I hearing it right? Do they know a way to awaken abilities?"


    Her eyes then shifted to Elijah. Grace''s sudden transformation was most likely rted to him.


    This morning, except for the three of them, everyone had gathered for breakfast.


    Jasmine faintly heard some whispers, guessing that maybe the three of them had stayed upte and hadn''t woken up in time.


    As an experienced person, Jasmine quickly understood what they might have been up to.


    "Could it be... awakening abilities by sleeping with him? Or helping to awaken abilities?" Jasmine pondered to herself.


    As a woman approaching her forties, she was quite indifferent to such matters. If sleeping could awaken abilities, she wouldn''t hesitate.


    Jasmine prided herself on her looks, exuding charm and allure as a mature woman.


    But what troubled her was that Elijah had never seemed to look at her differently.


    At least, there was no sign of desire when he looked at her.


    Until they arrived on the ind and he saw the various, uniquely beautiful women, did Jasmine realize!


    As a woman herself, she couldn''t help but be moved.


    Elijah spent every day with these women, surrounded by them.


    His standards had risen, which Jasmine could understand.


    But now, Jasmine was in a dilemma.


    Leaving aside the awakening ability, she hadn''t even received Elijah''s acknowledgment, let alone tasted his blood!


    No, she had to find a way! Jasmine silently made up her mind.


    She refused to believe that with her looks, she couldn''t capture him.


    After experiencing the luxurious andfortable environment and lifestylepared to the post-apocalyptic days, Jasmine didn''t want to go back to living in fear and anxiety.

 Chapter 144: I only want you

    Elijah had no idea what Jasmine was thinking. The reason he didn''t contract Jasmine was simply that he had no more slots avable.


    Yesterday, he specifically instructed a few of the women to keep an eye on Jasmine at all times. He didn''t want her to turn into a zombie unexpectedly and cause trouble.


    Elijah could have ced her at the service area by the shore, but since Gabriel and the others there hadn''t awakened yet, it would be even more dangerous if she suddenly turned into a zombie.


    Now, all the women on the ind had awakened their abilities. As long as they were cautious, they could protect themselves quite well.


    "Katherine and Grace, keep practicing. Sophia and Hannah, you twoe with me to the sea!"


    Elijah instructed and then called out to Hannah and Sophia. This was nned yesterday. The three of them were going to try to find some Spirit fish and see if they could catch any.


    "Okay!" Sophia responded, and Hannah nodded.


    They arrived as three, and they would leave as three.


    The three of them first went back to the vi. Hannah and Sophia went to change clothes, while Elijah summoned the zombies he had contracted.


    They didn''t know how far they would be going out to sea this time. If they exceeded the control distance, it would be troublesome if the zombies went berserk.


    Abigail had rested in Daisy''s roomst night, while the other female zombies had been ced in the basement.


    Once Hannah and Sophia finished changing, the three of them, along with a group of zombies, officially set off and soon arrived at the northern dock of Azure Isle.


    "Which boat should we take out to sea?" Elijah looked at the myriad of boats at the dock, feeling a bit at a loss.


    "Um... let''s take the same one asst time?" Sophia suggested.


    "Isn''t that a yacht? Can we fish on it?"


    Elijah scratched his head. He really didn''t know much about these things.


    Before the apocalypse, he was a corporate ve, always busy with life and never had the chance to learn about such things.


    "Yes, yachts are also for entertainment. I specifically checkedst time; it has a fishing tform and a big tank for storing fish!"


    Elijah decided to listen to the expert and didn''t argue further. So, the three of them, along with a group of zombies, boarded the yacht.


    Sophia went straight to the captain''s cabin to steer the boat, while Elijah and Abigail settled the zombies.


    When he returned to the deck, he was pleasantly surprised.


    At some point, Hannah had changed into a bikini.


    Hannah''s bikini was quite revealing.


    The top consisted of two small triangr pieces of fabric, with straps extending from them¡ªone around her neck and the other tied at her back.


    Her bottom was also a tie-side design, with a bow tied at her waist.


    The bikini showcased Hannah''s figure perfectly¡ªher curves, slim waist, and stunning body shape were all entuated.


    The backdrop of the blue sea highlighted her milky white, radiant skin, which glowed subtly under the sunlight, making it hard to look away.


    The white base color of the bikini with sky-blue patterns added a touch of elegance and sophistication to her already sexy appearance.


    Elijah was stunned by this sight. His mind was filled with words of praise¡ªgraceful, stunning, absolutely breathtaking!


    At that moment, Hannah noticed Elijah''s intense gaze.


    A blush appeared on her usually cool face, adding a touch of charm.


    She quickly draped a thin, gauzy cover-up over herself, hiding most of her skin.


    Elijah''s face showed a hint of disappointment. Although the sheer cover-up was still alluring, it didn''t have the same impact as just the bikini.


    Unable to resist, Elijah walked closer to get a better look at Hannah.


    She pretended not to notice, gripping the railing and gazing out at the sea. But the way she tightly held the railing betrayed her nervousness.


    "When did you change into a swimsuit?" Elijah asked as he walked over.


    "In... the vi," Hannah replied, trying to remain calm.


    So, she had been wearing the bikini as underwear, with clothes on top? Elijah realized.


    "Your swimsuit is really beautiful!" heplimented.


    "I''m d you like it," Hannah muttered, looking away.


    "???" Elijah thought he might have misheard. But seeing Hannah''s shy demeanor and the blush on her cheeks, he felt a surge of joy. Was this swimsuit meant for him to see?


    There was no one else around. Who else could it be for? Elijah felt foolish for not realizing it sooner. With his heart pounding, he moved closer to Hannah.


    Hannah sensed Elijah''s approach and grew even more nervous.


    Yesterday, Fiona hade to chat with her, analyzing the rtionships on the ind and advising her to seize the opportunity to win over Elijah.


    The idea that they needed her to use her abilities to freeze fish on the boat was just an excuse.


    The yacht had all the necessary facilities; Fiona just wanted to give Hannah a chance to spend time alone with Elijah.


    If Elijah were alone with Sophia, he might develop feelings for her, which could threaten Hannah''s position.


    By joining the trip and wearing a revealing swimsuit, Hannah could easily catch Elijah''s eye and keep him from getting too close to Sophia.


    Everything had been part of Fiona''s n. Hannah, with her naturally reserved personality, would never have taken such initiative on her own.


    As Fiona had predicted, Elijah had moved closer, their bodies almost touching.


    "Daisy went to the mall with Fiona and the others," Hannah said, pretending not to notice Elijah''s actions.


    At that moment, a big wave hit the yacht, causing it to rock. "Careful!" Elijah quickly wrapped an arm around Hannah''s waist to steady her.


    "I''m... I''m fine," Hannah said, ncing at the arm around her waist. She wasn''t sure if Elijah had nned this or just reacted instinctively.


    As an awakened one, she wouldn''t be unsettled by a little wave, especially since she was firmly holding the railing.


    "d you''re okay. It''s dangerous here on the deck. I haven''t seen the inside of the cabin yet. Why don''t you show me around?"


    "Let go of me first," Hannah whispered. Elijah''s hand didn''t seem to have any intention of letting go and even started to gently caress her waist.


    It was an unconscious action¡ªHannah''s waist was so slender that he couldn''t help but want to feel it.


    Elijah, upon hearing Hannah''s words, didn''t stop his actions. Instead, he pulled her even closer into his embrace.


    "No, I never want to let you go for the rest of my life!"


    "Ah!" Hannah eximed softly, but she didn''t struggle. She merely ced her hands on his chest in a gentle resistance.


    "Hmph, do you say that to every woman on the ind?" Hannah''s tone was more coquettish than usatory.


    Elijah felt the smoothness of Hannah''s skin, tightening his hold on her. "I not only say it, but I also mean it! Right now, I only want you!" With that, he leaned in and kissed Hannah on her rosy lips.


    "Mmm..." Hannah''s eyes widened, and her body stiffened, like a statue, not daring to move.


    Elijah''s hands roamed over Hannah''s body, sliding under the thin cover-up she was wearing.


    "Not... not here!" Sensing his hand beneath the sheer fabric, Hannah quickly whispered, taking advantage of his brief pause.


    Elijah''s eyes lit up. "Then... shall we go inside?" he whispered in her ear.


    Hannah didn''t respond verbally but blushed deeply and lowered her head.


    Elijah''s heart leaped with joy.


    He lifted Hannah in his arms and carried her to the yacht''s master bedroom, which featured arge double bed.


    He gentlyid Hannah on the bed and discarded the cover-up.


    Looking at Hannah''s shy expression in her swimsuit, Elijah couldn''t help but ask, "Did you wear this swimsuit just for me today?"


    Hannah didn''t answer but gave a slight nod.


    "It''s incredibly beautiful! I love it! I love the swimsuit, but I love you even more for wearing it for me!" Elijah said, his voice filled with reverence as he slowly leaned down towards her...

 Chapter 145: Teaching to Swim

    The waves surged, and the boat rocked incessantly on the sea.


    Inside the cockpit, Sophia focused on steering the yacht.


    However, if you observed closely, you''d notice her ears were tilted slightly, straining to catch the faint sounds and movementsing from within the yacht.


    Amid the roar of the waves and the hum of the yacht, these sounds were almost imperceptible, easily mistaken for illusions if not listened to intently.


    But Sophia knew they weren''t illusions!


    Just moments ago, she sensed Elijah and Hannah on the deck, but now Elijah had carried Hannah into the yacht''s bedroom.


    Her ability had poor pration through obstacles, so she couldn''t perceive the exact situation inside.


    That didn''t stop her from imagining based on the faint sounds she could hear.


    Thinking about how Elijah, Grace, and Katherine had missed breakfast earlier that morning, and now only she, Hannah, and Elijah were on the yacht, a subtle premonition rose within her, making her somewhat uneasy.


    She could only focus on steering the yacht to divert her attention.


    It was unclear how much time had passed when Elijah, looking refreshed, walked into the cockpit.


    As he entered, he noticed Sophia had also changed into a swimsuit¡ªthe same one she wore yesterday.


    Her tanned skin, contrasting with Hannah''s fairplexion, exuded a different, unique allure.


    Elijah admired Sophia''s appearance and asked, "How''s it going? Are we close to where you caught the Spirit fishst time?"


    "Almost... almost there!" Sophia hesitated for a moment. In fact, they had already arrived and she had been circling the area twice.


    "When we get there, let''s anchor and fish for a while. It''ll add some variety to the ind''s food supply. Then we can see if we encounter another Spirit fish likest time."


    "Okay!" Sophia reduced the speed and prepared to drop anchor.


    Elijah walked onto the deck.


    By now, Hannah had put her swimsuit back on, donnedrge sunsses, and was lounging on a deck chair, leisurely enjoying the sun and sea breeze.


    Elijah chuckled to himself at the sight.


    Despite Hannah''s typically cool demeanor, her behavior earlier had surprised him greatly.


    Truly living up to her ice abilities, she had an abundance of water, unlike Be who only showed it at thest moment.


    With Hannah, it was always present, making Elijah feel like he was in a hot spring.


    Noticing Elijah''s mischievous smile, Hannah red at him, but her sunsses shielded the expression, rendering it harmless.


    She picked up a drink from the table beside her, taking arge sip before lying back down on the chair.


    She was forced to lie down because Elijah hadn''t been gentle earlier, leaving her feeling ufortable.


    Lying inside wasn''t an option, so she pretended to sunbathe outside.


    Elijah switched to using Sophia''s ability, sensing the surrounding 50-meter radius for any living creatures while he prepared his fishing rod.


    Sophia''s ability was quite useful; though it couldn''t prate obstacles like Olivia''s, it could detect moving objects over a wide range, including fish swimming in the water.


    "There are plenty of fish around here!"


    Elijah cast his bait where there were many fish. Soon enough, a fish took the bait.


    Elijah jerked the rod, instantly hooking a fish.


    With his strength, reeling in the fish was a breeze.


    If he wasn''t worried about the rod and line breaking, he wouldn''t even need to y the fish, just pull it in directly.


    "Wow, you caught one so quickly?" Sophia, having anchored the yacht, joined Elijah on the deck.


    "It''s all thanks to your ability. I can clearly see where the fish are!"


    "Oh, right!" Sophia remembered that Elijah could use her ability.


    This part of the sea, where warm and cold currents met, was teeming with fish, which she had discovered using her ability.


    Last time, she and her brother had nned to catch arge haul with a, ensuring they wouldn''t worry about food for a long time.


    Unexpectedly, they had caught a Spirit fish, which broke their!


    The particrly annoying fish even circled their boat, prompting Xavier to try spearing it, only to get pulled into the water and suffer two severe wounds.


    In hindsight, it was a blessing in disguise.


    If not for that incident, she wouldn''t have met Elijah and the others.


    Reflecting on this, Sophia watched as Elijah lifted the fish out of the water.


    Elijah caught a fish with a t, oval body about 25 centimeters long and bright red in color.


    "Wow, it''s a red seabream! This is a great catch!" Sophia eximed, happily using anding to help Elijah retrieve the fish.


    "It does look festive. Is it tasty?" Elijah, being unfamiliar with seafood and cooking, was genuinely curious.


    "Absolutely! Red seabream is known for its delicious taste, often called ''chicken of the sea.''"


    "Let''s have it for lunch then!" They ced the fish in therge tank on the yacht.


    Sophia then taught Elijah some proper techniques for lure fishing, and soon she was fishing alongside him.


    Thanks to Sophia''s sensing ability, they quickly caught a variety of sea fish, although there were no signs of the Spirit fish.


    As noon approached, Hannah, feeling recovered, joined them.


    Sophia showed her how to fish, and soon Hannah was also enjoying the thrill of fishing.


    Each time she caught a fish, a rare smile appeared on her typically cool face, leaving Sophia momentarily stunned.


    The three had a delightful morning fishing, and for lunch, Sophia prepared a seafood feast. The sulent and tender fish left Elijah and Hannah thoroughly satisfied.


    After lunch, theyy on the deck chairs, enjoying the refreshing sea breeze.


    Elijah nced at the two beautiful women beside him, one with sun-kissed skin and the other with snow-white skin, and couldn''t help but think: This is the life!


    "How about we go for a swim?" Elijah suggested after lying around for a while, feeling restless.


    "Sure, but how''s your swimming? The water here is quite deep," Sophia agreed enthusiastically.


    "Uh... isn''t that what floaties are for?" Elijah replied, feeling a bit sheepish.


    His swimming skills were rudimentary at best, learned from a slightly better-skilled friend, and he hadn''t practiced much.


    "What? Elijah, you can''t swim?" Sophia was genuinely surprised, having discovered a rare weakness in Elijah that shattered her perception of his invincibility.


    "Uh... does dog paddle count?" Elijah admitted.


    Sophia burst outughing. "I''ll teach you to swim then! Hannah, want to join us?"


    "I''ll pass. You two go ahead. I''ll keep an eye on the yacht and continue fishing," Hannah said, waving them off.


    "Alright then! Elijah, let''s go!" Sophia was eager.


    At the back of the yacht, Sophia threw a few floaties tied with long ropes into the sea and handed one to Elijah. "Put this on."


    Amused by her enthusiasm, Elijahplied and put on the floatie.


    "I''ll go first and wait for you!" Sophia executed a graceful dive into the sea, swimming like a mermaid.


    "Come on in!" Sophia called from the water.


    Elijah, holding his floatie, jumped in but made a big ssh, unlike Sophia''s silent entry.


    The floatie ended up beneath him, and momentster, bubbles started rising as the floatie deted, causing Elijah to sink.


    "Oh no!" Sophia gasped and quickly swam over to help.

 Chapter 146: There Are Fish

    When Sophia reached Elijah''s location, she found him slowly sinking. She immediately dove down and grabbed him.


    As Sophia tried to pull Elijah up, he clung to her like a drowning man grasping a lifeline, wrapping around her legs like an octopus.


    Sophia struggled to break free, but Elijah''s grip was too strong, and she couldn''t escape!


    "This is bad!"


    Saving a drowning person was the most dangerous under these circumstances, and Sophia''s heart filled with despair.


    Due to the violent struggle and Elijah''s tight hold, she was quickly running out of air.


    Her lungs felt incredibly strained, and the sensation of suffocation overwhelmed her, making her head dizzy fromck of oxygen.


    Their bodies continued to sink slowly, and at this moment, Elijah, who was clinging to her legs, climbed up bit by bit until they were face to face.


    Sophia noticed that Elijah was conscious and not panicking.


    She immediately gestured with his hands, indicating for her to let go and swim up quickly as she was running out of air.


    At this point, they hadn''t sunk too far; if they swam up now, they could still make it.


    However, Elijah misunderstood, thinking she was out of breath.


    He thought for a moment and then pressed his mouth to hers.


    Sophia''s eyes widened in confusion, staring at Elijah.


    At this critical moment, how could he think about taking advantage of her?


    But the next moment, she felt a rush of air from his mouth, and the suffocating feeling eased considerably.


    Huh? What''s going on?


    Sophia was astonished! But she had no time to ponder as Elijah, now holding her upper body, no longer tightly gripped her legs.


    Realizing this, she immediately kicked her legs, trying to swim upwards. It was very difficult to swim up with the added weight.


    Luckily, Elijah kept supplying her with air, preventing her from experiencing further oxygen deprivation.


    Suddenly, she felt a forceful water current pushing them upward, and their bodies quickly floated back to the surface.


    Elijah released her mouth at this moment, allowing her to take big breaths of air.


    "What... what just happened?" Sophia asked in bewilderment.


    "Uh... the moment I hit the water, I got too nervous and identally burst the swim ring," Elijah replied, embarrassed.


    "I''m not talking about that. Just now, it felt like something was pushing us up!"


    Sophia gradually regained her breath.


    "Oh, when I was sinking, I discovered a new ability I didn''t know I had before¡ªunderwater breathing!"


    "Underwater breathing?" Sophia''s eyes widened in surprise.


    "Like a fish?"


    "Not exactly! Fish use gills, I use my skin. However, the oxygen content in the water is still too low to sustain it for long! But this made me remember that one of the zombies I control has water maniption abilities!"


    "So... the thing that pushed us up just now was..."


    "That''s right, I switched to the water maniption ability and controlled the water flow to push us up!"


    "You scared me to death!" Sophia let out a long breath. It was then that she noticed Elijah was still holding her.


    "Since you have water maniption abilities, you... you can let go of me now, right?"


    "I find it morefortable holding you," Elijah said, deliberately puffing out his chest.


    Sophia''s face turned bright red instantly. There was no barrier between their chests, and they were intimately pressed together.


    "Where''s... my swimsuit?" Sophia stammered.


    "It probably got rubbed off in the water," Elijah said, holding her tightly and feeling the slippery, wonderful sensation of her body.


    Looking at her cute, nervous expression, he couldn''t help but feel moved.


    He smacked his lips, feeling that their kiss in the water was iplete, and leaned in for another kiss.


    "Mmm¡ª"


    Sophia''s eyes widened in panic, momentarily forgetting to tread water. If it weren''t for Elijah''s water maniption ability, she would have sunk by now.


    She didn''t know where to ce her hands, feeling like a puppet under a spell, until she sensed Elijah''srge hands roaming to the only piece of clothing she had on. Instinctively, she pressed against him.


    At this moment, Elijah released her mouth. "Not¡­ not here¡­" Sophia stammered, her face flushed. Elijah kissed her cheek. "Then, we''ll wait until we get back¡­"


    Sophia didn''t answer, just lowered her head in embarrassment.


    "It''s settled then. For now¡­ just teach me how to swim!"


    Elijah chuckled.


    "Do you¡­ really need to learn how to swim?"


    Sophia pouted; she could feel a current continuously supporting her, making it easy for her to float on the sea''s surface.


    "I still need to learn, so that using the water control ability bes even easier!"


    "But¡­ my swimsuit¡­" Sophia lowered her head.


    Through the refraction of the sea, she could vaguely see that she was topless.


    "It should be nearby; we''ll find it soon!"


    Elijah also looked down, then instinctively hugged her tighter, pressing their bodies together.


    "Besides¡­ I like you this way, and there''s no one else around here¡­"


    Sophia felt she couldn''t disagree.


    If she went straight back to the yacht now, Hannah would definitely see her.


    So she gave a barely perceptible nod.


    "Then¡­ you can''t touch me inappropriately¡­"


    "Don''t worry!"


    Elijah promised with a face full of joy.


    After some more awkward moments, Sophia finally let it go.


    After all¡­ he had already seen and touched her, and she would be his sooner orter.


    She then began formally teaching Elijah to swim. With the water control ability, Elijah learned quickly.


    And thanks to the passive ability that came with water control, underwater breathing, he moved in the sea like a fish.


    His skills soon surpassed Sophia''s.


    Of course, during the learning process, the two frequently bumped into each other.


    Elijah enjoyed it immensely, while Sophia was initially mindful butter just let it be.


    "Hey? Is that my swimsuit?"


    When Elijah had almost learned everything, Sophia started looking for her swimsuit nearby and actually found it.


    "I''ll get it for you!"


    Elijah volunteered, swimming gracefully over and grabbing the two palm-sized pieces of fabric floating on the sea surface.


    He held up the swimsuit, turned, and waved at Sophia.


    But he noticed she wasn''t paying attention to him, instead, she was frowning, focusing intently on something.


    "There are Spirit fish!"


    Suddenly, Sophia screamed.


    "It''s not just Spirit fish, there''s something big! It''s¡­ it''s a shark!"


    Elijah''s smile froze instantly.


    He quickly switched to Sophia''s sensing ability, his body instinctively sinking lower.


    His legs kicked rapidly to stay afloat as his mind extended outward.


    Indeed, he saw two fast-moving creatures entering their sensing range.


    The one in front wasn''t veryrge, about a meter long, moving extremely fast.


    The one following it was a massive beast, over four meters long with a thick body, unmistakably a shark.


    More crucially, these two fish were heading straight for them.


    They were less than ten meters away from Elijah!

 Chapter 147: did that Spirit fish run off

    "Watch out!"


    Sophia eximed.


    However, Elijah remained calm, poised, ready to switch to his water control ability, waiting for the Spirit fish to approach.


    As the Spirit fish was about to collide with Elijah, he manipted the water flow to try to control it.


    Unexpectedly, the Spirit fish suddenly flipped its body and swam sharply in the opposite direction when it was only a few meters away from him.


    The shark following closely behind the Spirit fish, however, did not react in the same way; it headed straight for Elijah.


    "Beast!"


    Elijah shouted angrily.


    Seeing the gaping jaws of the shark closing in on him, he swiftly retreated using the water flow, narrowly avoiding the shark''s bite.


    Then, clenching his right fist, he struck the shark''s head forcefully.


    "Thud!"


    The shark was hit, its head veering to one side as it sank into the sea. However, Elijah could sense that it hadn''t sustained any significant damage.


    Firstly, the shark was massive with tough skin and thick flesh, which greatly cushioned the impact of his punch.


    Secondly, the underwater environment limited his strength; even with the assistance of controlling the water flow, he couldn''t exert more than a fraction of his power.


    He needed a weapon.


    Thinking quickly, Elijah immediately manipted the water flow to swim to Sophia''s side.


    "Let''s go back to the yacht; it''s too dangerous for you in the water!"


    "Okay... okay!"


    Sophia, still shaken, allowed Elijah to guide her. With the assistance of the current, they quickly returned to the stern of the boat.


    Supporting her with his hand on her hip, Elijah helped Sophia back onto the yacht before boarding himself.


    "My... my swimsuit!"


    Sophia, upon boarding, instinctively covered her chest and looked at Elijah.


    "Oh!"


    Realizing, Elijah handed her the two pieces of fabric he held.


    "Are you two alright?"


    Hearing themotion, Hannah also ran over.


    She nced at the barely clothed Sophia, her expression unchanged, as if she had expected it all along, then asked with concern, "Are you okay? But that Spirit fish yed a trick on me; I''ll catch it and make soup out of it!"


    "I... I''m fine!"


    Sophia hastily put on her swimsuit, feeling a bit more relieved.


    "Are there harpoons on the yacht?"


    Elijah hesitated to use his own spear, afraid of losing it if it fell into the sea.


    Harpoons would be more suitable weapons.


    "Yes, there are!"


    Sophia replied, producing two harpoons and handing one to Elijah.


    They three arrived at the stern of the ship, and Elijah sensed once again that the Spirit fish had long gone, but the shark hadn''t left; it was still lingering nearby, circling the yacht.


    "Damn, did that Spirit fish run off?"


    "Is that fish really as smart as you guys say?"


    Hannah asked, somewhat curious. In her mind, there was no notion of intelligence when it came to fish. The only creatures she associated with intelligence in the sea were dolphins.


    "Spirit fish are akin to awakened beings among humans. It''s understandable if they''re smarter, even possessing some extraordinary abilities wouldn''t surprise me," Elijah exined.


    "Huh? Wait..."


    A sudden realization struck Elijah, as if he had grasped something crucial.


    "What''s up?"


    Sophia and Hannah looked at him curiously.


    "Spirit fish... Spirit fish... I can understand why the shark would chase it. Cats eat fish, dogs eat meat, let alone a fish that can evolve itself. But how did the Spirit fish find us?"


    Elijah murmured to himself.


    "Sophia, did you go into the water when you spotted the Spirit fishst time?"


    Suddenly, Elijah seemed to have a realization and turned to ask Sophia.


    "Um... yes, I did. Why?"


    "That exins it!"


    Excitement shed across Elijah''s face.


    "Did you figure something out?"


    Hannah asked.


    "Yes! Survival of the fittest! To us, Spirit fish are prey, food! But to the Spirit fish, aren''t we also its prey and food?"


    "Are you saying... thest time the Spirit fish lingered near our boat, it wanted to prey on us?"


    Sophia realized something, her expression incredulous.


    "Not prey on all of you, but on you. This time as well, it''s probably because both of us went into the water, alerting the Spirit fish, and being chased by the shark made ite straight for us. Why is the shark lingering now? Probably because it noticed the same traits in us that the Spirit fish has!"


    "What traits?"


    "Both us and the Spirit fish, fundamentally, have absorbed arge amount of Chi, evolving beyond ordinary individuals. Since we can awaken and even advance by eating Spirit fish, why couldn''t the shark achieve awakening or advancement by eating us?"


    "Do sharks have such intelligence?"


    Hannah couldn''t believe the terrifying logic behind this.


    "They don''t need to have that kind of intelligence, they just need that instinct!"


    "If your spection turns out to be true... and someone else realizes it too and spreads it, then... there won''t be a human society in the future!"


    Hannah''s face turned grim.


    Indeed, it would be an immensely dark jungle, where everyone is a hunter and prey.


    "Yeah, if my guess is true, it means that awakened humans themselves are also like Spirit fish, spirit nts, spirit beasts, or whatever other names you cane up with," Elijah''s voice wavered, and when he finished speaking, Sophia also finally reacted, her face turning equally pale.


    "But don''t worry, I''ll protect you, and as long as we have strong abilities, no one can threaten us!"


    Elijahforted them softly.


    "Yeah! I''ll work on improving my strength!"


    "Right, when we get back, I''ll intensify my training in body strengthening techniques!"


    Hannah and Sophia''s heavy hearts slightly eased, and they quickly made their resolutions.


    "Let''s not spread this matter any further; only the three of us need to know!"


    Elijah concluded the topic and then said, "Actually, I''ve figured out a way to deal with this shark! Killing it would be a waste; it''s better to make a pact with it. It can protect the waters around our ind!"


    "But aren''t your pact slots already full?"


    Hannah oftenmunicated with Fiona and knew a lot about Elijah''s affairs.


    "I can give up one of the zombies!"


    Elijah finished speaking and turned to go back to where the zombies were kept.


    Apart from Abigail, he currently controlled five female zombies, each with abilities like perception, strength, me, water flow, and w.


    In terms of abilities, he didn''t really need perception, strength, or ws. Sophia and Olivia could borrow perception, Lily could borrow strength, and ws were purely physical attacks, although sharp, they were not as effective as his iron spear.


    But in terms of control, the perception zombie, the earliest one he contracted, was the most difficult to control, far less convenient than the zombies he trained himself.


    Elijah had a n in mind.

 Chapter 148: JAWS

    Elijah made a decision within himself and immediately controlled his perception to sense the female zombie. Then, with a punch, he broke its neck, destroying its brainstem.


    The female zombie copsed instantly.


    Elijah drew out his dagger and extracted its corpse core.


    It was a translucent white corpse core, almost free of impurities, with a hint of orange beginning to show at its core.


    "Indeed, this female zombie is about to advance to the second stage. If I don''t deal with it now, it might break free from my control before me!"


    This was another major reason Elijah chose it.


    Facing that freaky "mental intimidation" ability, Elijah had a vague sense of it.


    Since there were uncontroble factors, it was better to give up on it!


    Confirming the dissipation of the Seed of Consciousness linked within the female zombie''s body, Elijah returned to the stern.


    "Now, I have one contract slot avable, just enough to contract this shark!"


    "How are you going to give the shark blood? Are you going to let it bite you?" Sophia asked, puzzled.


    Elijah instantly had a ck line on his head.


    Let the shark take a bite? Then it''s not just about a drop of blood!


    "You forgot we have a fishing rod!" Elijah retorted.


    Sophia held her head, tears welling up in her eyes.


    That would hurt!


    Elijah couldn''t help but smile at her silly appearance, saying, "Let''s go back up and see how I catch the shark!"


    So the three of them returned to the fishing spot on the side of the boat.


    Elijah grabbed a small fish from the fish tank, killed it directly, and then injected a drop of blood containing the Seed of Consciousness into the fish''s body.


    If it were a live fish, the Seed of Consciousness would directly integrate into its body, controlling the fish.


    But since the fish was dead, there wouldn''t be a problem.


    Elijah used this fish as bait and then switched to Sophia''s perception ability, quickly locating the shark.


    When the shark approached, Elijah seized the opportunity and cast the bait.


    The shark smelled the bloody scent, containing a hint of something it had long desired, and immediately lunged forward, swallowing the bait whole.


    With the bait''s mission aplished, Elijah cut the fishing line. He had no intention of really catching it; his equipment couldn''t handle such a big fellow.


    "Alright, we just need to wait for this shark to digest a bit!"


    Unlike directly drinking its blood, the Seed of Consciousness inside the bait would only take effect when the shark started digesting it and came into contact with its body.


    This would take some time!


    The three of them waited for a while like this, Elijah and Sophia keeping their abilities active, observing the shark.


    About fifteen minutester, Elijah suddenly sensed a spiritual tether connecting between him and the shark.


    "We did it!" Elijah''s face lit up with joy, immediatelymanding the shark to swim closer to the yacht''s stern.


    Once again, the three returned to the stern, watching the shark quietly floating there.


    "Wow, up close, this shark is really huge!" Sophia eximed.


    "Indeed, and it looks somewhat familiar, like Jaws from the movies!" Hannah also sighed.


    Elijah observed carefully and noticed that this shark was about 4 meters long, with a spindle-shaped body. The trunk was thick, but towards the head and tail, it gradually became smaller.


    There was a tall dorsal fin on its back, triangr in shape, which was also the first impression people got when they saw sharks in movies on the surface.


    "It does look a bit like Jaws!" Elijah nodded.


    "Well, why don''t we try riding it?" Elijah joked.


    "Huh? Is that possible?" Sophia asked in amazement.


    "Why not? It''s our pet now!" Elijah said as he jumped into the sea and quickly climbed onto the shark''s back.


    In the end, Elijah couldn''t manage it.


    He attempted to press down on the great white shark, but with nowhere to grip due to the slippery surface of the shark''s back, he ended up sliding down again.


    Controlling the water, Elijah managed to hold onto the shark and grabbed onto its dorsal fin.


    The dorsal fin of the shark was positioned towards the rear middle of its body, making it difficult for Elijah to grab onto it properly.


    He had to lean backward and grab onto the fin from behind.


    Hannah and Sophia watched Elijah''s slightlyical attempt and couldn''t help but chuckle. "Haha, you''re riding a shark backward!"


    Elijah eximed, as he urged the shark to swim forward.


    Like a reverse speedboat, Elijah watched as the scenery on both sides receded rapidly.


    "Not bad, not bad!"


    Elijah yed around for a while, then decided to let Sophia and Hannah have a try.


    However, both girls were hesitant to get close to the shark and didn''t dare toe down.


    Finding it boring, Elijah decided to stop bothering the shark.


    "We have a dog named Yello at home. From now on, I''ll call you Whitey!"


    Elijah patted Whitey''s body, letting it roam freely near the yacht as he returned to the deck.


    "The fish rider returns. How does it feel?" Sophia asked yfully, eyeing him.


    "Not bad, but it would be better if I could ride it properly!" Elijah replied with a grin, looking at her.


    "To be honest, I prefer driving other things rather than riding fish!"


    "What?" Sophia instinctively replied.


    At this point, Hannah pulled her away, spitting, "Don''t listen to his nonsense, let''s continue fishing!"


    "Oh..." Sophia nced at Hannah in confusion, sensing that Elijah''s previous words might not have beenplimentary.


    Elijah chuckled to himself, feeling that the experience had given him a new understanding of what he was good at.


    Seeing the two girls return to the side of the boat to fish, with Whitey taken care of, and nothing else to do for now, Elijah suddenly remembered the female zombie corpse on the deck.


    He went back to the deck, threw the corpse into the sea, and then cleaned up the bloodstains on the ground.


    As the female zombie''s body fell into the water, Whitey sensed the smell of blood nearby and immediately swam over.


    "Huh?"


    Elijah noticed Whitey''s intention but didn''t stop it immediately. Instead, he leaned over and began to observe carefully.


    Whitey opened itsrge mouth, and with one bite, it tore the zombie corpse in half, then proceeded to devour one half before tearing into the remaining half.


    As the zombie corpse was consumed, Elijah noticed a subtle change in Whitey''s body.


    But unlike humans! If humans came into contact with zombie blood, they would turn into zombies. But not Whitey! It seemed that the zombie virus was ineffective in its body!


    "Right, in my memory, only mammals seem to turn into zombies, but it''s not absolute... At least I haven''t heard of poultry, birds, fish, or insects turning into zombies! As for other more diverse creatures..."


    Elijah thought for a moment, realizing that in the area where he lived in his previous life, there seemed to be no reports of any strange creatures turning into zombies.


    "It seems that this zombie virus is also targeted!" Elijah reacted.


    "So, if these creatures that are not affected by the zombie virus eat zombies, and then humans eat these creatures, will they be affected by the virus and turn into zombies?"


    Elijah pondered silently. He naturally wouldn''t eat them himself, but if people consumed these fish that had consumed humans and were unaffected by the virus, then he could cultivate Spirit fish by feeding them corpse core!


    "I can try it when I get back!" Elijah nodded to himself.


    Just then, Sophia suddenly eximed, "That Spirit fish is back again!"

 Chapter 149: Return Journey

    "Hmm? Spirit fish is back again? Could it be..." Elijah nced at the remains of the corpse that Whitey had been gnawing on and immediately activated Sophia''s perception ability!


    Sure enough, a fish about a meter long came rushing over at an extremely fast speed.


    At this point, it wasn''t afraid of Whitey anymore, heading straight for the female zombie''s corpse and began devouring it with its sharp mouth wide open.


    Sophia and Hannah ran over, surprised, asking, "What''s going on?"


    As Elijah picked up a harpoon, he exined his spection about certain fish species being unaffected by the zombie virus.


    Then, seizing the opportunity, he hurled the harpoon with force.


    Like a bolt of lightning, the harpoon tore through the air, piercing the surface of the sea and impaling the Spirit fish.


    Although Elijah hadn''t switched to his strength abilities, his own strength was considerable, far surpassing human limits.


    If it weren''t for the harpoon''s multiple prongs at the tip, it would have pierced through the fish''s body.


    Even so, the harpoon''s prongs dug deep into the Spirit fish''s body.


    At first, the Spirit fish struggled and wriggled, but eventually went still.


    Blood scattered from the wound, catching Whitey''s attention.


    Whitey immediately stopped eating and pounced towards the Spirit fish.


    "Stop!" Elijah quicklymanded Whitey to halt, then retrieved the harpoon.


    Reluctantly, Whitey nced at the Spirit fish before returning to continue feasting on the female zombie''s corpse.


    "Elijah, you''re amazing!" Sophia eximed.


    "Just so-so!" Elijah chuckled, removing the Spirit fish from the harpoon.


    "Do you notice any difference between this one and the Spirit fish we encounteredst time?" Elijah tossed the Spirit fish onto the ground for Sophia to inspect.


    "There''s still a difference. The one we caughtst time resembled a bluefin tuna, while this one looks more like a sea bass. But both have simr traits: they''re not veryrge in size, yet both of these Spirit fish have grown to about a meter and undergone physical changes, making them look unlike their original forms," Sophiamented.


    "Yeah! So it seems that no matter what kind of fish, after evolving, there will be significant changes in their physical form, either increasing in size or converging towards a certain direction," Elijah remarked.


    "It''s possible. Otherwise, these two fish seem to belong to different species, but after bing Spirit fish, they give off a sense of being rted," Sophia agreed.


    "Enough of that! Today''s mission isplete. Let''s head back!" Elijah shook his head, cing the Spirit fish into the freezer to preserve it.


    Although this Spirit fish had eaten some zombie meat, it hadn''t consumed much and hadn''t digested it, so it shouldn''t have much impact.


    Elijah definitely wouldn''t eat it, and he wouldn''t let the others either. But there was still a dog at home, right?


    He could let Yello taste it first, and if there were no problems, he could ask Gabriel if he was willing to try it! If not, it didn''t matter; he could just give it all to Yello and see if Yello would awaken into a spirit beast.


    Then, if Yello had no problems after eating it, they could experiment by feeding a regr fish with a corpse core to see if it could evolve into a Spirit fish.


    If all of this went smoothly, then they would have found another path to be stronger.


    After finishing up, Elijah noticed a fishy smell on himself and quickly rinsed off in the yacht''s shower.


    When he returned to the deck, Sophia had already reeled in the anchor, the yacht was underway, and Hannah was lying on a lounge chair, her eyes closed as if asleep.


    Considering Sophia had been in the sea for a while, she probably needed a wash too, so Elijah headed to the helm.


    "I''ll take over driving; you go take a shower!" Sophia''s sea-drenched clothes were drying, making her feel sticky.


    She happily responded, "Sure, thanks!" Then she vacated her spot and dashed off for a shower.


    Elijah nced at their current approximate position and continued steering ording to the course set by Sophia.


    After about ten minutes or so, Sophia finished showering and returned to the helm.


    "I''m done washing up. Let me take over driving," Sophia said as she walked back into the cockpit.


    Elijah turned his head and was immediately captivated.


    Sophia had just showered, and there was still a hint of moisture on her, making her wheat-colored skin look even more radiant.


    Despite not having as fair aplexion as others, her skin was exceptionally smooth, something Elijah had deeply experienced in the sea.


    What caught his attention even more was that she had changed into another swimsuit, the kind with minimal fabric, just like the one she wore before, a two-piece suit with very little material.


    Compared to the previous ck swimsuit, this one was predominantly warm-toned, with a pure white top and sky-blue bottoms.


    Paired with her wheat-colored skin, she looked stunning.


    "What... what''s up?" Sophia felt self-conscious under Elijah''s intense gaze.


    "Nothing... just think you look really pretty in this outfit!" Elijah''s gaze wandered over her, admiring.


    This made Sophia even more embarrassed, especially when she remembered his antics in the sea earlier!


    "I... I''ll drive the boat," she tried to change the subject.


    "Sure, perfect timing. Last time you were teaching me how to drive, but we stopped halfway. Shall we continue?"


    Elijah sat in the chair, scooting back slightly to make room.


    He patted the tiny space next to him, signaling for Sophia toe over.


    Sophia hesitated, thinking back to the ambiguous teaching sessionst time and recalling Elijah''s words about continuing when they got back.


    Was this what he meant?


    "Professor Sophia?" Elijah called her.


    "Huh?" Sophia snapped out of her thoughts, blushing even more at Elijah''s address.


    But she saw Elijah gesturing for her to join him, so she finally walked over.


    The space between the driver''s seat and the steering wheel wasn''trge, so as Sophia moved over, her body inevitably brushed against Elijah''s.


    Both of them harbored unusual thoughts, and that simple contact felt magnified, causing their hearts to race uncontrobly.


    "Since you''re calling me Professor, I''ll teach you properly!"


    Sophia said, settling in close to Elijah.


    But with the limited space and Elijah not adjusting the seat, they ended up almost embracing.


    "Okay, Professor Sophia! I''ll study diligently!" Elijah''s voice was serious, but his body couldn''t help but lean forward, his hands resting on her slender waist.


    Sophia''s body trembled slightly as she gripped the steering wheel, trying topose herself. "Let me exin to you what these gauges are for," she said, trying to maintain herposure.


    "Okay," Elijah replied earnestly, his hands subtly moving.


    And at that moment, his hand slipped into Sophia''s few items of clothing...

 Chapter 150: Returning to the Island

    The journey back seemed particrly lengthy, with Elijah sitting upright at the helm, steering the yacht diligently.


    Sophia sat in front of him, earnestly teaching him about driving-rted knowledge.


    The yacht surged through the waves, swiftly advancing, but amidst the undtions of the sea, there were unavoidable jolts.


    Elijah remained steady in his seat, but Sophia was somewhat affected by the waves.


    "Are we almost there?" Elijah asked in a deep voice.


    "Almost... almost there!" Sophia squinted her eyes, her face flushed with intoxicating crimson as she looked ahead.


    Azure Isle was now clearly visible!


    "Good!" Just then, a big wave struck!


    The yacht rocked, and Elijah held onto Sophia with both hands.


    "Hold on tight, we''re almost there!" he reassured.


    "Mm..." Sophia let out a soft murmur, sitting firmly and keeping the yacht on course.


    Until finally, as they neared the dock, both let out a sigh of relief!


    "Alright, it''s your turn to dock the boat!" Elijah patted Sophia''s shoulder.


    At his words, Sophia stood up shyly, letting Elijah move away from the helm.


    With a grin, Elijah adjusted her clothing before vacating the driver''s seat.


    Sophia didn''t sit back down but instead stood, carefully observing the yacht''s surroundings, cautiously guiding it to a stop.


    Meanwhile, Elijah headed back to the yacht''s shower, rinsed off quickly, changed into a pair of shorts (the previous ones were soaked and couldn''t be worn anymore), and put on a T-shirt before returning to the cockpit.


    "Is the boat docked?" he asked.


    "It''s docked," Sophia confirmed, having dropped the anchor and shut down the engine.


    With the yacht securely moored, she was ready to leave the helm.


    But as Sophia took a few steps, she felt a slight difort in her body. Adjusting her swimsuit with her hand, she then walked out, her steps slightly unsteady.


    "Go freshen up, no rush. We still need to deal with the fish we caught!" Elijah offered a supportive hand to Sophia.


    "O... okay!" Sophia''s cheeks flushed as she didn''t refuse.


    As Sophia went into the shower, Elijah returned to the deck.


    Hannah had already changed into dry clothes and was busy freezing the Spirit fish.


    She nced at Elijah and nodded towards arge stic container nearby.


    "I found a container. Let''s put the caught fish in there!"


    Elijah looked at the box, which contained some seawater and ice blocks.


    He pulled the box over to the yacht''s tank and used a to transfer the fish into it, one by one.


    By the time he finished, Sophia had finished freshening up and changed into a clean outfit, stepping out.


    "We can''t eat all these fish at once. Where should we keep them? Should we preserve them by pickling?" Sophia asked casually, pretending as if nothing had happened.


    "I remember there''s a veryrge pool in the hotel, specifically for keeping fish caught during sea fishing. We can temporarily keep them there!" Elijah suggested.


    "That''s originally for guests to store their catches!" Hannah added.


    "Then let''s do that!" Elijahmanded, then instructed Whitey, who had been trailing the yacht, to patrol within a five-kilometer radius of the ind.


    With Abigail and a few remaining female zombies, they returned to the shore.


    After ensuring there were no oversights and everything was properly arranged, Elijah carried the fish catch and headed back to the sightseeing car they had used to arrive.


    Hannah took the driver''s seat and, once everyone, including the zombies, was settled, immediately drove towards the hotel.


    Upon reaching the hotel entrance, Be was already waiting there.


    Today, she was on duty in the control room and was the first to see the three returning.


    "Wow! So many fish!" Be eximed happily.


    With just these fish, they could eat well for several days.


    If they could harvest this much every day, they wouldn''t have to worry about protein sources even without poultry or livestock.


    "Sophia found a good spot where there are a lot of fish!" Elijah praised.


    "Sophia is really amazing!" Be, understanding Sophia''s situation with her legs, gave Elijah a knowing nce and affectionately linked arms with Sophia.


    Sophia, unaware of Be''s understanding of her rtionship with Elijah, just smiled shyly.


    They all returned to the hotel, where in a corner of the lobby on the ground floor, there was a huge pool.


    Originally, there were several sea fish in it, but during Fiona and their group''s initial survival days, they had eaten them all.


    Now it was empty, without a single fish, and the water wasn''t circting.


    After Hannah came in, she turned on the water pump, firstly to oxygenate the water and secondly to get the water circting in the pool.


    "Let''s wait a bit before putting them in!" After Hannah finished, she asked Elijah to put the box of fish to the side.


    "We''ll take the less active fish back to the viter and have them for dinner tonight!"


    Elijah said, then turned to Be.


    "Everything was normal on the ind today?"


    "Nothing on the ind, but Fiona and the others encountered some trouble!" Be replied.


    "What kind of trouble?" Hannah asked anxiously.


    Elijah''s heart skipped a beat. Did trouble start on the first day he let go?


    "Today, another group of people came to the mall to search for supplies. Seeing Fiona and the others were women, they tried to rob them. In the end, Fiona killed a few of them and scared the rest away!" After Be finished, Hannah breathed a sigh of relief.


    "Not all of them were killed?" Elijah''s eyes shed with coldness.


    With the duration of the apocalypse getting longer, more survivors who didn''t see rescue andcked supplies woulde out.


    Among them were ruthless individuals who had experienced life and death struggles.


    Fiona and the others were all beautiful women, and encountering these people inevitably led to feelings of disdain and even possessiveness, which didn''t surprise Elijah.


    So, in the apocalypse, strength was the most important thing!


    "No, a few of them were very cunning and kept their distance. As soon as they sensed something was wrong, they ran away immediately!" Be exined.


    "Okay, I understand. As long as our people are safe!" Elijah decided to talk to Fiona when she returned.


    "By the way, we''ll deal with this Spirit fishter. Remove all the internal organs from the fish heads, but don''t throw them away. See if they''re mashed up or what. We''ll use them as bait, and we might catch more Spirit fish!" Elijah picked up the Spirit fish that Hannah had chilled and said to Sophia and Be.


    "Leave it to me!" Sophia patted her chest. "I know how to handle it!"


    She gave Elijah a reassuring look. She knew what Elijah was worried about, especially after witnessing the Spirit fish eating the female zombies.


    "Yeah, just do whatever with this fish. When it''s ready, give Yello a piece to taste first and see the effect!" Be was puzzled, but Sophia whispered something in her ear.


    After hearing Sophia''s words, Be couldn''t help but pray for Yello, who had be the guinea pig. She hoped it would be okay!


    With everything settled, the three women busied themselves, leaving Elijah with nothing to do.


    He sensed the locations of the women and found Grace, Charlotte, and Olivia were practicing martial arts together.


    Katherine was likely tending to the fruits and vegetables in the greenhouse.


    Deciding to check on their progress, Elijah headed towards the vi. As he passed Fiona''s vi, he suddenly heard some noiseing from inside.


    Curious, Elijah looked closer and saw someone inside.


    "Huh? Who''s in there?" Elijah wondered. As he approached, he realized it was the older sister Daisy brought back from the Daisymunity! Her name was Jasmine, right? Elijah remembered!


    She was the only person on the ind he hadn''t formed a contract with, which was why he hadn''t sensed her location.


    At this moment, Jasmine hadn''t noticed Elijah. She was bent over, cleaning the vi''s interior. From Elijah''s perspective, she looked like a full moon.


    "Hmm, I didn''t notice before, but this big sister has quite the figure!"

 Chapter 151: Mature and Beautiful

    Elijah stood outside the vi, looking Jasmine up and down through the ss.


    She was wearing a tight white T-shirt that stretched taut over her chest, especially as she bent forward, the effects of gravity giving her a bustparable to Lily''s.


    Below that, her yoga shorts outlined her full, moon-shaped hips and curvaceous legs.


    Unlike the slender, proportional figures of the other women, Jasmine gave off a voluptuous vibe, like a ripe fruit, as if a gentle squeeze would make her yield.


    However, she didn''t seem overweight; she exuded the unique charm of a mature woman.


    "That body must feel amazing to hold," Elijah murmured to himself. "How did I not notice before?"


    They say youth overlooks the allure of older women. Elijah indeed felt an urge to experience it himself.


    However, realizing he currently had no contract slots and that Jasmine was an ordinary person, he feared the risk of her transforming into a zombie during the experience wasn''t worth it.


    "Forget it, I''ll save it forter," Elijah thought, taking a final, deep look before quietly retreating.


    Shortly after he left, Jasmine noticed through a reflection that he had gone. She nced back and vaguely saw Elijah''s departing figure. "He can resist this?"


    Jasmine bit her lip lightly. Today, she had deliberately chosen tight-fitting clothes to showcase her figure perfectly.


    Especially her yoga pants, which revealed tantalizing sights when she bent over.


    She had learned this from watching videos online.


    Practicing yoga regrly, she often received rted short video rmendations, some of which featured women wearing such yoga shorts, drawing howls of approval in thements.


    She had intentionally made some noise when she saw Elijahing and struck a provocative pose to attract him. She believed that no man could remain indifferent upon seeing this. Elijah was indeed attracted, but Jasmine didn''t expect him to just walk away in the end.


    "I don''t believe this!" Jasmine thought, gritting her teeth.


    Elijah had no idea of Jasmine''s thoughts.


    Even if he did, he''d probably feel happy but also very sorry. Right now, he truly didn''t dare approach someone without a contract.


    But there was no rush; once he advanced to Tier 3, it wouldn''t be toote.


    The Crystal Grass had already reached five orifices today and would mature to seven orifices in just a couple of days.


    Elijah, in a cheerful mood, walked over to where the women were practicing body-strengthening techniques.


    As expected, Olivia and Grace were diligently training under Charlotte''s supervision.


    Although the ind was shaded and cooled by sea breezes, making it not too hot, the body-strengthening technique was extremely physically demanding.


    The three women were already drenched in sweat, their thin T-shirts clinging to them, entuating their figures provocatively.


    Paired with their exercise shorts and long, slender white legs, they might as well have been wearing swimsuits.


    Elijah feasted his eyes, especially on Olivia, who exuded a unique youthful freshness that no adult could replicate.


    "That''s enough for today; let''s end here. No need for a certain someone to keep taking advantage," Charlotte announced, ending the session after another set of exercises.


    Olivia immediately copsed on the ground, while Grace enthusiastically ran over to Elijah.


    "Elijah, watch out!" Graceunched a high kick straight at Elijah''s face.


    He blocked it easily but felt a shock as an electric current shot up his arm, numbing it.


    Grace followed with another kick. Elijah blocked it again.


    "Not bad," he raised an eyebrow. If it weren''t for his exceptional resistance to electricity due to imitating Grace''s ability, the initial shock would have caught him off guard.


    "Why aren''t you affected? Even Charlotte gets stunned!" Grace asked, puzzled, stopping her attacks.


    "I told you, your ability doesn''t work on him," Charlotte said with a faint smile from the side.


    "You helped her develop it?" Elijah realized.


    "Yes, Grace''s ability is perfect for closebat, whether in hand-to-hand fighting or short-range weaponry. While it might be less effective against zombies, it''s notpletely ineffective since zombie movements still rely on their nervous systems."


    "Indeed," Elijah nodded. "Today''s training was very effective. There''s been a significant increase in strength, and the abilities have been developed well," he praised.


    Olivia watched Grace with envy; she also wished she had the ability to protect herself. Unfortunately, her abilities were more supportive.


    Now, she could only work hard to increase her strength and learnbat and weapon skills.


    "Alright, let''s go back, freshen up, rest a bit, and get ready for dinner!"


    The four of them returned to the vi, and at the entrance, the three women each went to freshen up.


    At this time, Be, Sophia, and Hannah, along with Abigail and a few zombies, also returned to the vi entrance.


    "When did youe back? We were looking for you, and it was Abigail who told us you were back!" Be teased.


    "Abigail?" Elijah looked puzzled.


    "Is something wrong?"


    "It''s nothing. You go and cook. It''ll be dark soon!" Elijah dismissed the three women and turned to look at Abigail.


    By now, Abigail had changed out of her earlier cosy outfit of the female lead from the Nier Automata series. The outfit was dirty and had been taken by Daisy to be cleaned. Now, Abigail was dressed as Thor, the version that could pull a knife from his chest.


    Her chest was more exposed than in the previous outfit, and she wore over-the-knee socks that revealed a dazzling stretch of white thigh.


    Above that, she wore safety shorts, half-covered by two skirt panels, which at first nce made it seem like she wasn''t wearing anything underneath.


    Elijah scrutinized Abigail closely, and Abigail tilted her head to look at him.


    "Wh¡­what''s wrong, Master?"


    Elijah''s surprise deepened. Abigail was acting strangely today; not only was she speaking much more coherently, but she was also initiating conversation.


    "Did you¡­ tell Be and the others where I was?"


    "Yes¡­ Master!"


    "How did you know where I was?"


    "Abigail¡­ saw you!"


    Something was off, very off! Elijah grew increasingly suspicious. Suddenly, a thought shed through his mind.


    "Could it be¡­ Abigail has advanced to the second tier?"

 Chapter 152: Abigails Changes

    The thought sent a chill down Elijah''s spine. He quickly issued a series ofmands to Abigail in his mind.


    "Turn left four steps, turn right five steps, take two steps back, and then three steps forward!"


    Abigail followed eachmand precisely. When she finally stood before him, Elijah reached into her chest, and Abigail showed no signs of resistance.


    Could she not have advanced? Elijah pondered as he continued to touch her.


    Given the usual number of corpse cores I''ve fed her, she shouldn''t be at the point of advancing yet. The texture feels great! No, I haven''t sensed any signs of her advancing either!


    Reluctantly, Elijah withdrew his hand and switched to Abigail''s abilities, confirming she still had first-tier defensive capabilities. But why was she acting so differently now?


    "Abigail, have you remembered anything from the past?" Elijah decided to ask directly rather than specte.


    "I remember¡­ some things, like¡­" Abigail paused, searching for the right word. "Like¡­ a movie!"


    Elijah observed her carefully. Whether he touched her or asked her questions, Abigail''s expression remained unchanged¡ªstill nk like before, though her eyes were more vibrant and her speech more fluent.


    "Could it be¡­ due to memory restoration?" Elijah spected. He couldn''t determine if this was a good or bad thing, but he knew Daisy would be overjoyed if she found out.


    "As long as she''s still under control, it''s fine!" Elijah decided not to dwell on it further. He instructed the other female zombies to spread out and keep watch while he brought Abigail back into the vi.


    Elijah then went alone to the spirit nts cultivation room to observe the nts. Meanwhile, Abigail stood in the living room, ncing around subtly. Seeing no one paying attention to her, she muttered softly, "Abigail¡­ is hungry!"


    She reached under the red sash around her waist, rummaged a bit, and pulled out a corpse core, which she then popped into her mouth and chewed like it was a gummy candy. A look of satisfaction gleamed in her red eyes.


    "I like¡­ Daisy¡­ she has food!"


    By the time night had fully fallen, Fiona, Lily, and Daisy finally returned to the vi. Seeing them unharmed, Elijah breathed a sigh of relief. Gabriel, Emily, and Xavier also arrived, having been summoned by Elijah.


    Sophia had prepared the spirit fish, and Yello, drawn by the scent, came over. Elijah gave it a piece of meat, which Yello devoured eagerly. Still hungry, it circled around Elijah for more.


    Elijah teased Yello for a bit, noting no signs of it turning into a zombie. He then sent a message to Gabriel, informing him of the chance to awaken today, though it came with certain risks. Gabriel agreed without hesitation.


    When Fiona finished hauling thest load of supplies back, Gabriel eagerly followed her to the ind, leaving the truck unloaded.


    "Brother-inw, tell me¡­ how do I awaken?" Gabriel immediately approached Elijah upon seeing him.


    "Follow me," Elijah said, turning towards the spirit nts cultivation room.


    "Alright!" Gabriel happily followed, while Xavier, who was trailing behind, watched with envy, barely listening to his sister''s conversation.


    "Xavier, are you listening to me?" Sophia asked.


    "Huh? What did you say, sis?" Xavier snapped back to reality as Elijah and Gabriel disappeared behind a door.


    "I said you must behave and work hard," Sophia said impatiently. "What were you thinking about?"


    "I¡­" Xavier hesitated, ncing around to ensure no one was paying attention, then whispered, "Sis, could you ask brother-inw to let me awaken an ability too?"


    Xavier looked at Sophia anxiously. She was surprised that her brother had gotten sofortable calling Elijah "brother-inw" after just two days. However, considering she had already be Elijah''s, she didn''t argue.


    "You''ve only been here for two days. What''s the rush?" Sophia''s words deted Xavier, his face revealing his disappointment.


    Sophia, seeing her brother''s dejection, reassured him, "Don''t worry, Elijah will arrange for you to awaken. I believe it won''t take long."


    "Really?" Xavier''s face lit up with excitement.


    "Really!" Sophia confirmed.


    Inside the spirit nts cultivation room, Elijah led Gabriel to a pot of cooked sea fish.


    "I''ve already told you about the risks. There''s no need to awaken right now; you can wait a few days for another opportunity."


    "Brother-inw, I''ve thought it through. The sooner I awaken, the sooner I can strengthen myself. I want to give Emily a chance next time!"


    "You really care about Emily, huh?" Elijah teased.


    "Hehe, I can''tpare to you, brother-inw. I only have one woman, so I need to think about her more!"


    "Alright, I promise you, Emily will be next. Since you''ve made up your mind, eat this fish."


    "Got it!" Gabriel didn''t ask any questions, trusting Elijahpletely. He pulled up a chair and began eating the fish. It was surprisingly delicious, whetting his appetite. Soon, he had nearly finished the entire fish, though part of it had already been fed to the dog.


    At that moment, Gabriel suddenly froze. Through the Seed of Consciousness, Elijah noticed subtle changes within Gabriel''s body.


    It has begun! Elijah thought.


    Gabriel felt a warm current coursing through his body, filling him with strength. Eventually, the warmth settled into energy, circting through his body.


    "How do you feel? What ability did you awaken?" Elijah asked as Gabriel''s aura stabilized.


    "I feel full of strength, especially in my legs and waist!" Gabriel stood up, moving his limbs.


    "It''s too cramped here. Let''s go outside and test it," Gabriel suggested.


    "Alright!" Elijah agreed, already guessing what Gabriel''s ability might be.


    They exited the room, and everyone looked over.


    "Gabriel, did you awaken an ability?" Emily asked nervously.


    "Yes, and I''m about to test it outside!" Gabriel replied with a proud smile.


    "Then hurry up, we''re waiting to eat!" Fiona said calmly.


    "Okay, sis!" Gabriel lowered his posture involuntarily and quickly ran out of the vi. Everyone followed.


    Outside in the open space, Gabriel regained his confidence and addressed everyone, "Watch this!"


    He then assumed a running stance. In the next instant, heunched himself forward like an arrow, quickly disappearing into the night.


    "Wow! So fast!"


    "Is his ability speed?!"


    Everyone began discussing excitedly.


    Emily, Xavier, and Jasmine watched Gabriel disappear with envy.


    "Is it a physical ability? Speed... not bad!" Elijah mused. Gabriel''s description of feeling full of strength made him guess correctly. Only physical abilities, especially strength and speed, would show such obvious improvements.


    Elijah then switched to Gabriel''s ability. He was eager to see what passive enhancements it could bring him!

 Chapter 153: Strong men are always attractive

    Elijah switched to Gabriel''s ability and immediately felt the muscles and bones in his legs be incredibly strong.


    He even felt like he could kick down a tree.


    Additionally, his motor nerves were greatly enhanced, and his core strength slightly improved.


    As for other aspects, the changes were minimal.


    Gabriel felt his strength had increased significantly, but that was only because he was an ordinary person before.


    Elijah was different. His strength was already formidable.


    With the continuous use of Lily and the female zombie''s abilities, his strength had passively increased to an astonishing level, far surpassing the strength Gabriel gained from his ability.


    Therefore, Elijah didn''t notice much change in terms of strength.


    After experiencing Gabriel''s ability, Elijah switched back to Abigail''s ability.


    The formidable strength in his legs faded, but the enhanced muscles and bones did not fully revert.


    Instead, they began absorbing his Chi, growing slowly.


    "Gabriel''s passive abilities are leg reinforcement and motor nerve enhancement?" Elijah pondered, then nodded in satisfaction.


    Although his body had already been passively strengthened to an extremely powerful level by using various abilities, such as Lily''s passive strength enhancement, Abigail''s passive defense enhancement, and Daisy''s passive night vision ability, leaving him almost without any weaknesses, more strength was always beneficial.


    He had umted these passive enhancements little by little.


    Soon, Gabriel returned. He hadn''t dared to run too far, just circling the area. "How was it? Impressive, right?" heughed heartily, full of pride.


    "Impressive!" "Fantastic!" Emily and the others echoed.


    "Can we eat now? I''m starving!" Daisy murmured. "Yes, yes, we can eat!" Gabriel replied, satisfied with his demonstration.


    Everyone returned to the vi and gathered around the long dining table.


    Once everyone was seated, Elijah raised his ss and stood up. Everyone looked at him.


    "Now that everyone is here, I have a few words to say! Today, I''m very happy. I''m happy that Gabriel has sessfully awakened his ability. I''m also happy that almost everyone here has awakened! Why am I happy about this? Because in this cruel apocalypse, strength is the way!


    Only by having enough strength can we protect ourselves and our families! Only by having enough strength can we enjoy resources and life! Only by having enough strength can we be fearless of zombies and anyone else!"


    Now, I can proudly tell everyone:


    We are the strongest team in Neoville City! Without a doubt!


    This is the result of our continuous hard work! Cheers to our efforts!"


    "Cheers!"


    "Cheers!"


    Everyone raised their sses and drank heartily!


    After finishing his beer, Elijah poured himself another ss and continued:


    "So, if you''re harassed outside, fight back! If you''re bullied, fight back! If you''re attacked, fight back! We fear no one!"


    "Ah~ Elijah, I love you so much!" Katherine screamed like a fangirl.


    "Me too!" Lily shouted, her face flushed.


    "I love you too, umm... I love all of you!" Elijah coughed, regaining hisposure, and said, "Everything I just said is based on strength! Although most of us have awakened, we cannot let our guard down! Everyone needs to keep training hard and start advancing to the next level one by one, so we always stay ahead in terms of strength!"


    "Got it!"


    "Understood, Elijah!"


    "Don''t worry!"


    "I will train hard!"


    Everyone chimed in.


    "Alright, that''s enough talking, everyone must be hungry, let''s eat!" Elijah said, sitting down.


    "Yay!" Daisy started devouring her food without any hesitation.


    Xavier, sitting next to his sister at the dining table, looked at Elijah with admiration after hearing his words.


    He no longer had any resentment about his sister being one of Elijah''s many women.


    He only hoped that one day his brother-inw would remember him and help him awaken quickly!


    On the other side, Jasmine was secretly ncing at Elijah with dreamy eyes.


    Strong men are always attractive, even more so in the apocalypse!


    Besides, Elijah not only had great strength but also knew how to empower others!


    And from what he said earlier, he even knew how to continue getting stronger!


    This made her more determined to win Elijah over.


    Only Emily remained calm. Gabriel had just quietly told her that Elijah had promised her the next chance to awaken.


    Hmph, that''s the benefit of clinging to a big tree. Even a branch is part of the tree! It''s good to stay under a big tree!


    ...


    Elijah purposely sat between Daisy and Fiona today.


    He first told Daisy about Abigail''s situation.


    Daisy was overjoyed and didn''t even find her favorite food tasty anymore. She ran to Abigail and started whispering to her.


    Abigail still had a wooden expression, but she responded asionally, which made Daisy extremely happy.


    Especially when they talked about things they had gone through together in the past.


    Abigail used to be unresponsive, but now she could recall some details with Daisy. This almost made Daisy cry with joy!


    When Abigail said she was hungry, Daisy immediately took out a handful of corpse cores and stuffed them into a small pocket in Abigail''s belt.


    Elijah was unaware of this. When Daisy went to chat with Abigail, he turned around and started talking to Fiona. He asked about the people they encountered today.


    "Oh, you mean that group? Just a bunch of nobodies, not even a single awakened one!" Fiona said nonchntly.


    "Didn''t some of them escape? It''s better to be cautious!" Elijah reminded.


    "Do you know why we came back sote?" Fionaughed softly.


    "Could it be... Daisy used her invisibility ability at dusk to find their hideout?"


    "Exactly, she not only found their hideout but also lured a horde of zombies into it!" Elijah gave her a thumbs up!


    "Alright, let''s not talk about such mood-killing things!" Fiona''s face showed a hint of seduction. She grabbed Elijah''s hand and pulled it under her skirt. "I really liked your speech earlier. Tonight,e to my ce..."


    "This little vixen!"


    Elijah nced at Fiona, who was nonchntly chatting with Hannah. He raised the hand that had been pulled away again, rubbing his fingers together, feeling the slick and smooth sensation.


    "I''ll have to give you a good lessonter!"


    As if she heard Elijah''s thoughts, Fiona turned and gave him a look filled with seduction, as if saying, "Come on! I''m waiting for you!" This made Elijah feel an impulse to "teach" her a lesson right then and there!


    Unfortunately, he was the center of attention at the table, with everyone watching his every move. Fiona had caught him off guard earlier, discreetly grabbing his hand and making him touch her. Now, if he made any move, everyone would notice.


    This was all part of Fiona''s n! She loved teasing Elijah, making him itch with desire while being helpless to act. Naughty and yful!


    Elijah had no choice but to focus on his meal, deciding that once they were in bed, he would make sure she wouldn''t get off easily.


    Everyone was in high spirits today, and dinnersted longer than usual.


    As he was cleaning up, Elijah remembered the tes Gabriel had left in the spirit nt cultivation room.


    Just as he was about to take care of it, he noticed Yello already waiting at the door, sitting on the ground, wagging his tail.


    "You''ve got a keen nose!" Elijahughed, shaking his head. He went inside and ced Gabriel''s leftovers and bones in front of Yello. Yello immediately lowered his head and began eating.


    "Brother-inw, we''re heading back now!" Gabriel called out, leaving with Emily and Xavier, saying goodbye to Elijah.


    "Go ahead!" Elijah waved them off.


    Gabriel then took Emily and Xavier and boarded the tour bus they had arrived on, heading back to the riverside service area.

 Chapter 154: it was Fiona and Hannah

    On the way back, Xavier couldn''t resist his curiosity and asked Gabriel, "Gabriel, what does it feel like to awaken your abilities?" Seeing Emily also looking at him curiously, Gabriel pondered for a moment.


    "Well... It''s like suddenly having an extra pair of eyes, it feels abrupt but instinctively usable..."


    "Ah, I see... When will I awaken too?" Xavier asked, envious.


    "Why the rush? But I reckon it''ll be soon. Once Emily awakens, you''ll probably be next!" Gabriel replied. Emily''s face lit up with excitement.


    "Thanks for looking out for me, Gabriel!"


    "Don''t mention it, we''re family, and everything''s been arranged by brother-inw long ago!" Gabriel said with a proud expression.


    "Emily, now that I''ve awakened too, tonight you''ll see just how powerful I''ve be!" Emily''s eyes gleamed with a hint of seduction.


    "Alright, Gabriel!"


    As they talked, the tour bus returned to the riverside service area.


    By now, the service area was no longer dark, illuminated by several bright lights.


    Fiona had Grace bring electricity from part of the ind, originally supplied by municipal power via a line over the bridge to address potential power shortages on the ind.


    After deciding to store some supplies at the riverside service area, Fiona had Grace modify the circuit to reverse the flow of electricity from the ind.


    This was a temporary measure;ter, Fiona nned to install sr panels at the service area to ensure normal nighttime illumination.


    As the apocalypse continued, with more active survivors, Fiona nned to develop the service area into a trading hub for the ind.


    Then there would be a need to re-n the power supply and security facilities here!


    When unloading, Fiona outlined the future ns to Gabriel, who was excited about them.


    Fiona also mentioned the possibility of Gabriel managing the trading hub in the future. He had yet to awaken, so it was not certain.


    This was a major reason why Gabriel disregarded risks to awaken.


    Now that he had sessfully awakened, he believed he was well-positioned, thanks to his connections and abilities.


    It was no wonder he asionally wore a smug expression.


    The trio returned to the dormitory, and Gabriel, ignoring Xavier, hurried into his room with Emily. He couldn''t wait to demonstrate his newfound strength after awakening!


    Seeing this, Xavier abandoned any further attempts at conversation and returned to his own room.


    Before long, he could faintly hear Emily''s voice from outside.


    Their rooms weren''t particrly close, but in the quiet night, he could still make out her unrestrained voice, soft and seductive, which kept Xavier awake.


    He could asionally discern a few phrases.


    "Too fast!"


    "Slow down!"


    This fueled his imagination.


    "When will I awaken and find a beautiful woman with arge chest..."


    Mumbling to himself, Xavier eventually drifted off to sleep after Emily finally quieted down.


    Meanwhile, back on the ind, shortly after Gabriel and the others left, Elijah, still concerned about the Spirit Fish experiment, went alone to the hotel.


    Uncertain if the fish would eat the corpse core and what effect it might have, he scooped out one from the pool and ced it into a nearby container with seawater left by Hannah when they moved.


    Then, he took out a corpse core and tossed it in.


    The fish was startled and swam away, avoiding it.


    "Hmm? Not eating it?" Elijah waited a moment, disappointed to see no response from the fish to the corpse core.


    "No, wait, zombies aren''t actually attracted by corpse cores either, it''s only after they''ve identally eaten it or it''s put into their mouths that they''ll continually search for more!"


    This was also why mutated zombies liked attacking their own kind.


    The dumb zombies simply thought that eating their kind would make them stronger.


    And if a zombie discovered and ate a core, it would purposefully look for more cores.


    Elijah had heard of such a zombie in his previous life, which not only attacked its own kind, but also attacked human gathering ces and ransacked them for cores.


    Some guessed that this zombie might have reached the terror level of the fourth tier and ruled the central city area of ??Neoville City, making it the most feared presence in all gathering ces.


    "If so, then I''ll try to feed it?!"


    Elijah said, picking up the fish, hardening the corpse core into the fish''s mouth, and then putting it back in the basket


    The fish, no longer under Elijah''s control, immediately thrashed violently, sshing water everywhere. Fortunately, it didn''t spit out the corpse core!


    Elijah watched for a while longer, but the fish showed no obvious changes.


    "Does it need time to digest?"


    Typically, regr zombies require five corpse cores over two to three days to awaken, so it was reasonable that fish might take longer than zombies.


    Realizing this, Elijah decided not to continue observing and would check again tomorrow. He left the hotel, preparing to return to the vi.


    He hadn''t forgotten Fiona''s teasing earlier. Tonight, he was determined to show her who''s boss!


    Elijah entered Fiona''s room with familiarity. Fiona, draped in a silk camisole nightgown, loungedzily against the headboard, engrossed in her phone. Upon seeing Elijah, she chuckled softly, "Oh, if you hade a bit earlier, you could have intercepted Hannah. What a shame!"


    Elijah felt a rush in his heart, recalling the wonderful night with Grace and Katherine. If only he could have Fiona and Hannah together...


    "Ah..." He muttered, this mischievous girl! Just a few words stirred his desire.


    Without a word, Elijah pounced on her.


    "You''re quite naughty today. I must discipline you properly!" Elijah dered, reaching out his hand.


    "Hmm?" Fiona, to his surprise, wore nothing under her camisole nightgown!


    She was ready to wee him long before he arrived.


    At that moment, Fiona wrapped her arms around his neck, her breath sweet and inviting.


    "Enjoyed yourself with Katherine and Grace yesterday, didn''t you? How about today with me and Hannah?" she teased.


    Unable to resist any longer, Elijah replied, "I''ll conquer you first, you little enchantress!"


    ...


    The 16th day after doomsday!


    In the early morning, Elijah awoke from deep slumber! Today, simr to yesterday morning, he found himself nked by two ravishing beauties. Only today, it was Fiona and Hannah.


    Last night, Elijah had swiftly subdued Fiona, the novice, who soon apologized and surrendered.


    Yet, being both inexperienced and yful, once she regained her spirits, she goaded Elijah into ying with Hannah as well.


    She whispered to him that she had spoken to Hannah, arranging for him to visit her in the evening and not to lock the door.


    Ultimately persuaded, Elijah carried Fiona and, bouncing along the way, arrived at Hannah''s room. Hannah was already asleep, but the two woke her up with their antics!


    To Elijah''s surprise, Fiona was even more enthusiastic than he was, enjoying teasing Hannah. She even mentioned she had wanted to y this game for a while!


    With the two of them teaming up, Hannah was caught off guard and retreated step by step, utterly defeated... to Fiona''s astonishment! She never expected Hannah to be like this!


    ...

 Chapter 155: an out-yang spirit

    Elijah reminisced for a moment, but in the next second, he suddenly recalled another incident fromst night!


    While he and Hannah Fiona were having a good time ying, his Seed of Consciousness faintly sensed a reaction indicating someone''s advancement.


    Lost in yfulness at the time, he didn''t pay much attention, dismissing it as a misconception.


    Now clear-headed, he immediately sensed something amiss.


    "I think I''m right. Could it be Charlotte?"


    Charlotte had mentioned possibly advancing these days, and if she had, it would validate that the Hun Yuan Technique could rece spirit nts...


    Elijah pondered silently! Thinking more wouldn''t help. Better to test her abilities by switching.


    Elijah acted swiftly, switching to Charlotte''s introspective ability!


    Instantly, he felt the difference in powerpared to before. His mental strength was enhanced, allowing him almost perfect observation and control of his own body, reaching a level of meticulousness.


    Moreover, he felt his consciousness no longer confined within his body, but able to extend outward. Just as he thought this, his consciousness broke free from bodily constraints, ascending continuously.


    Soon, his spirit, his consciousness, floated above him like a wisp of feather.


    "Could this be the legendary out-of-body experience?"


    Elijah stared in astonishment at his lying form below, along with Hannah and Fiona!


    "Or perhaps... an out-yang spirit?"


    Elijah struggled to find words to describe it! Nowpletely detached from his body, his consciousness floated weakly like a faint candle me in the air. He felt it could disperse at any moment.


    Elijah didn''t dare linger, quickly re-entering his body.


    Opening his eyes, Elijah moved his hands over Hannah and Fiona''s chests and backs, feeling just as he always had¡ªnormal sensation.


    Veryforting!


    This eased his mind.


    "Charlotte has truly advanced to the Second Stage!"


    Elijah was genuinely happy; this meant that beyond the Third Stage, even without the help of spirit nts, he could advance to the Fourth, Fifth Stages... just a matter of time!


    The path ahead was clear!


    Elijah eagerly studied Charlotte''s Second Stage abilities for a while, discovering he could project his spirit externally like Fiona''s telekinesis, observing everything around.


    This observation was different from Olivia''s and Sophia''s perceptions, which were like fixed programs limited to specific content.


    Want to observe something else? Sorry, not possible!


    Although Charlotte''s out-of-body range was extremely short, about half a meter around her, she could perceive everything within that range.


    Even Chi, which was previously difficult to sense, now became crystal clear.


    Combined with subtle control over her body, Elijah couldn''t help but think of a saying: "Not a single feather added, not a single insect missed."


    If he wanted to, he could truly achieve that now.


    Elijah felt like he had a new toy, constantly experimenting with Charlotte''s spiritual projection to perceive his surroundings. During this, inevitably, his attention focused on the two women.


    Just as his spiritnded on Fiona, she suddenly opened her eyes.


    Simultaneously, Elijah felt a heavy blow to his consciousness, making his head spin and his spirit involuntarily retreat into his body.


    "What was that hitting me just now?"


    Fiona sat up, unconcerned about her state of undress, scanning the surroundings with sharp eyes.


    It took Elijah a while to recover.


    "Did you just use telekinesis to punch me?"


    "Yeah, how did you know?"


    Fiona was surprised but quickly connected the dots.


    "It was you?"


    "Exactly. You nearly knocked me out!"


    "Knocked out? That was your spiritual consciousness just now?"


    In her normal sharp-witted manner, Fiona quickly figured it out.


    "No, wait. You didn''t have this kind of ability before... Olivia? Sophia? It doesn''t seem like them. Your spirit just felt like it was trying to thoroughly examine someone!"


    "No need to examine me thoroughly now, right? Isn''t it already clear?"


    Elijah nced at Fiona''s graceful upper body.


    "Just a figure of speech!"


    Understanding Elijah''s look, Fiona exined with a roll of her eyes.


    "Oh, don''t bother guessing. It''s Charlotte''s Second Stage ability. Her spirit can project and perceive while detached!"


    "Charlotte advanced to the Second Stage?!"


    Fiona''s face lit up.


    "So, the Hun Yuan Technique really works! No wonder she ran her hands all over me..."


    As Fiona continued, there was a hint of resentment in her voice.


    "No, I have to focus on mastering the Hun Yuan Technique and advance to the Second Stage sooner!"


    Fiona jumped out of bed, barefoot and undressed, heading to the wardrobe.


    "Hannah, lend me some clothes!"


    Without waiting for Hannah''s approval, she began picking through the clothes.


    Elijah stared at Fiona''s smooth and beautiful curves for a moment, then nced down at Hannah lying there.


    He noticed her eyelids twitching, clearly pretending to sleep!


    And Fiona had already seen through it!


    Fiona quickly threw on a piece of clothing and returned to the bedside.


    "Oh dear, it''s not early anymore, time to get up!" Hannah remained still, pretending to sleep.


    "Hannah, what''s there to be shy about? You were like that yesterday, and both of us enjoyed it very much. No one''s mocking you!"


    Hearing Fiona''s words, Hannah remembered how she had almost lost her soul from the duo''s anticsst night, a blush creeping onto her face.


    She dared not get up.


    "If you keep pretending, the three of us won''t have breakfast together, just like Grace and Katherine yesterday, isn''t that a shame?"


    "You... you two go out first!"


    Hannah finally spoke up! Fiona grabbed a corner of the summer nket, a mischievous grin on her face, and then pulled it hard!


    "If you don''t get up, I''ll help you!"


    "Ah!"


    Hannah covered her face, letting her smooth and fair body fall into the gaze of the two.


    It perfectly illustrated the phrase ''to pretend ignorance while knowing the truth.'' Fiona couldn''t resist teasing her, much to Elijah''s delight.


    If it weren''t for the fact that it was really not early anymore, it might have turned into a scene likest night.


    The three clumsily dressed themselves, with Hannah returning to her cool demeanor and Fiona adopting a smart and capable look. Together, they headed towards Elijah''s vi.


    "Fiona, Hannah, good morning, Elijah!" As they entered the vi, Lily came out of her room cheerfully greeting them.


    "Good morning, Lily!" Fiona smiled back. Hannah pulled Lily directly into the kitchen.


    Fionazily sat on the sofa, nudging Elijah with her chin, pointing towards Lily''s silhouette.


    "Isn''t she the only one in this vi you haven''t conquered yet?"


    Elijah: ...


    How do you know everything?


    As if sensing what Elijah was thinking, Fionazily said, "Just look at her eyes, you can tell. Lily can''t hide her admiration! I also heard about your knight in shining armor act. Although it''s a bit clich¨¦, it really works! When are you going to win her over?"


    "Why are you asking this?"


    Elijah nced at her, feeling like she was up to no good again!


    "I just want to try some face wash!"


    ...


    Elijah couldn''t help feeling that Fiona seemed to have developed an unspeakable hobby.


    She won''t bepeting with me for people in the future, will she?


    Just as the two were talking nonsense, Charlotte came down from the second floor.


    Fiona immediately straightened up!


    "Huh? Coming to exercise so punctually, did the sun rise in the west?"


    Charlotte nced outside, surprised.


    Fiona was speechless for a moment!


    "I heard you advanced to the Second Stage, so I came to congratte you!"


    Charlotte nced at Elijah.


    She hadn''t told anyone she had advanced to the Second Stage, so Elijah must have found out through his mimicking ability and told Fiona.


    They must have been togetherst night!


    "After advancing to the Second Stage, I feel my constitution has been greatly strengthened. How about we spar a bit?"


    Charlotte looked expressionless at Elijah.


    "Um... it''s not appropriate to spar vigorously so early in the morning. You two chat, I''ll go see if Daisy''s awake!"


    Elijah finished speaking and didn''t wait for their response, quickly running upstairs.


    "Why would we spar in broad daylight in front of everyone? It''s more appropriate to spar at night!"


    Elijah muttered to himself, pushing open Daisy''s door.


    "Oh, Elijah, why are youing in? Out, out!"


    Elijah was pushed out of the room just as he entered, puzzled. He nced inside again and saw Daisy was changing Abigail''s clothes.


    "I''ve seen it before!"


    Elijah muttered under his breath and was finally pushed out of the room, the door firmly closed behind him.


    "Did Abigail just smile earlier?"


    As he was being pushed out, Abigail heard themotion and nced at him.


    Elijah vaguely felt that Abigail had smiled.


    Thinking of Abigail, Elijah subconsciously switched to her ability.


    His skin immediately took on a metallic sheen!


    "This is..."


    Elijah was shocked!


    Copper skin?


    A defensive Second Stage abilityparable to metal defense?


    Has Abigail advanced?

 Chapter 156: Today is really a double delight

    Elijah took a sharp intake of breath, filled not with surprise, but with shock!


    "I wondered yesterday how she became so agile, her speech improved, and her memory partially restored! These are signs of her advancing! But when I switched abilitiesst evening, I hadn''t advanced. So it must have beenst night when she advanced? But why didn''t I sense it? No...


    I did sense something! The sensation of advancementst night could have been either Charlotte''s or Abigail''s. I acted hastily! No, now is not the time to think about this!"


    Elijah paced anxiously at the door.


    "Abigail advancing to the Second Stage, on par with me, means she can break free from my control at any time. Yes... but Abigail didn''t break free! Instead, she stayed quiet and even cooperated with Daisy to change clothes?"


    Elijah calmed down.


    "Maybe... things aren''t as bad as they seem! But nheless, a wise man does not stand under a crumbling wall! The urgent matter is to advance to the Third Stage and regain control!"


    "Squeak!" At that moment, the door finally opened!


    Daisy pouted at Elijah. "Elijah, did somethinge up early this morning?"


    Originally, nothing... but now there really was something! However, he couldn''t tell Daisy directly.


    "I came to see how you and Abigail rested yesterday!"


    Elijah could only blurt out nonsense.


    At that moment, Abigail walked over. Today, Daisy had dressed her again in the Neil mechanical heroine outfit. The ck leather suit looked both dazzling and pleasing.


    "Master, good morning!"


    Abigail smiled faintly at Elijah!


    Abigail''s smile was still slightly stiff, unnatural, but the transformation from poker face to smile was shocking.


    Only now did Elijah feel like he was facing a living person.


    "Good, good!"


    Elijah replied dumbly, but he felt a little uneasy inside.


    This is a ticking time bomb!


    "Hehe, Elijah, you''re stunned too, right? I was shocked to see Abigail smile today!" Daisy eximed happily.


    "And she insisted on wearing this outfit, saying it''s Master''s favorite!"


    Daisy pursed her lips.


    "How many times have I told her not to call me Master?"


    "Hehe..."


    Elijah awkwardly chuckled.


    "Anyway, everything is progressing in the right direction!"


    Elijah tried to change the subject.


    "Are you both ready? Let''s go downstairs. Your sister Charlotte has advanced to the Second Stage. Let''s go congratte her!"


    "Really?"


    Daisy looked pleasantly surprised.


    "Today is really a double delight. Let''s hurry downstairs!"


    After saying that, Daisy grabbed Abigail and ran downstairs. Elijah followed behind.


    Downstairs, Daisy immediately hugged Charlotte affectionately, chattering away about her advancement.


    Meanwhile, Elijah walked outside the vi with Abigail silently trailing behind him.


    Finding a secluded corner, Elijah suddenly stopped and turned to look at Abigail.


    Elijah addressed Abigail cautiously, "You... advanced?"


    "Yes, Master!" Abigail replied.


    With that, an eerie silence fell between them once more.


    Elijah''s silence stemmed from realizing that he had beenmanding Abigail all along, and she had obediently followed his instructions without resistance.


    As for Abigail''s silence... well, she had always been that way!


    "Why didn''t you break free from my control?" Elijah hesitated for a moment, then decided to be open about it. After all, Abigail''s recent behavior was bing less like a zombie and more human-like.


    "Break free?" Abigail tilted her head. "Why should I break free? Why not... I''m used to Master! I like Daisy! And there''s food!"


    Abigail pulled out a corpse core from her small pocket and stuffed it into her mouth, her face involuntarily breaking into a satisfied smile.


    Well... that actually makes sense. I''m speechless!


    Elijah began to understand why Abigail had suddenly advanced. It must have been because Daisy had been secretly giving her many corpse cores. Abigail treated them like candy! With free lunch avable, who wouldn''t prefer that over going out to fight?


    Thinking about this, Elijah felt a lot more relieved and his worries lightened somewhat.


    But regardless, he needed to advance to the Third Stage as soon as possible!


    Elijah led Abigail back to the vi.


    Breakfast was already prepared, and everyone congratted Charlotte once again.


    After breakfast, everyone dispersed to do their own tasks.


    Sophia asked Elijah if they were still going out to sea today.


    Elijah thought for a moment and declined.


    So, Hannah and Sophia went fishing at sea!


    Fiona, Lily, and Daisy continued their work of transporting supplies to the mall. ording to Fiona''s estimate, they would finish today.


    There was no need to bring everything back!


    Elijah trusted Fionapletely in organizing this.


    Olivia and the others had nned to practice Body Forging Techniques with Charlotte.


    Elijah called Be and Katherine over.


    "Did you call us for something specific?" Katherine asked curiously.


    "Yes, your task today is the most important!"


    Elijah led them to the Spirit nts Cultivation Room.


    "First, Be, it''s time for you to advance to the Second Stage!"


    "Me?" Be looked pleasantly surprised.


    "Yes, this zombie grass we obtained from Quentin is almost matured!"


    "So, Elijah wants me to speed up its growth?" Katherine realized.


    "That''s right, and not just this zombie grass!"


    Elijah also brought out the Crystal Grass.


    The delicate and lush Crystal Grass resembled a decorative ball, with six obvious pores on it.


    "Today, the two of you will work together to see if we can mature this Crystal Grass into seven-pored!"


    Abigail''s sudden change had prompted Elijah to act urgently, using unconventional methods.


    "Alright, I''ll do my best!" Katherine was eager to try.


    "I believe in you. First, speed up the growth of this zombie grass!" Elijah handed it to her.


    Katherine took it and activated her ability, her energy flowing out like water.


    Stimted by this, the zombie grass firmly grasped the corpse core buried in the pot, rapidly absorbing it.


    The fluorescence around the zombie grass''s leaves became much brighter, and thest leaf quickly grew, fully opening soon after.


    "Done!"


    Feeling that no further growth was possible, Katherine stopped.


    "Alright, Be, you''re up next!"


    Elijah then took scissors and cut the zombie grass near the soil.


    Be immediately ced her hands on it, activating her healing ability to the fullest.


    The remaining roots of the zombie grass immediately burst with vitality, and a small, struggling leaf emerged, stretching and dancing in the air.


    "That''s enough!"


    Elijah stopped Be.


    Katherine looked surprised at the scene. She suddenly understood why their zombie grass had never run out.


    So that''s how it was!


    "Be''s improvement is crucial for our team. Katherine, don''t tell anyone about this!" Elijah instructed.


    "Don''t worry, Elijah, I won''t tell anyone except Fiona!" Katherine assured.


    "Well... Fiona knows. Don''t tell anyone else!" Elijah added.


    "Okay!" Katherine was not surprised at all.


    In fact, she would have been surprised if Fiona didn''t know!


    "Alright, let''s prepare some food next..."


    The three of them entered the kitchen. There were leftovers from breakfast, so they didn''t need to prepare much.

 Chapter 157: A look of ecstatic joy appeared on his face

    When everything was ready, Be immediately swallowed the zombie grass.


    It tasted familiar.


    Like bitter melon juice mixed with a hint of mint.


    Be was impressed, but she didn''t frown; she swallowed it in big gulps.


    Soon, she felt energy ¡ª no, Chi, to be precise ¡ª surging and flowing through her body.


    Her body also began to feel hungry.


    Be immediately started eating the food that had long been prepared.


    After a while, the Chi inside her finally stabilized.


    Be felt that every aspect of her body had slightly improved, and most importantly, she sensed a significant leap in her abilities.


    "How do you feel?" Elijah asked.


    "Much stronger. I feel like I could heal two or three zombie grasses in one go now!"


    This was indeed a huge breakthrough!


    Initially, healing one zombie grass would leave Be pale and exhausted.


    After some training, she could now heal one without strain.


    But to heal a second one, she still needed to fully recover first!


    "Is this the only enhancement?" Elijah asked, unwilling to ept just that.


    "Besides the enhancement of my original abilities, there should be new changes in my second-tier abilities too!" This was a conclusion drawn by him after considering his and Charlotte''s experiences.


    "Well... I have a hunch that my body might be capable of some degree of rapid regeneration... but it needs testing!"


    "You better not test it now. Let me do itter when I have the opportunity!" Elijah intervened.


    "Turning from healing others to focusing on myself, it''s the opposite of Charlotte, but it''s also a change and improvement!"


    Once Be''s abilities were rified, the three of them took a short rest. Elijah also took some time to adapt to Be''s abilities.


    After advancing to the second tier, he found that both Charlotte and Be not only had more Chi but also expanded their operational routes.


    This was probably the mystery of ability changes!


    Once everyone had rested, the three returned to the Spirit nts Cultivation Room.


    "This time, Katherine, you go first with ripening. Stop if you can''t continue, and I''ll take over!"


    Zombie grass probably required half of their energy to ripen once, but Crystal Grass and zombie grass were notparable in scale, and Elijah worried that Katherine alone couldn''t handle it!


    "Okay!" Katherine nodded solemnly and then ced her hands on the Crystal Grass.


    As she activated her ability, the numerous tiny leaves of the Crystal Grass seemed toe alive, gently swaying. The fluorescence around it grew denser.


    The seventh aperture of the Crystal Grass slowly opened up.


    As time passed, Katherine''s face began to pale, and her body started to sway. Be hurriedly supported her, and Elijah took over to continue the ripening.


    Until a certain moment, the seventh aperture of the Crystal Grass stabilizedpletely.


    A feeling of sess blossomed in Elijah''s heart.


    "We did it!"


    "Is it done?" Katherine sat aside, watching Elijah stop, concerned.


    "Done!" Elijah gave her a reassuring look.


    Katherine immediately breathed a sigh of relief.


    "Should we harvest the Crystal Grass now?" Be asked.


    "No, let''s rest a bit more. I need to recover!" Elijah replied.


    In truth, Elijah hadn''t expended too much Chi; after all, as a second-tier ability user, he had much more Chi in totalpared to Katherine.


    However, he decided to restore himself to optimal condition as a precaution.


    Each of them ate something, and Elijah meditated, using the Hun Yuan Technique to absorb the free Chi in the air. After more than half an hour, he felt fully restored.


    "Let''s begin now!" Elijah stood up.


    Be looked solemnly at the Crystal Grass, indicating she was ready and waiting for Elijah to start.


    Without hesitation, Elijah took out scissors and cut the stem of the Crystal Grass near the potting soil.


    Be immediately approached, vitality flowing from her hands into the roots of the Crystal Grass.


    The withering roots, on the verge of decay, immediately began to regenerate, clinging desperately to the soil to absorb the corpse core buried within.


    The corpse core rapidly shrank, transferring arge amount of energy into the remaining stem of the Crystal Grass.


    After some time, a tender shoot struggled to emerge from the soil.


    By this time, Be was sweating profusely and almost couldn''t hold on.


    Elijah quickly switched abilities, taking over from her. Katherine helped Be to the side.


    Elijah felt the Chi circting through his meridians, transforming into vigorous vitality and transferring it into the Crystal Grass.


    The grass sprouted one leaf, then two, then three... Several green leaves waved gently on its tiny branches.


    Feeling satisfied with the progress, Elijah stopped.


    "Crystal Grass looks in good condition now, should be fine!" Elijah exined.


    Both women visibly rxed.


    Elijah was also very excited. This meant that in the future, their team could mass enhance third-tier individuals.


    However, he was quickly drawn to the Crystal Grass that had been cut on the table.


    "Next... I''ll try advancing to the third tier!" Elijah murmured to himself.


    He carefully observed the Crystal Grass and noticed it hadn''t wilted despite being severed from its roots; instead, it seemed even more crystalline and translucent.


    Adjusting his breath, Elijah picked up the Crystal Grass and ate it directly.


    "Boom!"


    Simr to sulent leaves, the Crystal Grass exploded in his mouth, bursting with delicious juices that filled his mouth and were swiftly swallowed.


    It tasted like milky jelly, far tastier than zombie grass!


    A thought shed through Elijah''s mind, followed by a surge of warmth entering his stomach, spreading throughout his body.


    Immediately, he involuntarily released Be''s ability mimicry and reverted to his own ability.


    Arge amount of Chi began to circte within him, expanding along its usual pathways and forging new territories.


    His Chi gradually condensed and solidified, until at one moment, the gaseous Chi transformed into tiny droplets of liquid, which gathered slowly, forming a torrent of liquid energy akin to rushing rivers.


    The previously ufortable meridians instantly cleared, and his entire body felt unprecedentedlyfortable.


    At this point, the massive Chi brought by eating the Crystal Grass and his own Chi had disappeared, reced by a tenth of its original liquid energy, surging through his meridians.


    This was a qualitative change!


    Elijah felt himself bing incredibly powerful, every aspect of his body once again enhanced, even his mind felt refreshingly clear, unlike ever before.


    The whole world seemed different!


    "No wonder third-tier adepts canmand a region!" Elijah clenched his fists.


    "The third tier is a qualitative leap, iparable to the second tier!"


    Elijah felt he could now easily surpass five or six versions of himself at the second tier, of course, under simr circumstances of using the same ability.


    His mimicry ability varied greatly depending on the situation and the ability he applied.


    Thinking of mimicry, Elijah''s heart stirred. He carefully sensed the Seed of Consciousness, countless pieces of information converging deep within him.


    A look of ecstatic joy appeared on his face.


    "Elijah, did you seed in advancing?" Be, who had been observing him, spoke up, and Katherine also looked over.


    In fact, they could tell from Elijah''s expression, but they still wanted to hear him say it.


    "I did it!" Elijah stepped forward, hugging both of them, kissing each on the cheek.


    "I owe this sess to both of you. Without you, I couldn''t have advanced so quickly!" Katherine blushed in Elijah''s arms and nced shyly at Be, who didn''t seem to mind, putting Katherine at ease.


    "Elijah, what changes have urred in your abilities?" Katherine asked.


    "Changes? They''re immense!" Elijah''s excitement was palpable as he spoke about it.

 Chapter 158: Secondary Permissions

    The essence of his abilities relies entirely on the seeding and interaction of the Seed of Consciousness, resulting in capabilities in suggestion control, information gathering, and ability mimicry.


    Upon advancing to the third tier, first and foremost, the number of his Seed of Consciousness skyrocketed from 20 to 50.


    This means he can now contract with up to 50 individuals.


    Excluding the current 20 spots already filled, he can still contract with an additional 30 people, whether humans, zombies, or other animals.


    These slots are crucial for their future endeavors.


    In the future, he can mix his Seed of Consciousness into awakening potions for sale, allowing those who ingest the potion to be influenced and controlled by him!


    Yes, controlled!


    After reaching the third tier, he is not only capable of suggesting humans but can also exert a certain level of control over them.


    The extent of this control depends on the person''s trust in him, the task at hand, and their own mental strength.


    It''s not a one-size-fits-all situation, but any degree of control represents progress; starting with suggestions and then proceeding gradually.


    In any case, as long as their awakening potion business takes off, the gathering ces in the nearby areas will subtly fall under their control.


    Furthermore, the range of his Seed of Consciousness control has greatly expanded.


    Originally, he could only control contract zombies within a 5-kilometer radius, beyond which he couldn''t effectively constrain them.


    Now, he can clearly perceive and link with Fiona and others even as far as the mall, and this isn''t his limit yet.


    At least 20 kilometers!


    Elijah had a rough estimate in his mind.


    Additionally, the maximum range he can borrow with his mimicry ability has increased from 2 kilometers to 5 kilometers.


    But that''s not the most important change!


    His mimicry ability has also evolved at the third tier. He can now permanently solidify an ability within his body, no longer constrained by distance!


    This means he will be a true multi-ability user!


    The only downside of solidification ability is that once solidified, the ability can no longer be improved.


    This means that if he decides to solidify Be''s healing ability, even if Be advances to the third stageter on, his healing ability will remain at the second stage and won''t advance further.


    Of course, imitation is an exception¡ªhe can still imitate Be''s third-stage healing ability.


    So, if he decides to solidify, he must choose from the second-stage abilities avable. Currently, the second-stage abilities are Charlotte''s psychic power and Be''s healing power. Without hesitation, Elijah has already decided to solidify Be''s healing power.


    The key lies in Be''s ability to ensure the cyclical cultivation of spirit nts. This ability is crucial, and he wants to be prepared in case of emergencies.


    Furthermore, this ability can heal injuries, giving him the ability to regenerate quickly.


    Apart from these changes, his ability has also greatly improved in terms of information exchange.


    Previously, he could only asionally receive some images seen by the zombies under his control.


    Now, whenever he wishes, he can continuously receive information, almost like watching surveince footage.


    Regarding sending information, originally he could only send simplemands.


    Now, the Seed of Consciousness within the contracted beings can eptplex information.


    This allows Elijah to realize a previous idea he had: secondary control permissions!


    For instance, he can imnt Sophia''s information into Whitey''s Seed of Consciousness, enabling it to obey not only hismands but also Sophia''s.


    This way, he doesn''t need to worry about animals or zombies on the ind going out of control if he moves away from them.


    He will bepletely liberated and no longer confined to one ce.


    Moreover, he can now proceed with revenge against Matthew, his archenemy from a previous life, with a clear path forward!


    Elijah roughly exined the changes in his abilities, holding back on the aspect of controlling humans.


    Currently, he has only disclosed this to Fiona. Be and Katherine, upon hearing this, felt both envious and proud.


    Elijah bing stronger meant they would have more confidence and a more stable life in the apocalypse.


    And someday, they too could be so powerful!


    After chatting for a while longer, the excitement faded, and mental fatigue began to set in.


    Using abilities excessively still had its side effects. Elijah advised the two of them to rest and recuperate their energy.


    He carefully ced the two new spirit nts and once again buried several corpse cores in the basin.


    He was out of second-stage corpse cores now and could only bury first-stage ones under the Crystal Grass.


    They would grow slower, but it didn''t matter since he had advanced.


    The next step was to slowly elevate everyone on the ind to the second stage. There wasn''t an urgent need for Crystal Grass at the moment.


    With everything settled, Elijah left the vi. Abigail was waiting outside as he had intentionally arranged.


    During his advancement period, Abigail had remained obedient and calm, which eased Elijah''s worries.


    "Master, you''ve be stronger again!" Abigail greeted him, speaking up voluntarily. This was unusual; usually, Abigail silently followed behind him.


    "One day, Abigail, you will be as powerful as I am!" Elijah replied warmly.


    "Eat, this, cannot!" Abigail presented a first-stage corpse core.


    "It can only fill, the stomach!"


    Elijah''s mind raced. Did zombies need second-stage corpse cores to advance to the third stage?


    While it might be challenging for others to gather second-stage corpse cores, it was a breeze for Elijah.


    He could easily cultivate second-stage zombies himself and collect their cores.


    But doing so seemed wasteful and unnecessary, especially since Abigail might identally advance if not careful.


    However, the thought of cultivating second-stage zombies prompted Elijah to gather the four female zombies scattered around the vi. Each zombie was fed five corpse cores to see if they could advance to the second stage.


    Elijah wasn''t sure how many corpse cores Abigail needed to advance to the second stage.


    Watching her consume corpse cores was like watching someone eat candy¡ªDaisy had given her so many, he had lost count.


    He would have to proceed step by step.


    It seemed that zombies advanced to the second stage much faster than humans did.


    "Oh, Abigail, would you like a few underlings?" Elijah wanted to test his secondary control permission idea.


    "Listen to the master!"


    "Well, in that case, let''s give it a try!"


    After Elijah finished, he imnted information about Abigail into the four female zombies and ordered them to obey Abigail''smands as well.


    The four female zombies stared at Abigail with their blood-red eyes, all at once.


    If it were an ordinary person, they would definitely be scared. But Abigail waspletely unaware, looking more eager than ever.


    Soon after, Elijah finished insertingmands and let Abigail try to control them.


    "Um... spin!"


    Abigail ordered.

 Chapter 159: Elijah couldnt take his eyes off her

    Four female zombies immediately began to spin in circles.


    "Wow, it really works!" Abigail eximed happily. "Jumping..."


    Abigail was thoroughly enjoying herself! Elijah was also pleased; this meant his idea was feasible.


    In the future, when they went out, he wouldn''t need to be distracted anymore; he could leave all the other zombies to Abigail''s control.


    "You''re familiar with how to control them, I''ll go do something!" Elijah suddenly remembered that he had overlooked one person, the only one on the ind who hadn''t made a contract yet¡ªJasmine!


    It was time to resolve this potential problem.


    "Oh, master, go ahead!" Abigail waved her hand dismissively, continuing to manipte the female zombies.


    Seeing this, Elijah walked alone towards the hotel. Today, Jasmine had been assigned to the monitoring room.


    It was a good opportunity for Elijah to check if yesterday''s experiment with feeding the fish corpse core had been effective.


    Once inside the hotel, he walked straight to the fish pond and examined the container holding the experimental fish.


    He noticed that the fish which had been fed the corpse core yesterday was barely alive, close to death.


    "Hmm? How could this be? Could it be oxygen deficiency?" Elijah picked up the fish and peered into its mouth, finding the corpse core still stuck deep inside.


    "It hasn''t been digested..." Elijah used his hands to extract the corpse core and found it still hard in texture. "The zombies turn corpse cores into something soft like candy when they eat them.


    Humans should be the same, so why not fish?"


    Elijah pondered over this perplexing question. He used his healing ability on the fish and then returned it to the pond.


    The fish floated listlessly for a while, but gradually began to move and swim slowly.


    "It looks like it won''t die immediately!" Elijah remarked. "This healing ability is really useful!"


    At the same time, he knew his experiment with the "Spirit fish" might be a failure. He could try again with awakened zombie flesh, but he had no idea how the Spirit fish bred this way would affect people.


    Besides, he wouldn''t eat it himself, nor would he let his women eat it, so he wasn''t inclined to experiment further.


    Elijah cleaned the corpse core and put it away, then turned to head towards the monitoring room. As he reached the door, just as he was about to open it, it suddenly swung open from the inside. Jasmine was looking down and seemed not to notice him, walking straight into his embrace.


    Elijah felt as though he had been hit by a flesh bomb, but he stood firm while Jasmine, propelled by her own sticity, bounced back.


    "Oops!" Jasmine eximed, on the verge of falling backward.


    Elijah quickly reached out and caught her, and Jasmine clung to him tightly, like clutching a lifeline.


    Elijah found himself holding what felt like a plush, squishy doll with ample sticity¡ªveryfortable. At the same time, a mature and appealing fragrance of a woman wafted into his nose.


    "Are you alright?" Elijah regained hisposure and let go of Jasmine.


    "I-I''m fine!" Jasmine stepped back.


    "Why were you rushing out like that? Did something happen?" Elijah asked.


    "N-nothing, just identally spilled water on myself while drinking, wanted to change clothes in the nearby conference room!" Jasmine replied anxiously.


    Only then did Elijah notice therge wet stain on the round-neck T-shirt she wore, which was already fitted and semi-transparent, making it look like she wasn''t wearing anything underneath.


    Her ck bra was clearly visible, highlighting her fair skin and curvy waist. Even her tight yoga pants were soaked, entuating certain areas quite prominently.


    Elijah couldn''t help but stare. While he had seen her from a distance before and couldn''t see clearly, now that she was close, it was eye-opening indeed.


    Jasmine noticed Elijah''s gaze fixed on her and couldn''t help but feel pleased. It wasn''t in vain that she doused herself like this.


    When Elijah walked towards the hotel earlier, she had noticed him. Now, seeing him alone, it was a rare opportunity.


    Jasmine immediately thought of several ns. This time, she didn''t want to be passive likest time, waiting for Elijah to make a move. She decided to take the initiative!


    So, upon seeing Elijah heading towards the monitoring room, she promptly sshed herself with water from the cup, pretended to rush out to change clothes, and coincidentally ran into Elijah''s arms.


    "Why... are you going to the monitoring room? Is there something you need?" Jasmine knew how to attract a man without being too direct. She used her hand to subtly cover her body, her eyes coyly suggestive.


    "Oh, just a minor thing. You go ahead and change clothes first, we''ll talk when youe back!" Elijah didn''t bother to hide his nces, stealing a few more looks before saying, "Then wait for me inside for a while!"


    After Jasmine hurriedly walked into the adjacent conference room, Elijah watched her swaying figure disappear before entering the monitoring room.


    Inside, there were severalrge monitors, each divided into smaller screens disying different parts of the ind. Elijah sat down and carefully observed the situation.


    He saw Charlotte earnestly practicing martial arts with Grace Olivia. He also noticed Katherine entering the flower house.


    "That girl, I told her to rest properly, why did she go to the flower house again?" Elijah muttered to himself.


    Everything seemed normal on the ind. He then looked at another screen disying scenes inside and outside the hotel.


    "Hmm?" Suddenly, Elijah eximed in surprise and immediately erged one of the windows.


    Inside was a view of the conference room. And there, unmistakably, was Jasmine! She seemed unaware of the cameras and hadn''t entered Fiona''s specially built mobile dressing room. Instead, she directly removed her wet T-shirt and yoga pants, leaving herself in just her underwear.


    The camera''s high resolution captured her voluptuous and graceful figure very clearly.


    Elijah couldn''t take his eyes off her. Especially when he noticed what seemed like a thin strip of cloth below Jasmine, making it look like she wasn''t wearing anything at all!


    His eyes followed Jasmine''s movements, admiring what seemed like the most beautiful artwork in the world.


    "So round, so perky, so shapely, so full... I wonder if it feels like the ocean," Elijah sighed.


    Just then, Jasmine finally found a long dress. It was a sleeveless gown with a sophisticated and luxurious design, exuding an aristocratic air.


    First, she unzipped the back, then slipped the dress on. Her graceful figure was immediately covered up.


    The dress looked stunning on her, enhancing Jasmine''s luxurious and sophisticated aura, second only to Fiona on the ind.


    Jasmine seemed satisfied with her choice. She reached behind to zip up the dresspletely.


    But just then, she suddenly cried out in pain.


    It turned out the zipper had caught her hair from behind.


    Jasmine stopped pulling up and tried to lower it, but this also tugged on her hair.


    Her brows furrowed in pain, a hint of difort on her face.


    Elijah saw this and briefly thought about going to help. But as he stood up, he realized that revealing he had been watching Jasmine change clothes wouldn''t be appropriate.


    Just as he hesitated, Jasmine grabbed the hem of the dress and tried to lift it up to remove it. As it reached her chest, it once again tugged on her hair, causing her to cry out in pain and involuntarily bend over, trying to ease the pull.


    From Elijah''s perspective, Jasmine was facing away, and on the screen, two graceful curves like full moons immediately appeared, underneath which were two thighs full of flesh!


    The key is that, during this period, there is only one rope-like piece of cloth...


    "Elijah couldn''t sit still!"

 Chapter 160: Aunt Jasmine has a great figure!

    He was eager to rush over right now!


    "Wait, something''s not right. Jasmine is on duty in the monitoring room; she couldn''t possibly be unaware of the cameras filming the conference room!"


    Elijah carefully reconsidered everything.


    He realized that from the moment Jasmine entered the conference room, to changing clothes and searching for new ones, she seemed to intentionally or unintentionally showcase her figure in front of the cameras.


    Even now, as she attempted to remove the dress, her back was intentionally facing the camera.


    Elijah recalled Jasmine''s expressions and how her eyes would inadvertently nce towards him.


    Thinking it through, Elijah couldn''t help but understand: thisdy was deliberately trying to lure him.


    "How intriguing!" Elijah pulled back his chair and walked out confidently.


    Since Jasmine was being so proactive, it wouldn''t be appropriate for Elijah not to respond!


    Elijah walked out of the control room, opened the door to the conference room, and immediately saw the scene that had just been on the monitor screen.


    However, from his angle at the doorway, he had a side view.


    Elijah looked up from the bottom and saw Jasmine''s smooth white legs standing straight, curving gracefully upwards. Below them was her smooth and t back as her dress tugged gently at her hair.


    Jasmine heard the door open and, bending down, she turned her head to see Elijah. She felt relieved that her little trick hadn''t been in vain.


    "Elijah, could you help me? My hair is caught in the zipper!" she eximed.


    "Sure!" Elijah walked straight towards her, not from the side, but behind her. He wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her close, and they immediately became intimately close!


    "Oh?" Jasmine softly gasped!


    At that moment, Elijah lowered his head and used his teeth to free her hair, which had been caught in the zipper.


    Jasmine immediately felt her hair loosen, the difort gone.


    "Aunt Jasmine, you have an amazing figure!" Elijah whispered.


    His warm breath on her smooth back almost made Jasmine lose her bnce.


    "I''m getting older, can''tpete with those younger girls. I try to do yoga to keep in shape," Jasmine said, biting her lip lightly and turning to nce at Elijah, her eyes brimming with a teasing allure that seemed ready to burst forth.


    "Really? I haven''t tried yoga before. Could Aunt Jasmine show me?" Elijah''s hands began to explore freely.


    "Here...?" Jasmine hesitated.


    "Yes, isn''t this the ce Aunt Jasmine chose?" Elijah murmured in her ear.


    In an instant, Jasmine understood that Elijah had seen through her little scheme. She didn''t mind; she hadn''t really tried to hide it.


    "So... we''re going to be family from now on, right?" Jasmine looked at Elijah expectantly.


    It dawned on Elijah then. He finally understood Jasmine''s intentions. Jasmine must have seen that he had made a contract with Olivia and probably guessed that others had been contracted as well.


    Since she hadn''t been contracted herself, she was worried and used this method to feel more secure.


    "Aunt Jasmine, do you want a blood contract with me?" Elijah asked with a low chuckle.


    "Yes! Can we?" Jasmine looked at him eagerly.


    "Of course we can. Besides blood, there''s something ten times more valuable that can be contracted," Elijah said, tightening his embrace.


    They were already close, and Elijah''s straightforward words left Jasmine in no doubt.


    "Well then, I won''t hold back!" Jasmine said, reaching down to move the cloth covering her lower body aside.


    ...


    Yoga originated in India and is a practice with a long history concerning the body, mind, and spirit. Its purpose is to improve physical and mental well-being. Over time, it has be a fashionable form of exercise.


    Jasmine had been practicing yoga since her twenties, and after more than a decade, she had achieved a profound level of expertise.


    As a beginner, Elijah eagerly learned from her, greatly enriching his knowledge. Jasmine did not disappoint, demonstrating a highly advanced double horn pose that deeply impressed Elijah, who was moved by her dedication. They sessfully formed a contract.


    Afterward, they returned to the control room for some "post-ss tutoring."


    It is said that the capable bes the teacher. Compared to novices like Fiona, Jasmine''s mastery of knowledge and skill was exceptional. Be, in front of her, was only at a beginner level!


    Throughout the learning process, Elijah found it effortless, thanks to Jasmine''s proactive teaching style. He became so engrossed in learning that it was only hunger that reluctantly brought an end to their session near noon.


    Despite teaching for half a day, Jasmine showed no signs of fatigue; instead, she appeared radiant and full of vitality.


    Understandably so¡ªElijah was now a third-tier powerhouse. Even if a little of his spiritual energy leaked out, it was a great tonic for Jasmine, who was still just an ordinary person.


    Jasmine might not have known all this, but she could feel herself better than ever before. This newfound well-being wasn''t just from the joy of "teaching," but also from an instinctual desire that had grown stronger as her body subtly improved.


    So she continued her "teaching" work with Elijah tirelessly, pulling out all the stops and showcasing everything she had learned in her lifetime. If she hadn''t been genuinely hungry, she wouldn''t have wanted to stop.


    However, looking at the final results, it was still quite satisfactory. Moreover, Elijah had promised her that he would arrange her awakening matters, scheduled after Emily and Xavier.


    Leaving the hotel, she was in high spirits, unable to conceal her happiness.


    When they returned to the vi together, Be was almost done preparing dinner.


    Seeing Elijah and Jasmine enter together, especially with Jasmine''s flirtatious demeanor, it was clear to Be what had transpired.


    She rolled her eyes at Elijah.


    Jasmine noticed Be''s reaction but didn''t mind at all.


    She knew very well on this ind, the three women not to be trifled with were Be, Fiona, and Charlotte!


    But in Gabriel''s eyes, the person he shouldn''t mess with the most is Daisy.


    Because Jasmine is familiar with Daisy''s mother, her natural elder status makes it rtively easy for her to deal with Daisy.


    Jasmine eagerly stepped forward to help, and Be didn''t refuse, which relieved Jasmine.


    Soon, Charlotte and the others returned from their exercise, quickly freshened up, and then everyone sat down together to eat.


    During the meal, the women learned that Elijah had advanced to the third tier, which surprised them greatly.


    They were all excited, and even Grace, who was closest to him, couldn''t resist kissing him.


    Yellow, who had disappeared somewhere, also came back to join in the fun, squatting in front of Elijah and wagging its tail. Yellow was noticeably taller today than yesterday, already approaching the size of a normal Chinese pastoral dog.


    Elijah understood that this growth was due to the Spirit Fish he had fed Yellow yesterday.


    Unfortunately, he hadn''t sensed Yellow''s awakening.


    However, he believed that if he continued feeding Yellow like this a few more times, it wouldn''t be long before Yellow became a Spirit Beast.


    Amidst theughter and cheers, everyone finished lunch. While clearing the tableware and chairs, Elijah pulled Charlotte aside.


    "Charlotte, I need to discuss something with you."


    "What is it?"


    "Well, everyone on the ind has awakened except Jasmine. Through awakening and body forging techniques, their physique has been enhanced. I think from now on, it''s not just about practice; they need realbat experience. Without facing life and death challenges, it''s all just for show. I believe you understand this."


    Charlotte didn''t oppose his words but scoffed.


    "I thought you''ve been enjoying yourself too much in thepany of beauties these past few days, almost forgetting it''s the apocalypse!"


    "Erm..."

 Chapter 161: These women, not a single one of them is simple

    Elijah was caught off guard and felt embarrassed by Charlotte''s remark. Charlotte didn''t make it too awkward for him and continued, "So how do you n to organize them?"


    "I think the two of us should lead a team to clear the surrounding roads. First, it''ll enhance the safety zone around our shore service area. Second, it''ll widen the paths for future travel. Third, there are fewer zombies on the coastal road, making it suitable for training neers."


    "Sounds good! When do we start?"


    "How about this afternoon?"


    "Alright, let''s wait for them to finish cleaning up and then prepare to leave!"


    After their discussion, when the women had finished cleaning up, Elijah exined the n he had discussed with Charlotte to everyone. He also announced the first group of people selected for the expedition.


    First was Olivia, who had perception abilities. In an exploration team during the apocalypse, perception abilities were crucial as they could predict dangers in advance, significantly improving the team''s survival rate.


    Next was Grace, who had lightning abilities. Her potential was considerable, and Elijah nned to train her to be a formidable expert who could lead a team alone, much like Daisy in the future.


    Lastly, there was Katherine, who had nt-based abilities. While her abilities might not be particrly effective against zombies, her enhanced physical abilities made Elijah want to train her to ensure she could protect herself.


    Together with Elijah and Charlotte, they formed a team of five.


    Meanwhile, Be and Jasmine would stay on the ind. Abigail would lead four female zombies to protect them.


    The reactions from the women varied.


    Olivia was nervous because she had never fought zombies before and had always avoided them, feeling somewhat fearful inside.


    Katherine and Grace, on the other hand, were eager to try.


    They had already cleared zombies under Fiona''smand with Hannah before Elijah arrived on the ind.


    Although they had relied on Hannah''s abilities, they had also ovee their fear of zombies.


    Jasmine naturally breathed a sigh of relief. As an ordinary person without abilities and having never faced zombies, she had guessed Elijah''s n. If she awakened abilities, she would probably also go out for training, so she mentally prepared herself.


    Be felt warm inside, understanding that Elijah had intentionally left her on the ind. But after these days, she had seen through things and knew she couldn''t always rely on others'' protection.


    "Elijah, I want to go too!" Be said firmly.


    Elijah looked surprised at Be and, after seeing her determined gaze, pondered for a moment. "If you insist, then alright!"


    Yesterday, Elijah would have firmly disagreed. But today, having advanced to the third tier, Elijah had solidified Be''s healing abilities. Be was still incredibly important to him, butpared to before, he believed she could handle some risks.


    Upon hearing Elijah''s response, Be smiled broadly.


    At that moment, with everyone going out for training, Jasmine was left alone on the ind and felt somewhat conflicted.


    "Since everyone is going out for training, Aunt Jasmine, you don''t need to stay on the ind. Go to the shore service area with Gabriel and help unload cargo!" Elijah suggested.


    "Okay!" Jasmine nodded repeatedly.


    After finalizing their preparations, the women changed into jeans and Martin boots, looking smart and sharp. Charlotte especially stood out in the stab-proof suit Elijah had brought from the police station, looking both cool and fierce.


    They each armed themselves with their respective weapons.


    To Elijah''s surprise, Olivia''s weapon was apound bow, which looked somewhat familiar¡ªit seemed to have been confiscated from the telepathic abilities wielder in theirmunity.


    Along with the bow and arrows, Olivia had equipped herself appropriately, making it clear she was prepared for realbat.


    Olivia''s ability allowed her to perceive living beings within a 20-meter range, regardless of obstacles. With good uracy, a bow and arrow were indeed a suitable choice within this range.


    Elijah nodded to himself. Seeing that everyone was ready, he instructed Abigail to stay with four female zombies to guard the area. Then he addressed the women, "Are you all ready? Let''s go!"


    This time, Elijah drove the escort vehicle. After everyone took their seats, he started the vehicle and headed towards the shore service area.


    Arriving at the shore service area, Elijah drove straight to the warehouse where Gabriel and the others were unloading.


    Gabriel saw Elijah and hurriedly set down what he was doing to run over.


    "Brother-inw, are you guys heading out?"


    "Yes, I''m nning to take a team to clear out all the zombies within a few kilometers nearby. It will serve as both a training exercise for handling zombies and establishing a quarantine zone to safeguard the safety area by the shore!"


    "Brother-inw, do you need me toe along too?"


    Upon hearing this, Gabriel was eager to try. Last night he awakened his abilities and tested them on Emily, gaining enhanced abdominal strength that made Emily cry and beg for mercy. It greatly satisfied his vanity, and now he wanted to see if facing zombies would be equally impressive.


    "Never mind, first assist Fiona and the others in unloading the goods from the mall. You can join the next batch."


    "Alright, brother-inw!"


    Gabriel had no objections.


    "By the way, Aunt Jasmine hasn''t awakened yet, so she won''t being with us. I''ll leave her alone on the ind, but I''m still concerned. I''ll have her help out here in the afternoon."


    Elijah pointed to Jasmine standing beside him.


    "Got it, brother-inw. Don''t worry, I''ll take care of Aunt Jasmine!"


    "Stay safe!"


    Jasmine looked affectionately at Elijah, then swiftly kissed him in front of everyone.


    "..."


    These women, not a single one of them is simple!


    Elijah sighed inwardly.


    "We''ll be careful. Let''s go!"


    Elijah turned back to the car. With the women watching expressionlessly, he started the vehicle and headed out.


    When they reached the Coastal Avenue, Elijah stopped. The women got out one by one.


    "Olivia, keep watch. Report immediately if there are any zombies able to move freely. Everyone else, arm yourselves and get ready forbat!"


    After giving the orders, Elijah took the lead.


    There were many vehicles parked on the eightne Coastal Avenue.


    Elijah and Daisy had cleaned up once before, but that only dealt with zombies that could move freely; they hadn''t bothered with those that were still inside vehicles that passed by.


    "Our task now is to clear out all the zombies within a two-kilometer radius from here to the street leading to the mall. We''ll also use vehicles and the median barriers to establish a secure area!"


    "Currently, there aren''t many zombies in this area; most are still inside vehicles. This is a good opportunity for you all to practice your courage!"

 Chapter 162: He looks familiar

    Elijah approached a car and saw a gaunt zombie sitting in the driver''s seat. He opened the door and said to Be, "Be, you go first."


    Be took a deep breath and stepped forward. Despite preparing herself mentally, seeing the zombie inside the car still shocked her greatly.


    This zombie, deprived of food for a long time, had dry, wrinkled skin and a severely emaciated body.


    Its once thick hair now clung sparsely to its scalp.


    Be''s first impression of it resembled a terrifying witch from a horror story, standing alive right in front of her, making her extremely ufortable. Meanwhile, this witch, starved and sluggish, showed little response even as Elijah opened the car door and stood there.


    It wasn''t until Be approached that it finally awakened its desire for flesh and struggled to lunge at her.


    Be remained unafraid; the zombie was restrained by a seatbelt, but more importantly, Elijah stood beside her, giving her a sense of security.


    Suppressing her difort, she thrust the Tang sword in her hand into the zombie''s gaping mouth.


    "St!"


    The de effortlessly pierced through its body.


    "Huh?"


    Was it really that easy?


    Be was surprised; she had expected it to be more difficult. She unconsciouslypared it with her past experiences, forgetting that after awakening her abilities and persevering in physical training these days, she was no longer the weak woman she used to be.


    Unfortunately, even with its skull pierced, the zombie didn''t die; it continued to groan and try to lunge at her.


    "The vital point of a zombie is its brain. Stabbing its mouth works, but you need to sever the brainstem in one go!"


    "I understand," Be replied. This wasmon knowledge she already knew without Elijah telling her.


    Actually, she had intended to stab its eye earlier, but it was her first time and she got a bit queasy, resulting in a misced thrust.


    Be pulled the Tang sword out of the zombie''s mouth and aimed again, this time targeting its eye with precision.


    The de went in decisively, mixing ck blood with brain matter as it flowed from the eye socket. The zombie immediately ceased struggling, lying still.


    "Nicely done!" Elijah praised her.


    "Next up is Olivia!"


    "Oh!" Olivia responded nervously, her hand trembling as she held a Damascus sword.


    Although she aspired to be an archer, as the saying goes, a bowman who can''t handle closebat isn''t a good warrior.


    Therefore, Charlotte had also equipped her with a Damascus sword for defense in close quarters.


    With Be leading the way, Olivia, although nervous, did quite well and sessfully killed a zombie inside a car.


    Next up were Katherine and Grace, who were feeling rather rxed.


    Elijah decided not to let them kill the restrained zombies and instead focused on training Be and Olivia''s courage.


    After clearing out zombies from over a dozen cars, Be and Olivia gradually became less afraid and more adept at killing zombies.


    "There''s a zombieing over there!"


    Olivia kept her senses sharp; now more courageous, she wasn''t even nervous when she sensed a zombie approaching.


    "Charlotte, you keep training them. Grace and I will deal with that zombie!"


    "Got it!"


    Grace couldn''t wait any longer and immediately rushed over.


    Elijah watched from the sidelines.


    "Pay attention, next you''ll start practicing on active zombies. You can''t always kill immobile targets!"


    Charlotte instructed Be, Olivia, and Katherine.


    "Okay!"


    They responded simultaneously.


    The zombie also noticed Grace and immediately lunged towards her in excitement; it had been a long time since it hadst eaten!


    Grace used arge cleaver, the kind often seen in movies and TV shows.


    Gripping the de with both hands, she started building up strength when the zombie was still three or four meters away, then with a sudden forceful strike, she cleaved through its neck!


    This zombie was particrly emaciated, its neck thin and frail as if only a single vertebra remained; it was directly severed by Grace, its head tumbling to the ground.


    "Wow, strength makes a huge difference!"


    Grace couldn''t help but exim.


    Previously, they had struggled to kill even one zombie.


    "Very well done! In the future, you can enhance your cleaver with your lightning ability, making your cuts even sharper!"


    "Yeah, I''ll do that!"


    With Grace''s demonstration, Elijah began releasing the zombies from the cars.


    Having been seated for so long, these zombies were not adept at walking, perfect for the group''s practice.


    Charlotte taught them how to use weapons, at what angles to strike to conserve energy, which parts to strike to disable zombies, and where to strike for a fatal blow.


    Elijah watched from the sidelines.


    As the group''s skills in killing zombies became more proficient, they also cleared the intersection leading to the mall.


    There were more active zombies here.


    Elijah had to be extra cautious.


    Fortunately, the four of them had trained well and, working together smoothly, calmly dispatched the few zombies that surged towards them!


    It was at this moment that three trucks turned from a nearby intersection.


    Seeing Elijah and the others, the three trucks immediately stopped by the roadside.


    Daisy, Fiona, and Lily jumped down from the trucks, followed by two strangers, a man and a woman.


    "Elijah, what are you doing here?"


    Daisy was somewhat surprised!


    "We''re training Be and Olivia to kill zombies! And these two are..."


    Elijah nced at the two people behind them.


    "Oh, Elijah, don''t you remember him?"


    Daisy pointed to the man among the two strangers.


    "He looks familiar!"


    "Boss, I''m the guy who asked for your help a few days ago on the way to the mall..."


    The man looked eagerly at Elijah, hoping he would remember.


    "Oh, right, the gaming guy?"


    Elijah recalled that when he and Daisy first went to the mall, clearing zombies on the road, there was a gamer who wanted to join them.


    Because Elijah had few contractees at the time, he promised that if he could collect five corpse cores, he could join them.


    "Yeah, that''s me, Boss. My name is Vincent, and this is Zoey from my neighborhood!"


    The gaming guy, no, now he should be called Vincent, introduced himself.


    "You''ve collected enough corpse cores?"


    "I have, I have! I''ve gathered 15, so Boss, can me and Zoey join you guys?"


    Even though Fiona had already agreed, Vincent had sharp eyes and knew Elijah was the leader of this group.


    "You killed them all yourself?"


    Elijah was somewhat surprised; when Vincent asked for their help, he had seemed timid and shaky. He hadn''t expected that in just a few days, Vincent had killed more than seventy zombies.


    "I did! It was a bit awkward at first, but once I got used to it, it''s not much different from ying games!"


    Vincent chuckled.


    "You''ve been lucky not to encounter mutant zombies!"


    "Uh... there are mutant zombies too? But with you in charge, Boss, it''s not surprising that there are mutated zombies. It makes sense!"


    Vincent clenched one fist and pounded it into his other palm.

 Chapter 163: Building the Buffer Zone

    Fiona couldn''t stand by any longer and said to Elijah, "Vincent used to work at a broadbandpany, so he knows a bit aboutwork cabling andputers. Zoey is an ountant at a not-so-bigpany!"


    Elijah immediately understood! This was recruiting talent for future service areas!


    He promptly said, "You''re quite clever, knowing that bringing people in requires additional corpse cores! Since you''ve fulfilled the agreement, I agree to let you both join us!"


    "Thank you, Boss! We''ll definitely contribute to the team''s efforts in the future!" Vincent said, giving Zoey a tug.


    "Thank you, Boss!" Zoey echoed.


    Elijah looked younger than himself, but he had the upper hand. He could make someone like Fiona, ady from a wealthy family, bow her head and go along with things, so naturally, Zoey went with the flow.


    "Yeah, but if you want to join our team, there''s one more thing you must do!" Elijah took out two bottles of water, opened them in front of them, then used a knife to cut his finger and squeezed two drops of blood into each bottle before giving one to Vincent and one to Zoey.


    "Drink it. It means you''re one of us now!"


    Vincent nced at Elijah''s finger and saw the wound heal instantly. He immediately understood this might be one of Elijah''s abilities. Otherwise, it wouldn''t make sense for him to drink it. This wasn''t ancient times where blood oaths were taken.


    Huh? Could it be some kind of ability like a blood oath, ensuring loyalty to him?


    Vincent thought of many things in an instant, but his actions were without hesitation. He took the bottle from Elijah.


    Once he understood, he immediately unscrewed the cap and took a big sip. Seeing Vincent drink, Zoey had no choice but to follow suit.


    Though blood had been dripped into the water, it surprisingly didn''t taste bloody at all and was no different from ordinary water.


    "Do you have another contract slot avable now?" Fiona finally couldn''t help asking after seeing both of them drink the water containing Elijah''s blood.


    "Yeah, I''ve advanced to Tier Three!"


    "Really? Elijah?" Daisy eximed with delight.


    Lily also looked at him with joy.


    "Indeed," Katherine chimed in.


    "That''s great!" After a brief moment of joy, Daisy pouted. "Elijah, you''re already Tier Three. When will I reach Tier Two?"


    "Next time, I''ll help you advance!" Elijah indulgently patted Daisy''s head.


    Thinking back, the first two people to follow him were Be and Daisy. Now Be had reached Tier Two, leaving Daisy behind.


    "Hmph, I''ll advance to Tier Two on my own, just like Charlotte!" Daisy ran over to Charlotte and affectionately linked arms with her.


    "Then you''d better practice diligently!" Charlotte chuckled lightly.


    Meanwhile, Vincent had long been stunned. Tier Two and Tier Three, and then there was training... It seemed he hadn''t followed the wrong person after all!


    This apocalypse was just like that. There were superpowers, cultivation, and levels, gradually advancing step by step, just like in a game!


    Vincent found a familiar rhythm and felt his heart leap with excitement.


    "But there''s no rush now that I''ve just joined. It''s impossible to get rewards all at once. I''ll take it slow!"


    Fiona wanted to ask Elijah about the abilities he gained at Tier Three, but with new recruits present, sharing some information would help them integrate into the group and feel a sense of belonging.


    However, specific ability details were ssified.


    Fiona also didn''t want Elijah to reveal them publicly.


    She and Elijah exchanged a nce and nodded slightly. Elijah understood and walked aside with her.


    "What''s up?" he asked.


    "How many more people can you contract now?" she inquired.


    "I can contract up to 50 people, and currently I can still contract 28 more," Elijah replied.


    "We have more than enough capacity then. We can proceed with the Trade Zone n!" she suggested.


    "Yeah, we''re preparing for that today. I n to use vehicles and fences to mark out a safe area around here," Elijah exined.


    "That sounds good," Fiona nodded.


    "We''ve nearly cleared out the mall. Lily is strong, so why not leave her here to assist you?" Fiona suggested.


    "Alright!" They discussed a bit more before returning.


    Elijah turned to Vincent and asked, "Can you drive?"


    "Yes!" Vincent replied promptly.


    "Then when we head back, you can drive Lily''s car. Lily will stay here to help us secure the perimeter!" Elijah instructed.


    "Okay, Elijah!" Lily nodded beside them.


    "Those of you who need to go back, head back now. Gabriel will take care of Vincent and Zoey," Fiona added.


    "Got it!" Fiona nodded, and they all returned to their vehicles, heading towards the coastal service area.


    "Next, let''s push the cars over to use as barricades, and then set up anotheryer of fencing inside the perimeter!" Elijah discussed their ns for the next steps.


    He intended to block off the entire Coastal Road, leaving only about twones open for passage. They couldn''tpletely cut off ess!


    In total, they upied sixnes out of the eight avable, including the sixnes near the coast and the green park along the coastline, all connected to the coastal service area.


    Thisrge area could serve as a buffer zone. They nned to arrange for two people to patrol it regrly to prevent any zombies from sneaking in, thus ensuring the safety of the coastal service area to the maximum extent possible.


    Once everyone understood his intentions, Elijah instructed Olivia to be on guard, Charlotte to be prepared for any emergencies, and Lily and himself to start maneuvering the vehicles.


    The others helped gather traffic barriers and set them up.


    Themotion attracted quite a few zombies from the south side of the intersection. Under Olivia''s vignce, Charlotte swiftly dealt with them.


    This was the first time the women had seen Charlotte kill zombies. She wielded a long sword with lightning-fast movements, each strike deadly. The zombies couldn''t resist and fell one after another under her de, leaving the women in awe.


    Their enthusiasm surged, and they all wanted to finish quickly and learn more from Charlotte to be as skilled as her.


    Elijah gave Charlotte a thumbs up.


    After a busy afternoon, they finally fenced off the southern part of the coastal service area. During this time, they collected supplies from the cars and were lucky to find a crate of drinks and another of parcels.


    As dusk approached, they began to head back. At the coastal service area, Gabriel had already settled Vincent and Zoey.


    Fiona had returned to the ind with Jasmine.


    Xavier, the cattle herder, had also returned and was practicing martial arts with two others.


    Seeing Elijah, he immediately ran over eagerly.


    "Brother-inw, you''re back?"


    "Yeah, I''ve set up an istion zone to the south. You can take the cattle there usually, but still, be careful," Elijah advised.


    "Got it, brother-inw!"


    Gabriel walked over at this moment.


    "Gabriel, from now on, I want you to patrol the perimeter daily. If there are any zombies that slip through or any areas where the barricades aren''t secure enough, I want you to reinforce them," Elijah instructed.


    "Sure thing, brother-inw!" Gabriel nodded.


    After a few more words of encouragement, Elijah led the women back to the ind.


    As he dropped everyone off, Elijah sensed Sophia and Hannah getting closer. They were also returning, so he turned directly towards the dock!

 Chapter 164: Taming

    Elijah arrived at the dock and indeed saw a yacht approaching from a distance. Near the yacht, a huge shark was swimming back and forth¡ªnone other than Whitey, under his control.


    Whitey recognized Sophia''s yacht and didn''t attack, instead swimming nearby. As soon as Elijah appeared on the dock, Whitey abandoned the yacht and swam directly towards him.


    Meanwhile, the yacht began to slow down, preparing to dock. Whitey reached Elijah first, opening its mouth wide, seemingly seeking food. Elijah scratched his head; through the Seed of Consciousness, he sensed Whitey wanted the same type of zombie flesh it had eatenst time. But first-tier zombies weren''t something Whitey could easily find.


    Ah, right!


    He could cultivate them himself!


    However, he hadn''t prepared any mutant zombie flesh for Whitey this time. Elijah could only cate Whitey, promising to provide it next time. Reluctantly, Whitey submerged into the water, swishing its tail, and moved aside.


    At this moment, Sophia, steering the yacht, slowly entered the dock. Before dropping anchor, Elijah jumped onto the yacht.


    "What brings you here?" Hannah asked, surprised.


    "I came to discuss some things with Sophia," Elijah replied, then curiously added, "How was your day? Any catches?"


    "If you''re asking about the Spirit fish, no luck there, but we had quite a few other good catches!" Hannah said, a hint of a smile appearing on her face.


    Hmm, she''s actually smiling. Must have caught something really good?! Elijah thought to himself.


    "Elijah, Hannah sis was amazing today. She actually caught a huge wild yellowtail!" Sophia announced as she dropped the anchor and shut off the engines, stepping out.


    "A wild yellowtail? That''s really something! Let me see!" Elijah walked over to the fish tank and indeed saw arge golden-colored fish with red lips and fine scales.


    "Wow, it''s huge!" Elijah eximed. The fish was about a meter long and weighed at least eight pounds¡ªan exceptionallyrge specimen among yellowtails.


    "No wonder Hannah''s usually cool face has a smile now," Elijah remarked.


    "If it were before the apocalypse, it would fetch a good price!" Sophia added enthusiastically.


    "Yeah, it''s my first time seeing such a big yellowtail!" Hannah said with excitement.


    "It''s all thanks to the bait Sophia provided; otherwise, we wouldn''t have caught so many fish!" After hearing Hannah''s words, Elijah looked back at the fish tank and indeed found an unusuallyrge number of fish inside. There were more than the three of them had caught together yesterday!


    "Bait? What bait?" Elijah couldn''t help but be curious.


    "Oh, it''s nothing. It''s just that I ground up the innards of that Spirit fish from yesterday and mixed it into the bait. I wanted to see if this bait could attract Spirit fish..." Sophia admitted somewhat sheepishly.


    "I didn''t expect to catch Spirit fish, but it did attract many other fish to bite!" Hannah added.


    "Well done!" Elijah praised them with a thumbs up. Meanwhile, he thought to himself that whether it was Spirit fish, spirit nts, or spirit beasts, any leftover bits and pieces from them were highly attractive to other animals.


    As Elijah pondered, he watched the fish in the tank. "With all these fish, we won''t have to worry about food for a long time." He couldn''t help but praise the two again before turning to his own purpose foring here.


    "Oh right, Sophia, I came to find you because I wanted you to get acquainted with Whitey. Maybe you can trymanding it in the future!"


    "Me? Command Whitey? Can I?" Sophia was surprised.


    "It should be fine. Let''s give it a try!" Elijah said, fishing out two fish from the tank and handing one to Sophia.


    "Come on, feed Whitey some food and bond with it!" They all moved to the ship''s railing. At Elijah''smand, Whitey surfaced.


    Nervously, Sophia threw the fish into Whitey''s mouth and said, "Whitey, hello, I''m Sophia. Please teach me from now on!"


    "Um... you don''t have to be so formal..." Elijah couldn''t help butugh, simultaneously recording Sophia''s voice in Whitey''s Seed of Consciousness and instructing Whitey to obey Sophia''smands.


    Unlike zombies that immediately lose control once they leave Elijah''s control range, both Whitey and Yello were animals.


    With the constraints of the Seed of Consciousness and the taming through feeding, Elijah believed Sophia could easilymand Whitey even outside of his control range.


    Even if she couldn''tmand it, at least she wouldn''t be attacked by Whitey.


    "Could you try making Whitey do something?" Elijah handed another fish to Sophia. Following Elijah''s instructions, Sophia attempted tomand Whitey.


    Then came the scene that shocked her: Whitey actually responded to hermands.


    "It really listens to me!" Sophia eximed in amazement, jumping with joy.


    "Did you use some ability on Whitey?" Hannah, who was watching from the sidelines, asked.


    "Exactly. I''ve advanced to Tier 3 today, so I can exert some influence over controlled zombies and animals, making them obey someone else other than myself."


    "You''ve reached Tier 3?" Now Hannah was also surprised.


    "Yes, just this morning!"


    "That''s great!" Sophia felt waves of joy,ughing from the bottom of her heart. Elijah briefly mentioned his Tier 3 advancement and then let Sophia practice training Whitey for a while.


    As dusk approached, they didn''t linger any longer, gathering the fish from therge tank and transferring them to the hotel''srge fish pond before returning to the vi together.


    Inside Elijah''s vi, everyone was busy with their own tasks¡ªsome cooking, some discussing their experiences in zombie killing. When they saw Hannah walk in with arge yellowtail, everyone gathered around in surprise.


    "Did you catch this?" Fiona asked in amazement.


    "Yes!"


    "It''s huge!"


    "This must be a yellowtail!"


    Everyone chattered excitedly. Finally, Sophia offered to cook it for everyone, and only then did they disperse, all looking forward to the delicious meal Sophia would prepare.


    Sophia didn''t disappoint. When she brought out the cooked yellowtail, its aroma filled the air, and everyone enjoyed a satisfying meal.


    After dinner, they gathered to chat for a while. Elijah and Fiona discussed their ns for future development. As the night grewte, everyone went their separate ways.


    Watching Charlotte head upstairs with her long strides, Elijah thought about discussing tomorrow''sbat training and any areas that needed improvement. So he followed her and entered her room.

 Chapter 165: No need to be so tense

    Day 16 of the Apocalypse!


    Elijah was startled awake by the shaking of his bed. He opened his eyes and turned to see a beautiful woman with a smooth and gleaming back sitting up in bed.


    "Why are you up so early?" Elijah yawned.


    "Oh! Did I wake you?" The woman turned around, covering her chest with her hand, a bit shy.


    She had a healthy wheat-colored skin tone, long and straight legs, standing there attractively half-covered.


    Elijah felt a warmth in his heart as he patted the bed. "It''s not really waking up; it''s still early. Come back and sleep a bit more."


    "No, I have to go help Be with cooking!" Sophia pouted, looking at Elijah''s heated gaze, fully aware of his intentions.


    Hmph! He came to my roomtest night and stirred up trouble; isn''t that enough?


    After saying this, Sophia ignored him and turned to find clothes to wear.


    Watching her put on a bra and shorts, Elijah sighed twice, involuntarily recalling the scenes fromst night.


    He had gone to Charlotte''s room first yesterday to discuss improving their methods for zombie killing today. However, their discussion turned into a fierce sparring match, during which their clothes were torn off.


    Although Elijah had advanced to Tier 3, Charlotte was not inferior; her control over her body at Tier 2 was even stronger than before, quickly gaining the upper hand.


    Naturally, Elijah refused to back down, vigorously and bravely striving ahead, eventually turning the tables and pinning Charlotte down.


    Unfortunately, before he could savor his victory for long, Charlotte kicked him out.


    She said she was now a Sage, in the middle of meditative cultivation, and told him to find his other lovers.


    Elijah could only leave indignantly, thinking about those long legs that hadn''t been satisfied yet, unconsciouslying to Sophia''s door.


    Among the group, only Sophia''s two athletic long legs could rival Charlotte''s.


    Sophia didn''t disappoint him in the end, letting him experience a different taste than on the yacht!


    Seeing Sophia fully dressed, Elijah didn''t linger in bed anymore, quickly putting on his clothes and then leaving the room with Sophia following behind.


    Sophia went to help Be make breakfast, while Elijah, not far from the group''s training location outside the vi, began to meditate and practice the Hun Yuan Technique.


    Since learning the Hun Yuan Technique, he hadn''t practiced it for long each day, spending most of his days surrounded by women.


    Yesterday, Charlotte didn''t let him have his way, and there was also a part of this reason.


    Reflecting on himself, Elijah realized that his strength had grown too quickly recently, and he hadn''t felt any crisis, bing somewhatcent.


    After Charlotte woke him up, he decided to meditate for a while every morning and evening from now on, not always indulging in women.


    Especially now that he had advanced to Tier 3, he could only rely on practicing the Hun Yuan Technique to improve in the future.


    Elijah concentrated his mind and soon entered a state of meditation.


    Not long after Elijah entered meditation, Daisy and Charlotte also walked out of the vi.


    Both of them were satisfied to see Elijah earnestly practicing.


    Recently, Daisy felt that the effect of practicing the Body Forging Art was bing less obvious, so she also focused on practicing the Hun Yuan Technique to enhance her abilities.


    The current effect was quite good; she felt that after a while, she might also advance to Tier 2 like Charlotte did, relying on her own efforts.


    So when she saw Elijah meditating, she didn''t join the morning exercise but sat down nearby to practice meditation like Elijah.


    One by one, the women gathered, and Charlotte began to organize the morning exercises.


    The early morning passed quickly. After the group finished their morning exercises, they returned to the vi together for breakfast.


    Sophia and Hannah had heard Elijah organizingbat training to kill zombies practicallyst night and decided not to go fishing today, opting instead to join them for practical training.


    Since Daisy, Fiona, and Lily didn''t need to move supplies from the mall either, they also wanted to join, so the group decided to split into two teams.


    Charlotte led one team, and Elijah led the other.


    Olivia, Katherine, Be, Grace, and Daisy followed Charlotte because she had more neers. Their team headed north, establishing a buffer zone as they did yesterday and connecting with Daisy''s neighborhood.


    Elijah, with Lily, Fiona, Hannah, and Sophia, went along the road towards the mall, exploring the shops on either side.


    Previously, because of the mall, they hadn''t had time to check out these street-side shops.


    Now that the mall was mostly moved, it was a good opportunity to take a look around.


    After discussing, everyone changed into their outing clothes, drove out of Azure Isle.


    As usual, Abigail was left on the ind with a few zombies to guard it, and Whitey patrolled the perimeter of the ind. Elijah wasn''t worried about anyone stealing from his house.


    When they reached the shore service area, Gabriel and the others were unpacking the deliveries from the van they had harvested yesterday.


    The van full of deliveries satisfied their urge to open packages, revealing all sorts of strange things that they piled to one side.


    Elijah set Jasmine down and gave a few instructions before leading the team away.


    The two groups parted ways at the Coastal Boulevard, with Elijah heading south and Charlotte''s group heading north.


    Driving slowly, Elijah checked yesterday''s established buffer zones along the way, ensuring they hadn''t been breached by zombies or damaged by humans. Despite their cautious pace, they quickly reached the intersection leading to the shopping street.


    As they turned into the intersection, the scenery abruptly changed, as if transitioning from the fresh expanse of the coastline into a bustling urban area.


    This was only the second time Sophia had been this far from the sea since the apocalypse began. Previously, she had spent her days on the boat; thest time she hade ashore was to find medicine for her brother, narrowly escaping a zombie encirclement.


    This made her nervous, constantly using her perceptual abilities and minimizing her presence as much as possible.


    "There are zombies ahead!" Sophia immediately warned as soon as she spotted them.


    Elijah nced over; they were still more than 40 meters away, likely sensed by Sophia just moments before she alerted them.


    "No need to be so tense!" Elijah reassured her with a pat.


    "Have you killed zombies before?"


    "Yes, I have," Sophia replied.


    She took a few deep breaths to calm herself down.


    "These zombies are nothing to you now. You have to trust in your abilities!" Elijah encouraged her.


    "I understand," Sophia nodded, tightening her grip on the harpoon in her hand.


    Following their routine, Elijah first dealt with several zombies near the vehicles, allowing everyone to practice their courage.


    Unlike Be and Olivia from yesterday, Lily and Hannah had experience killing zombies, so their movements were very skilled.


    Fiona had even killed people before, so zombies naturally didn''t intimidate her.


    Elijah''s main focus was training Sophia. As a perceptive ability user, she would inevitably follow the team on explorations, so she needed the courage to face zombies alone in times of danger.


    Under Elijah''s guidance, the group practiced their zombie-killing skills while collecting supplies from shops on both sides, though not at a particrly fast pace.


    During this time, Fiona also drove a car back to the shore service area to deliver a load of supplies.


    Half the morning quickly passed by. Just as they were thinking about finding a nearby shop to rest, Sophia suddenly pointed towards the direction of the mall.


    "Heree a few people from over there!" she eximed.


    Elijah squinted and indeed saw five or six people running towards them. The one at the front seemed quite familiar¡ªit was Quentin!


    However, he looked quite disheveled at the moment!

 Chapter 166: standard

    "Huh? What happened to them?" Elijah wondered aloud, but he immediately went to greet them.


    "Quentin, what''s going on..." Elijah started, but when Quentin saw it was Elijah and his group, his face lit up with surprise and relief.


    "Elijah... Ah, we''vee seeking help!" Quentin said with a bitter expression.


    "What happened?" Fiona and the others had gathered around, curious to hear.


    Except for Sophia, Quentin had met Lily, Fiona, and Hannah before. He nodded to them before continuing, "Since we learned that your group was on Azure Isle and considering this area might be your collection zone, we started exploring southwest to avoid conflict."


    "Well, thank you for being so considerate," Elijah nodded, approving of Quentin''s decision.


    "Today, we found arge supermarket in the southwest..." Quentin continued.


    Elijah wasn''t familiar with the supermarkets around here since he didn''t reside in this area, but Quentin and his group, being locals, knew well.


    So, they headed purposefully towards thatrge supermarket.


    Everything was going smoothly; they cleared zombies along the way and reached the supermarket after oveing some obstacles.


    However, their joy was short-lived. During the process of clearing zombies inside the supermarket, a mutant zombie suddenly emerged.


    Quentin and his group had encountered mutant zombies before and had managed to kill them, so initially, they weren''t too panicked.


    But this mutant zombie exhibited abilities identical to Quentin''s, yet far superior in strength,pletely outssing them.


    They were unable to inflict any meaningful damage on this heavily-defended zombie and were scattered and nearly killed.


    Quentin could only flee with the surviving few. However, this mutant zombie seemed relentless in its pursuit. Fortunately, being a defensive type, it wasn''t very fast, allowing them to escape to a gathering ce. They didn''t dare return once they saw the mutant zombie still following from a distance.


    In their dilemma, Quentin thought of Elijah.


    The impressive zombie puppets controlled by Elijah had left a deep impression on them, and they were confident Elijah could deal with this mutant zombie.


    Moreover, Elijah wasn''t far away, so they headed straight towards Azure Isle, unexpectedly meeting Elijah''s group halfway.


    "So... where is this mutant zombie now?" Elijah asked after Quentin finished recounting their ordeal, ncing around but seeing no sign of it.


    Sophia also strained her senses but didn''t detect anything, shaking her head at Elijah.


    "Well... it was chasing us just now. When did it disappear?" Quentin muttered, perplexed.


    "Boss, it seemed to stop pursuing us not long after we passed the gathering ce," one of Quentin''s men behind him spoke up.


    "Uh oh, could it have found our gathering ce? But we didn''t head into the residential area!" Quentin''s face showed concern.


    "Elijah, could you please help us? Don''t worry, we will surely repay your kindness afterwards!" Quentin pleaded.


    Elijah didn''t answer immediately. He pondered silently, seeing this as a good opportunity to legitimately bring Quentin''s group under his wing.


    He hesitated for a moment before saying, "Quentin, it''s not that I''m unwilling to help you, but dealing with a mutant zombie is too dangerous. I can''t risk the lives of my own people for outsiders."


    Quentin smiled bitterly upon hearing this. He understood Elijah''s decision.


    Putting himself in Elijah''s shoes, he wouldn''t rashly offer help either, regardless of how generous the promised reward might be.


    If something went wrong and he lost people as a result, it wouldn''t be worth it.


    Despite this, Quentin hade with a glimmer of hope, primarily because they were desperate when fleeing from the zombie and hadn''t thought it through thoroughly.


    Now, while they weren''t in immediate danger of losing their lives, if the mutant zombie continued lurking near their gathering ce or even breached it, all their efforts of these days would be in vain.


    "Elijah, if we were to be your people, would you then consider helping us?" Suddenly, one of Quentin''spanions behind him interjected, pointing out a crucial loophole.


    Quentin was taken aback by this question, feeling as if a sudden fog had lifted and rity had dawned.


    Quentin immediately looked at Elijah and said, "Yes, Elijah, or rather, Elijah boss, if we join you, can you help us?"


    Though reluctant to abandon the gathering ce he had worked so hard to establish, Quentin realized that if they couldn''t resolve the current crisis, the gathering ce might be obsolete.


    It wasn''t just about the ce itself but the people inside.


    Despite their short time together, many people trusted, respected, and relied on him, making it difficult for him to turn a blind eye.


    Elijah had also interacted with them a few times.


    Aside from the fact that he seemed to have many women around him, he demonstrated considerable integrity in other aspects, unlike some individuals Quentin had encountered recently who had be ves to their desires, behaving like humanoid beasts without the constraints ofw or morality.


    What was more critical was Elijah''s formidable strength, his control over a group of powerful awakened beings, and the potent awakening elixirs he possessed.


    Quentin believed Elijah also had methods to further enhance their abilities, just like the zombie they encountered today¡ªhaving simr abilities but vastly superior effects.


    Joining Elijah could potentially elevate Quentin''s own strength and that of his brothers.


    At this point, Elijah was inwardly delighted, mentally apuding the brother behind Quentin.


    Elijah vaguely remembered this individual, who had been with Quentin since their first meeting.


    Although Elijah was pleased internally, he wore a skeptical expression on his face, causing a moment of anxiety among Quentin and hispanions who were eagerly watching him.


    "Quentin, if you were part of our group, naturally, I wouldn''t stand idly by. Regardless of the dangers ahead, we would give it our all. However... I must be honest; while we do ept people on the ind, our standards are quite high. You all might not quite meet them," Elijah exined.


    "What standards?" Quentin asked defiantly.


    "To join us, you need to be at least an awakened being..."


    Quentin and his group were stunned at this revtion.


    "Awakened beings..."


    The younger brother who spoke earlier couldn''t believe it.


    Considering that they had over fifty people in their settlement, there were only two awakened beings - Quentin, and another who wasn''t fit for battle and was still in the settlement.


    But now Elijah was saying that to join them, they needed to be awakened beings. That meant only two of them met the requirement.


    However, they soon realized that if what Elijah was saying was true, then the entire poption of their settlement would consist of awakened beings. Just how powerful would their collective strength be?

 Chapter 167: Taking Over the Team

    "Quentin, there are quite a few people in your gathering ce, and you have also witnessed the harm that good people suddenly turning into zombies can cause to the gathering ce!"


    Quentin nodded, not quite understanding why Elijah brought this up.


    "I can give you another piece of information: Awakened ones don''t have the sudden corpse-changing issue," Elijah chuckled lightly. "That''s why you only recruit Awakened ones..."


    Quentin understood.


    "Elijah, may I ask how many people are in your gathering?" a young man who had spoken earlier asked.


    "What''s your name?" Elijah inquired.


    "Zachary! Just call me Zachary," he replied.


    "Well, there aren''t many of us, just eighteen people," Elijah said.


    "Hiss!" Zachary and the others beside him gasped. Eighteen people meant, ording to Elijah''s criteria, eighteen Awakened ones! And they didn''t have to worry about turning into corpses.


    With such strength, survival in the apocalypse would be a breeze. They could even dominate the region.


    Zachary and the others looked at Elijah with newfound admiration. Unfortunately, they didn''t meet Elijah''s recruitment conditions and couldn''t receive his help, leaving them feeling deeply disappointed.


    "Elijah..." Quentin envied their situation and wanted to say something but couldn''t find the words.


    Suddenly, Fiona spoke up. "Elijah, it''s not impossible to make them part of our group."


    Quentin and the others looked at Fiona in surprise, their hopes reignited.


    "How so?" Elijah nodded slightly, appreciating Fiona''s suggestion.


    "Think of it like starting apany. They can be our wholly-owned subsidiary. We won''t interfere with their operations, just maintain a hierarchical rtionship on paper. What do you think?" Fiona proposed with a smile.


    "What does that entail?" Quentin asked eagerly.


    "Just like forming an alliance in a martial arts novel. We are the leaders, able to request unity on certain matters but not interfere with the operations of their factions," Fiona exined.


    Quentin and hispanions understood easily through these examples. They exchanged nces, seeing the excitement in each other''s eyes, then turned to Quentin.


    "We have no objections, Elijah, or should I say, Boss..." Quentin and the others looked at Elijah expectantly.


    Being stared at by a group of tough men made Elijah ufortable. "Alright, let''s leave it at that. Since it''s unlikely we can truly control their influence just by name, we''ll have to rely on the Seed of Consciousness in the end."


    "I tentatively agree," Elijah added.


    "Great!" Zachary and his brothers cheered, clenching their fists in joy.


    "Boss, what''s next?" Quentin asked eagerly.


    "It''s urgent. We''ll discuss the details of our allianceter. For now, let''s go help you deal with those mutated zombies. Quentin, lead the way!" Elijah instructed.


    "Alright, from now on, you''re our boss. We''ll follow your orders," Quentin said, turning to his men. "You too. Elijah is our boss, understood?"


    "Yes, Quentin!" Zachary and the others immediately bowed slightly to Elijah. "Hello, Boss."


    "Oh... no need for that. It''s starting to feel like the mafia here. Let''s move on. Quentin, you''re a bit older than me, so I''ll call you big brother. Let''s go!" Elijah said.


    "Boss, don''t you need to go back and gather your mutated zombies?" Quentin asked, puzzled.


    "No need. They''re just second-tier zombies," Elijah replied casually.


    Upon hearing Elijah''s words, Quentin didn''t feel arrogant but rather understood that it should be this way. How else could hemand the loyalty of seventeen subordinates?


    Without further hesitation, Quentin led his group towards their gathering ce. Elijah and his group didn''t bother with vehicles; the ce wasn''t far, just a few kilometers away.


    Soon, they reached the intersection before the mall, an area Elijah and Quentin had cleared multiple times, so there were hardly any zombies left. asionally, a few emerged from nearby office buildings and residential areas.


    Without hesitation, Elijah and his crew dispatched these zombies, Quentin leading a few of his men to swiftly eliminate them.


    After killing the zombies, they adeptly cracked open their skulls to extract the cores, collecting them in a unified effort.


    As Elijah observed the bags being filled with corpse cores, totaling dozens, he suddenly understood something.


    Why did that second-tier mutant zombie continue to chase them even after Quentin and the others had run so far?


    It must have known the purpose of the corpse cores, hence the relentless pursuit.


    However, Elijah kept this spection to himself. They hadn''t fully controlled their power yet; it was too early to reveal anything.


    Heading south from the intersection toward the mall, they walked another hundred meters and spotted a mutant zombie about half a meter taller than the usual ones.


    "Boss, it''s this zombie! Strange, why isn''t it chasing us but standing here?" Quentin wondered aloud.


    The zombie wasn''t at their usual gathering spot, but it wasn''t far either. If they didn''t deal with it, it would expose them every time they entered or left.


    Elijah took out his binocrs and took a distant look.


    He saw that where the mutant zombie lingered, there were many zombie corpses piled up from Quentin''s previous cleanups.


    What could hold back a mutant zombie, preventing it from pursuing even the corpse cores? Elijah''s mind raced with possibilities.


    "Could there be spirit nts?" he wondered aloud, unable to think of any other exnation.


    "Boss, what''s our next move?" Quentin looked to Elijah.


    "Let''s get closer again," Elijah replied. Despite his suspicions, he wasn''tpletely certain yet and wanted a closer look.


    So they advanced further. The mutant zombie clearly noticed them this time but didn''t charge.


    Instead, it paced more restlessly nearby, asionally roaring in their direction, seemingly trying to intimidate them into leaving.


    These behaviors of the mutant zombie only strengthened Elijah''s belief that there were spirit nts there.


    "What''s going on?" Quentin noticed something was off too. "Before, this zombie would have torn us apart at sight. Why the restraint now?"


    Fiona observed Elijah''s noticeably excited expression and whispered, "Do you know what''s going on?"


    "There are spirit nts there," Elijah whispered back.


    "Really? Thatplicates things," Fiona replied softly.


    In an instant, Elijah understood Fiona''s concern.


    Such abnormal behavior from the mutant zombie would raise questions, especially for Quentin and his crew who had been chased by it before.


    If they discovered spirit nts near the mutant zombie, they would undoubtedly have doubts. After all, they had helped Elijah gather them previously and even traded for one.


    "No worries, we''ll tell them the truth about spirit nts when we find them, andpensate them. Even if they got theirs first, one person''s awakening in exchange is worth two for us. Anyone would agree with that calction!" Elijah reassured.


    "I''m just afraid they might try cultivating them secretly next time," Fiona frowned.


    "Let them try. I''ll tell you, besides Be''s ability, I haven''t seen anything that can make spirit nts propagate or regenerate," Elijah said confidently.


    Relieved by Elijah''s certainty, Fiona nodded. They exchanged a few more whispered words, while Quentin assumed they were strategizing.

 Chapter 168: Attack

    At this moment, they saw them separate and immediately approached.


    "Boss, this mutated zombie is acting weird. This time, we found that it didn''t attack us!"


    "I saw that too, and I guess I know why!"


    Elijah smiled slightly.


    "Why?"


    Quentin asked in surprise.


    "There''s something more enticing to it than eating you guys!"


    "Something enticing?"


    Quentin scratched his head.


    "You''ll see in a moment! Anyway, enough talk. Let''s get ready for action!"


    After saying this, Elijah looked at Sophia.


    "Sophia, keep an eye on the surroundings. If any other zombies appear, sound the rm immediately!"


    "Got it!"


    Sophia nodded.


    "Fiona and Hannah, support Sophia and take out any zombies that appear suddenly!"


    "Understood!"


    Fiona and Hannah responded in unison.


    "Lily, you and I will deal with this mutated zombie. You just assist from the side and make sure it doesn''t escape!"


    "Got it!"


    Lily swung therge double-ded flower axe in her hand.


    ording to Quentin''s intelligence, this zombie should have second-tier defensive capabilities.


    Among them, only he and Lily could break through the zombie''s defense.


    Fiona could also do it, but she needed to target weak points like the eyes, nose, and mouth.


    Comparatively, he and Lily were more reliable.


    Actually, if he were alone, he would have rushed in long ago. But now that they were a team, they needed to cooperate, which was a process of team-building.


    "Boss, what about us?"


    Zachary spoke up.


    "You? Just protect yourselves and don''t cause trouble!"


    "Oh..."


    Zachary reluctantly stepped aside.


    After Elijah finished speaking, he immediately picked up a bright silver spear and walked straight towards the mutated zombie. Lily followed behind with her huge double-ded flower axe.


    "They''re just going straight over... Will they be okay?"


    One of Zachary''s underlings behind him worriedly said. He joined rtivelyte and didn''t know much about Elijah''s strength.


    The others were also somewhat concerned.


    They had mostly seen Elijah control powerful zombies before; though they spected on Elijah''s own abilities, they had no real concept.


    At this moment, the second-tier zombie saw Elijah approaching and finally reacted.


    "Roar~"


    It roared angrily at Elijah and charged towards him!


    As it neared Elijah, the second-tier zombie swung its ws, which had sharp nails.


    Elijah furrowed his brow slightly and swung the spear in his hand.


    "Bang!"


    The spear blocked the zombie''s arm, and when they shed, it produced a sound simr to metal colliding.


    "It really is a second-tier zombie; its copper skin has reached a high level!"


    Elijah muttered to himself, then swept the spear, sending the zombie flying and crashing into the wall.


    "Damn! Such incredible strength!"


    Zachary eximed.


    "Isn''t the boss supposed to control zombies? How can he be so strong?"


    Quentin also looked shocked.


    "It has high defense, but its strength isn''t much!"


    Elijah cracked his neck.


    "Warm-up is over; now I''ll send you on your way!"


    With that, Elijah held the spear and switched to Gabriel''s speed power. His legs erupted with terrifying force, cracking the ground with spiderweb-like fissures.


    Then with a loud "thud," Elijah shot out like an arrow.


    At this moment, the second-tier defensive zombie had just shaken its head and stood up.


    It didn''t even have time to react before Elijah''s spear was upon it.


    "Bang!"


    The spear pierced the zombie''s eye socket. |le|mp|yr


    The spearhead carried tremendous rotational kic energy.


    Its head exploded like a watermelon balloon.


    Red, white, and ck sttered everywhere.


    Meanwhile, using Gabriel''s speed, Elijah had already withdrawn and returned to his original position.


    Not a speck of contamination touched him.


    Only some blood stains remained on the tip of his spear.


    Elijah shook the spear, and the blood stains fell off.


    Meanwhile, Quentin, Zachary, and the others who witnessed this scene had their mouths wide open in shock.


    They couldn''t believe it. The freakish zombie that had chased them relentlessly, impervious to all attacks, had just been stabbed like a watermelon?!


    "What just... happened?"


    Zachary murmured as if in a dream.


    "So... so powerful!"


    Another henchman swallowed involuntarily and said.


    "Totally out of our league!"


    Quentin muttered to himself.


    "Elijah must have some way to enhance his strength. Otherwise, how could the gap be so huge?"


    Thinking this, Quentin felt a surge of excitement.


    "Now that I''ve seen my second-tier ability, I''m eager to improve my strength."


    "Wow! Elijah is so powerful. I never even had a chance to take action!"


    Lily grumbled and then walked up to the corpse of the second-tier zombie.


    "Elijah, what should we do with this body?"


    "Dispose... no, keep it. It will be useful when we return to the ind!"


    Initially, he thought of just discarding it, but Elijah suddenly remembered Whitey.


    He had promised to bring Whitey mutated zombie meat next time they met, so he couldn''t go back on his word!


    At this moment, Elijah also found the second-tier corpse core of this zombie.


    He picked it up and found that like the telekinesis zombie, it was a high-quality second-tier corpse core, with a sparkling green tint amidst its orange-yellow color.


    "If this continues to grow, it might advance to the third tier! The third tier is a qualitative change, and it won''t be this easy then!"


    Elijah muttered to himself, then walked towards the pile of corpses guarded by the mutated zombie just now.


    In a rotting flesh and foul-smelling heap, he immediately found a glowing fluorescent green nt.


    "Sure enough, zombie grass! And it''s about to mature!"


    Elijah looked at the zombie grass swaying gently with its five leaves and felt somewhat fortunate.


    The fifth leaf was about to grow!


    If he hade a littleter, or if this second-tier zombie hadn''t waited and directly consumed it, it might have truly advanced to the third tier.


    "Oh? Boss, there''s another one of those nts you wanted!"


    Fiona and Quentin approached, and Quentin eximed in surprise.


    "Good find, and this is what I mentioned earlier, the treasure that made the zombies give up chasing you!"


    "What? This is the treasure you were talking about?" Quentin eximed in surprise. At the same time, a thought shed through his mind.


    Could this nt attract zombies? No wonder Elijah asked me to collect it. Could it be to enhance his ability to control zombies?


    "Yeah, sorry Quentin, I lied to you earlier! It wasn''t my woman who wanted this nt, but it was me!"


    "Hey, you could''ve just told me straight! Just like the corpse core, isn''t it all about enhancing zombie strength?!"


    Seeing Quentin''s misunderstanding, Elijah''s face showed a strange expression.

 Chapter 169: Awakening Elixir

    "Hmm... What''s wrong? Is there a problem?" Quentin scratched his head in confusion.


    "No, just that I''m reluctant to let the zombies I control consume it," Elijah chuckled lightly.


    "Now that we''re all on the same side, I''ll tell you the truth. These fluorescent spirit nts are one of the ingredients I use to make Awakening Elixir!"


    "What?" Quentin eximed.


    "This... this is an ingredient for Awakening Elixir?"


    At the same time, he suddenly realized why Elijah hadn''t been forting initially.


    Behind Quentin, his henchmen also heard their conversation and looked eagerly at the zombie grass.


    Awakening Elixir! Quentin had hinted to them before that drinking the elixir could awaken abilities, making them as powerful as him. But he hadn''t disclosed where to get it from.


    Now he knew it was from the new boss here, and he had also seen one of the raw materials.


    "Now that you understand, these spirit nts emerged suddenly with the zombie virus outbreak. Unfortunately, we haven''t found a way to cultivate or breed them. We can only rely on collecting them, so our production of Awakening Elixir has always been unstable."


    "I see!" Quentin realized, recalling Elijah mentioning it would take six days to prepare a bottle of Awakening Elixir to sell to him.


    "Now that you know the characteristics of these spirit nts, if you encounter them in the future, you can transnt them. Bring them to me in exchange for Awakening Elixir!"


    Zachary and the others immediately felt excited.


    "Boss, do you know where these zombie grasses usually grow?"


    Zachary couldn''t wait to ask.


    "nts like this one, I call them zombie grass. They prefer cold, shady ces, often growing where there are piles of corpses, especially where there are zombie corpses. There are also others like Crystal Grass, each with different habits..."


    Elijah briefly exined several types of spirit nts he knew.


    "Some spirit nts are guarded by zombies, like today. If you encounter zombies that don''t chase you, you can check them out. You might be pleasantly surprised!"


    "Got it, boss!"


    Zachary and the others exchanged nces, clearly pleased.


    "Can we increase the chances of these zombie grasses appearing by piling up corpses?"


    Quentin suddenly asked, realizing that both the previous zombie grass and the current one had appeared where they had stacked corpses after killing zombies.


    "It''s possible. You can give it a try!"


    Elijah replied casually, then walked over to the zombie grass and used a dagger to dig up the soil around it, lifting the zombie grass out along with the dirt.


    Once removed from the ground, the formerly upright leaves of the zombie grass immediately wilted and became limp.


    "These spirit nts tend to droop once transnted, but as long as they''re alive, they can be brought to me!"


    Elijah handed the zombie grass to Fiona.


    "Boss, what if we identally dig them up and they die? Would you still want them?"


    Zachary asked.


    "Yes, but if the spirit nts die, their medicinal properties are lost, and you might not be able to exchange them for Awakening Elixir!"


    "In fact, let me tell you something else. Once spirit nts are transnted, if they aren''t properly cared for, they gradually die. The reason we dare to collect spirit nts is because we have someone awakened to the nt ability among us. She can rejuvenate these transnted spirit nts and help them continue growing.


    So, as long as the spirit nts are alive, regardless of their size or maturity, you can exchange them here for a bottle of Awakening Elixir. We can continue waiting for them to fully mature and have optimal medicinal properties before utilizing them!


    But if spirit nts die, whether in maturity or during their growth period, their medicinal properties won''t be sufficient to make Awakening Elixir, and you won''t be able to exchange them here!"


    "Got it, boss. We''ll handle them carefully if we encounter them!"


    Zachary and the others nodded.


    Quentin, however, was thoughtful. He sensed there might be more to it.


    With someone who had nt abilities present, Elijah and his group might be hoping to observe the growth of spirit nts and find ways to cultivate and breed them.


    "Quentin, the spirit nts I tricked you withst time, plus this one today, since you''re involved now, how about Ipensate you with a bottle of Awakening Elixir for both?"


    "You''ve helped us this time. How could we split the spoils..."


    Quentin was about to refuse, but he saw the hopeful look in his men''s eyes and changed his mind.


    "Alright, you''re our boss now. Your call!"


    "Well, the elixir production takes a bit of time. How about tomorrow? I''ll give it to you tomorrow!"


    "Okay!"


    "Now that we''ve cleared things up about the spirit nts, and the mutated zombies are dead, your crisis is over. Let''s talk about forming an alliance..."


    Elijah outlined a few key points.


    First, he acknowledged himself as Quentin''s leader in name but assured them he wouldn''t interfere with their internal management at their gathering ce.


    However, in the face of external threats, they must present a united front and unconditionally follow Elijah''s arrangements.


    Second, mutual aid and assistance should be promptly offered when either side encounters difficulties.


    This assistance, however, would not be withoutpensation,mensurate with the level of danger involved.


    For instance, in this recent instance, Elijah only requested a share of the spoils due to their newly formed alliance, foregoing additionalpensation.


    Third, they would jointly establish rules such as refraining from harming their own people, distributing spoils from joint operations, and managing security in shared areas.


    Elijah delegated the specifics to Fiona while maintaining oversight of the broader strategy.


    After a brief discussion, everyone seemed generally satisfied.


    "Now that we''ve discussed everything, let''s draft and sign an agreement!" Elijah suggested.


    In the current world, agreements were often viewed as mere scraps of paper, their effectiveness contingent on whether both parties adhered to them.


    Elijah didn''t intend to control them through the agreement; it was more of a formality.


    "Since your gathering ce isn''t far from here, why don''t we go there and finalize the agreement?" Elijah proposed. "It''ll give us a chance to get to know each other better."


    "Sure!" Quentin agreed readily, and Elijah and Fiona exchanged a nce of mutual agreement.


    Thus, they all proceeded towards Quentin''s gathering ce. As they arrived at the entrance, a woman suddenly rushed out, her face filled with joy as she looked towards Quentin.


    "Quentin, you''re finally back safely!"

 Chapter 170: Signing

    Because their gathering ce was right next to Diamond Street, Quentin and the others called it Diamond Home.


    The entirepound had only one entrance, which they had blocked with debris, leaving only enough space for a car to pass through, fenced off with a barrier.


    As soon as Elijah''s group reached the entrance of thepound, a woman ran out from inside, joyously shouting towards Quentin, "Quentin, you''ve finally returned safely!"


    She rushed to Quentin''s side, embracing him tightly, while her eyes subtly nced at Fiona and the other women.


    Seeing this, Fiona smirked, casting a nce at Elijah.


    Understanding the situation, Elijah spoke up, "Quentin, this is..."


    With so many people looking at him, Quentin blushed and gestured for the woman to let go, then said, "Boss, let me introduce you. This is my... girlfriend, Ivy! Ivy, this is our boss, Elijah, and his...panions!"


    "Boss?" Ivy looked puzzled. "Elijah? The one who took over the mall?"


    "Yeah, but now he''s our boss!" Quentin replied.


    Later, Quentin briefly recounted what had happened that morning, including Elijah''s help in killing the mutant zombies.


    "No wonder I saw you guys run past the entrance of thepound but note in!" Ivy suddenly realized, then thanked Elijah and his group.


    "Alright, let''s not stand at the entrance. Let''s go inside and talk!" Quentin took Ivy''s hand and led everyone into thepound.


    Upon entering, Elijah''s group saw many heads poking out of windows on several floors, greeting Quentin and his group while curiously looking at Elijah, especially the women beside him.


    Indeed, Fiona and the others were incredibly beautiful and outstanding, impossible to ignore.


    This was also why Ivy immediately hugged Quentin¡ªshe was afraid these women were ones Quentin had picked up outside, asserting her own dominance.


    After all, she hade to Quentin''s side in a simr manner!


    Saved by Quentin from her shop, relying on her awakened abilities and some charm, she became Quentin''s woman!


    "Ivy is also an awakened?" On the way, they continued to discuss the terms of their agreement, and Ivy joined in after listening for a while.


    Elijah was amazed at her excellent memory, as she could repeat verbatim what they had discussed.


    "Yes, Ivy awakened a memory ability simr to photographic memory, one of only two awakened abilities here!"


    "That''s a very useful ability!" Elijah eximed, while suddenly remembering a rumor from his previous life about a woman behind Quentin.


    In his previous life, Quentin, as a third-tier awakened, was indeed powerful, but in managing their gathering ce, he was no better than Elijah.


    It was said that he relied entirely on a woman to handle things, and this woman was also an awakened, possessing an impable memory and outstanding intelligence andpetence.


    Now looking at Ivy, aside from being a bit inexperienced in dealing with people, she matched most of the other characteristics.


    "What a pity this ability doesn''t help much inbat!" Quentin sighed, and Ivy''s expression dimmed slightly.


    "That''s not necessarily true!" Elijah chuckled.


    "Huh? Boss, do you have a way to enhance Ivy''sbat abilities?" Quentin asked eagerly.


    "Sort of."


    "Boss... Boss, what method?" Ivy couldn''t resist and finally asked.


    "After you two awakened, did you feel that various aspects of your physical abilities were enhanced?"


    "Yes, I feel much stronger now than before, not weaker than men at all!" Ivy nodded.


    "Actually, when people awaken their abilities, their physical abilities are all enhanced, far surpassing ordinary people. However, this enhancement is not an immediate change but an umtion over time, reaching your full potential. Besides that, it can only be increased through targeted training.


    Luckily, someone in our team has developed a set of specialized body training techniques specifically for awakened individuals, which can quickly stimte your potential and strengthen your physique to its limits."


    "Really?" Quentin and Ivy were both excited!


    At this moment, Quentin began to understand why Elijah, despite his ability to control zombies, possessed such formidable physical prowess that waspletely unmatched by him.


    This included Elijah''s women, each appearing exceptionally powerful. The reason was now clear.


    "It''s absolutely true. Everyone in our team practices this body forging technique, and its effectiveness has been proven. Once we finalize the agreement, you cane over and learn from us!" Elijah assured them.


    "That''s fantastic!" Ivy eximed eagerly.


    At that moment, they arrived at a lower-level building, led by Quentin into a residential unit that had been modestly refurbished.


    "This is my room and office. It might not be as good as your ind''s environment, but we''ll make do!" Quentin warmly invited everyone to take a seat.


    "In these times, having a safe ce to rest is already a great thing," Elijahmented nonchntly.


    "Next, let''s incorporate the agreed terms into the contract," Elijah said, stepping back from involvement as Fiona took charge.


    Meanwhile, Ivy offered strategic advice on Quentin''s side.


    Within the broad framework, they filled in many details, especially regarding security regtions within thepound.


    After all, as survivors in a civilized society, none of them wanted to witness excessive brutality and violence.


    Due to the allure of the body forging technique, Ivy had no objections to the idea of the two teams forming an alliance.


    Instead, she sincerely considered the benefits her team would gain, contributing many constructive ideas that she and Fiona refined together.


    Finally, they drafted a thick stack of agreements and handed them over to Elijah and Quentin.


    Elijah quickly nced through it, finding no objections, and promptly signed his approval. Quentin followed suit.


    With the business concluded, the atmosphere lightened up.


    Ivy immediately engaged Fiona, Hannah, and a few other women in lively discussions about their shared interests, while Elijah and Quentin talked about matters concerning thepound.


    "Quentin, do you find it convenient living in thispound?" Elijah inquired.


    Quentin sighed. "Naturally, it''s not convenient at all. No electricity, can''t ess the upper floors, no running water, and the toilets are unbearable. Plus, there''s no gas, so cooking is difficult."


    Elijah nodded sympathetically. "Have you thought about moving somewhere else?"


    "I have thought about it, but with so many people, moving is a big issue. We might end up surrounded by zombies," Quentin shook his head. "Besides, everyone needs sufficient rooms for istion when sleeping at night, and currently, I don''t know a suitable ce to relocate."


    "I have a great ce in mind¡ªwater, electricity, plenty of rooms. Quentin, would you be interested?" Elijah offered.


    "Is there really such a good ce? Then I''m definitely interested!" Quentin''s spirits lifted at the prospect.

 Chapter 171: Relaxing on the Beach

    "It''s actually not far from here. It''s the neighborhood where my girlfriend lives, and we''ve already cleared out the area within the neighborhood!"


    Elijah pointed in a general direction.


    "That ce, not far from here and with water... Are you talking about Seabreeze Terrace?"


    Quentin immediately guessed after just a nce in that direction.


    After all, there''s only one river nearby that flows right through the Seabreeze Terrace neighborhood.


    "That''s right! It''s not far from Azure Isle. We''ve already cleared the path, so if you want to go, you don''t have to worry about moving and encountering danger. Of course, you don''t have to decide right away. You cane back with us this afternoon and check out the Seabreeze Terrace neighborhood!"


    "Sure, no problem!" Quentin said excitedly.


    The two discussed for a while longer, and then Elijah, seeing that everyone had almost finished resting, said, "Shall we head back now?"


    "Alright!"


    The group left Quentin''s base again and followed Elijah towards Azure Isle.


    Unlike before, this time Ivy joined them as she wanted to see the environment of the Seabreeze Terrace neighborhood. Zachary stayed behind, tasked with the security of the base.


    Since they had already cleared out the zombies on their way there, the return journey went smoothly.


    The group quickly reached Seaside Avenue.


    Quentin, seeing the area cordoned off with cars and fences, asked in surprise, "Boss, did you guys do this?"


    "That''s right! We''ve cordoned off the area from here to the Azure Isle shore service area to serve as a buffer zone and enhance the safety of the base. We also have a team extending the buffer zone northwards, with the destination being Seabreeze Terrace neighborhood that we mentioned!"


    "This way, we won''t have to worry about the threat of ordinary zombies in this area!" Quentin was increasingly interested in moving to the new base.


    "Exactly. As long as we have people patrolling this area regrly, we can ensure the base won''t be disturbed by zombies!"


    "If you all really move overter, we can form a joint team to maintain the safety of this area together," Fiona suddenly suggested.


    "Yes, that''s a good idea!"


    While they were discussing, they quickly arrived near the shore service area.


    At this moment, a team was slowly walking towards them from ahead.


    It was Charlotte leading Daisy, Be, and the others back.


    "Hey! Elijah, you guys are back too!"


    Daisy waved happily.


    "Yeah! Have you finished clearing the road to Seabreeze Terrace?" Elijah asked.


    "Yes! We''ve cleared it all! Who are these people?" Daisy said, looking towards Quentin and his group.


    "This is Quentin, the one I mentioned before who went to the mall to trade supplies with us! These are hispanions!" Elijah pointed at Quentin and his group, then turned to them and said, "This is my girlfriend Daisy, and these are all our family members on the ind!"


    Quentin and his group were already stunned!


    Originally, Elijah leading four beautiful women was already astonishing enough!


    But now, unexpectedly, another group emerged, consisting of six uniquely stunning women, each exceptionally beautiful.


    Elijah had mentioned that there were 18 people on their ind.


    Now, besides Elijah, ten beautiful women had appeared before them.


    Considering that some people must remain on the ind, this means there are seven people left on the ind.


    Could it be that these seven are also beautiful women? Has Elijah stumbled into a paradise of women?


    Quentin didn''t know whether to feel envious or jealous!


    And Ivy, seeing all these women who were not only more beautiful than her but also possessed awakened abilities, felt her jealousy and worries vanishpletely.


    With such a group, not only were they all stronger than Quentin, but if they wanted to seduce him, all her efforts would be in vain.


    However, she also realized something.


    These women seemed to have a significant interest in Elijah, indicating a close rtionship with him.


    Thus, she understood there was nothing to worry about!


    At the same time, she felt the urge to build a good rtionship with them.


    After Elijah briefly introduced both sides and recapped their recent alliance, he suggested that Quentin and his group move to Seabreeze Terrace.


    "Alright, I don''t have any objections. After all, it''s better than leaving the neighborhood empty, but I''d like to keep my house," Daisy said nonchntly.


    "In that case, I''ll take Quentin and his group to Seabreeze Terrace for a look. Are youing with us, or heading back to the ind?"


    "We''vepleted our tasks for the day and have been fighting zombies for a long time. We should go back and freshen up," Daisy shook her head.


    "Indeed, they performed well today, so as a reward, I''ve decided to let them rx on the beach for the rest of the afternoon," Charlotte added.


    "Rx on the beach?" Elijah''s mind immediately conjured up images of the beautiful women ying on the golden sands in bikinis.


    Instantly, he lost interest in taking Quentin and his group to Seabreeze Terrace.


    "Ahem! Since you''re heading back to the ind, take this zombie grass with you," Fiona''s sudden interruption thankfully brought Elijah back to reality.


    "Oh, right!" Elijah took the zombie grass, handed it to Be, and whispered a few instructions about properly nting it and adding a corpse core.


    Be nodded happily, recognizing that the zombie grass was about to mature, which meant another sister would soon advance to the second tier on the ind.


    "You all go back and rx; we''ll head to Seabreeze Terrace," Elijah said with great effort before leading Quentin''s group onward.


    The two groups parted ways, heading in opposite directions.


    The path from the shoreline service area to Seabreeze Terrace had just been cleared by Charlotte and her team, allowing Elijah''s group to reach their destination without any obstacles.


    "I''ve heard about this ce before, but I never thought my first visit would be after the apocalypse," Quentin remarked, observing the surroundings and asionally discussing with Ivy.


    Seabreeze Terrace was full of townhouses, each with ample space.


    Even the living rooms wererger than the office he had transformed from his current neighborhood apartment.


    Spacious, bright, andfortable! Quentin was instantly impressed.


    Moreover, the neighborhood featured channels, pavilions, and covered walkways with flowing water brought in from outside rivers, making water retrieval and usage very convenient.


    As for electricity, Quentin noticed the sr panels Elijah mentioned. Although not every house had them, there were enough to power some essential equipment.


    Given the current apocalyptic situation, one couldn''t expect the same amenities as before, like constant air conditioning and refrigeration.


    The key was to use the avable electricity wisely, such as for pumps and lighting.


    "Quentin, what do you think?" Elijah asked after they circled the neighborhood.


    "Fantastic!" Quentin gave a thumbs up, "We''ve decided to pack our things and start moving here tomorrow."


    "Great, then you should go back and get ready!" Elijah said, eager to return to the ind himself.


    Bikinis, here Ie!

 Chapter 172: Whiteys Transformation

    "Boss, we''ll take our leave now!"


    Quentin and his group were eager to return, as he still had to mobilize everyone.


    Although the road had been cleared, especially along the coastal avenue, making it rtively safe, convincing everyone to move here was still a challenge.


    Some people were reluctant to take any risks.


    Quentin had resolved that if they couldn''t handle even this minimal risk, then they might as well fend for themselves.


    After understanding Elijah''s criteria for epting new members, Quentin realized that his previous approach of being overly amodating and epting everyone was not suitable for survival in the apocalypse.


    Recently, he had noticed some people in his group who werezy and just waiting for resource distribution, which was unfair to everyone.


    Each person should contribute to themunity.


    Upon returning, Quentin nned to discuss with Ivy about implementing a points system for distributing resources within themunity, moving away from themunal distribution model.


    Elijah could never have imagined that his involvement would prompt Quentin to introduce a points system, which had been very popr in their previous world.


    In the previous world, three main modes of transaction existed.


    The mostmon was bartering.


    The second mode emerged when corpse cores were discovered and used as currency.


    These two modes were typically used for external transactions.


    Internally,munities usually employed the third mode: a points system.


    Points were awarded based on contributions to themunity, such aspleting tasks or submitting resources, which could then be used to exchange for needed supplies.


    This exchange was usually cheaper than external transactions, serving as amunity benefit.


    These three modes coexisted and became the foundation of social interaction in the apocalypse.


    Elijah didn''t implement these systems within his ownmunity because his group was small, had ample resources, and everyone had a close rtionship with him.


    However, for external dealings, he still used the first two modes.


    After saying their goodbyes to Elijah, Quentin and his group headed back to theirmunity, filled with anticipation.


    Elijah, eager to return to the ind, couldn''t wait to get back. Fiona, noticing his eagerness, couldn''t help but tease him.


    She wandered around Seabreeze Terrace, pulling Elijah along and asking about various things.


    "Do you still want to try the facial cleanser?" Elijah asked Fiona, slightly annoyed, when Lily wasn''t paying attention.


    Fiona looked at Lily''s ample bosom, thought for a moment, and then smiled mischievously.


    "Actually, I can try it without your help!"


    With that, she stopped bothering Elijah and went to chat warmly with Lily.


    Elijah felt relieved but also a bit uneasy.


    He wondered if Fiona might make a move on Lily before he did.


    That wouldn''t do!


    Maybe he should make his move on Lily today?


    "Elijah, let''s go!" Fiona, now eager to return, grabbed Lily and started walking back.


    "Oh!" Elijah hurried to follow.


    They soon reached the coastal service area, parked the truck, and boarded the sightseeing car to head to the ind.


    "Elijah, there''s still a second-tier zombie corpse in the car. How should we deal with it?" Lily suddenly asked.


    "Oh, I forgot about that!" Elijah pped his forehead. He retrieved the second-tier zombie''s body from the truck''spartment.


    "Sophia, you drive. I''ll carry the corpse," Elijah said.


    Sophia, understanding what Elijah intended, sat in the driver''s seat and drove the sightseeing car towards the ind.


    When they reached the vi, Elijah dropped everyone off and then asked Sophia to drive him to the dock.


    "Okay!" Sophia nced at the second-tier zombie''s body and immediately understood Elijah''s n.


    They quickly arrived at the dock, where Whitey was already waiting, having received Elijah''s instructions.


    As soon as Whitey caught the scent of the second-tier zombie, it started flipping around in the water excitedly.


    "Hey, seems eager! Sophia,e help me feed it," Elijah said, knowing this was a chance to strengthen Sophia''s bond with Whitey.


    Sophia joined Elijah, and together they threw the second-tier zombie''s body into the sea. Whitey rushed forward and bit the body in half, swallowing one part whole.


    "Will Whitey be okay eating a zombie''s body?" Sophia asked worriedly.


    "Don''t worry. Even if something happens, I''ll take care of it. I won''t let it pose a threat to the ind''s inhabitants," Elijah reassured her, carefully monitoring Whitey''s condition.


    Whitey ferociously battled the zombie corpse, and thanks to itsrge size, quickly devoured the entire body. Afterward, it floated on the water''s surface, no longer moving around.


    Elijah and Sophia observed Whitey for a while, seeing no abnormal changes.


    This made Sophia breathe a sigh of relief, but Elijah felt a bit disappointed.


    Considering it was a second-tier zombie''s corpse, he had expected some noticeable changes.


    Just as Elijah had this thought, Whitey suddenly moved in the water. Its body began thrashing about, creating huge sshes.


    It repeatedly surfaced and asionally rammed into nearby boat hulls as if it couldn''t feel pain or was enduring some intense agony.


    "Elijah, what''s happening to Whitey?" Sophia asked worriedly.


    "Don''t worry, it''s a good sign!" Elijah closed his eyes and sensed through his mental link, detecting waves of energy emanating from Whitey akin to an awakening.


    "Who would''ve thought Whitey would awaken before Yello?" Elijah remarked.


    However, his joy was short-lived as the energy waves from Whitey began to diminish and finally vanished altogether. In the water, Whitey also ceased its struggles.


    "Did it fail to awaken?" Elijah was stunned.


    "No, it didn''t fail exactly," Elijah said, looking at Whitey. Its body had grownrger, and its dorsal fin had changed, giving it a less menacing appearance.


    "Whitey is evolving towards a more physical mutation rather than awakening an ability. And this mutation process hasn''t stopped yet," Elijah exined.


    Whitey''s current state was simr to a newly awakened human, with enhanced physique and greatly increased potential, requiring time to umte and manifest changes.


    "Regardless, it''s still a good thing!" Elijah said happily.


    Sophia, reassured by Elijah''s exnation, also looked relieved and happy.


    Whitey, having somewhat adapted to its changed body, leapt out of the water towards Elijah and Sophia, radiating joy.


    Feeling Whitey''s happiness, Elijah grinned. "Since you''re so happy, let''s ride you to see those bikini beauties!"

 Chapter 173: Play in the Sea

    "Sophia, do you have a swimsuit on the yacht?"


    "Yes... yes, I do!"


    Sophia thought Elijah had some mischievous idea in mind and shyly responded.


    "Then change into it right here. We''ll ride Whitey to the beach and surprise Daisy and the others!"


    "I think it will be more of a scare!"


    Sophia breathed a sigh of relief and couldn''t help but joke.


    Still, she obediently boarded the yacht and changed into her earliest bikini swimsuit.


    Elijah took off his shirt, revealing his big shorts, so there was no need for him to change.


    Once Sophia had changed, Elijah called out to her and immediately jumped into the sea, swimming to Whitey and flipping himself onto the shark''s back.


    Due to Whitey''s evolution, its body had grown significantly, and its appearance had also changed. This time, Elijah didn''t ride the shark backward but sat steadily on top, grabbing the shark''s dorsal fin.


    Meanwhile, Sophia also jumped into the sea and swam over.


    Elijah pulled Sophia to sit in front of him, holding her soft and smooth body, and said, "Let''s go, Whitey!"


    Whitey began to swim along the ind.


    "Wow, it''s not bad at all. It feels simr to riding a jet ski!"


    Sophia adjusted a bit and then happily eximed.


    "Is it? The speed is just a bit slow!" On


    To keep things stable, Whitey''s speed wasn''t very fast.


    This allowed them to have the time and mood to chat andugh, appreciating the ind from the sea.


    Sophia snuggled in Elijah''s arms as they faced the setting sun, listening to the sound of the sea breeze rustling through the trees, enjoying a rare moment of tranquility.


    Elijah gently held Sophia, although he wanted to caress her, he didn''t want to break the serene moment seeing her peaceful and contented expression.


    They sat on Whitey, slowly moving forward, asionally whispering to each other.


    Time passed, and unknowingly, Whitey carried them to the golden sandy beach.


    At this moment, someone spotted Elijah and Sophia from afar and showed a cunning smile. The person immediately increased the power of the jet ski and rushed toward them.


    Elijah and Sophia didn''t notice at first.


    The roaring jet ski broke their peaceful moment.


    When Elijah saw it was Daisy on the jet ski, his expression changed immediately.


    "Whitey, be careful to dodge! Daisy is a novice driver... don''t get hit!"


    Elijah remembered Daisy''s obsession and love for driving, but she had just learned to drive a few days ago, and she hadn''t even touched a jet ski before.


    Elijah didn''t want to suffer any unnecessary misfortune!


    Whitey obediently tried to avoid Daisy''s jet ski, but it wasn''t as fast as the jet ski and was soon caught up.


    Just as they were about to collide, Daisy suddenly turned the jet ski, creating a huge wave that sshed Elijah and Sophia off Whitey!


    "Hehe, Elijah, was that fun?"


    Daisy stood with her hands on her hips, smiling yfully.


    "Not fun at all!"


    Elijah wiped the seawater off his face and rolled his eyes!


    Sophia felt a bit regretful, missing the rare peaceful time.


    "Is this Whitey? It''s really big!"


    Daisy looked at Whitey with curiosity.


    "How does it feel to ride Whitey?"


    "You can try it!"


    Elijah looked up at Daisy.


    Daisy was wearing a pure white two-piece swimsuit today. Looking up from below, the first thing Elijah saw was a small chubby foot, slender and well-proportioned legs, and a smooth, t belly.


    Further up was the swimsuit that barely covered her chest, with a simple and unique design, showing her delicate corbones and long neck.


    Her hair was wet and draped over her shoulders, her face was makeup-free, with a slight baby fat, looking cute and charming.


    At this moment, Daisy''s face showed curiosity and thoughtfulness. After ncing at Whitey a few times, she said to Sophia, "Sophia, why don''t we switch? You ride the jet ski, and I''ll sit on Whitey for a while!"


    "Sure!"


    Sophia nodded in agreement!


    Once the waves calmed down a bit, she immediately swam over to the jet ski and climbed up.


    Daisy moved out of the driver''s seat and jumped into the sea. The blue water submerged her white, delicate body, but soon she surfaced again and skillfully swam over to Whitey.


    Just as Daisy was about to climb up, Whitey reluctantly shifted, causing Daisy to miss her grip.


    "Hey? Does this guy recognize people?"


    "Well, it''s the first time meeting you. Don''t worry, I''ll calm him down."


    Elijah gave Whitey amand not to resist and then signaled Daisy to get on.


    Elijah quickly climbed on as well, holding her slender waist and stroking her smooth skin. "Ready? I''ll have Whitey start swimming!"


    "Ready!"


    Daisy replied crisply, holding onto Whitey''s dorsal fin.


    As soon as she finished speaking, Whitey began to swim!


    "How does it feel?"


    "It''s not bad! Just not as thrilling as riding a jet ski."


    Daisy said with a bit of regret.


    "Well, you can''tpare. Think about it, if a jet ski runs out of fuel, it stops, but Whitey is different. As long as he has food, he can go as far as he wants!"


    "That''s true!"


    Sophia saw the two swimming around nearby and greeted them before driving the jet ski towards the beach.


    Elijah watched Sophia leave and also noticed several girls in swimsuits, showing off their fair skin, ying on the beach. Some were floating with swim rings, enjoying the sea.


    "Everyone''s here to have fun!"


    Elijah remarked.


    "Yes! It''s a rare chance to rx!"


    Daisy replied yfully.


    "By the way, you saw it too. We got another zombie grass today, and it''s about to mature. When we get back, you should eat it and advance to the second tier!"


    "Thank you, Elijah!"


    Daisy smiled brightly upon hearing this, turned around nimbly, hugged Elijah''s neck, and kissed him before saying:


    "But I don''t want it. I want to advance on my own like Sister Charlotte!"


    "Are you sure you don''t want it?"


    Elijah kissed her back.


    "Yes! Really!"


    The little girl said adorably.


    "Alright then, but this zombie grass is still yours. If you don''t want it, you can decide who gets it."


    "Is that so? Hmm... Be is already at the second tier, so let''s give it to Sister Fiona!"


    "Okay, it''s up to you."


    Elijah pressed his forehead against Daisy''s, his hands caressing her smooth back, whispering:


    "Daisy, it''s been a while since we''ve been intimate."


    "Hmph! I''ve been focused on trainingtely! Besides, didn''t you also take in Sister Katherine and the others?"


    Elijah''s face turned slightly red.


    "But to me, you''re the most important!"


    Hearing this, Daisy''s lips curled into a slight smile.


    "Then... I''ll give you an hour tonight!"


    "An hour isn''t enough! And besides, I want it now..."


    "Here? The sisters on the beach will see!"


    Daisy pouted.


    "In the water, they won''t see..."


    Elijah hugged Daisy and jumped off Whitey.


    "Ah!"


    Daisy instinctively clung to Elijah like an octopus.


    Fortunately, Elijah had water control abilities and supported them both.


    Under Elijah''smand, Whitey swam away from them.


    "See, now no one can see us!"


    "Then... be quick!"


    Daisy pouted slightly.


    Meanwhile, two white swimsuits floated on the surface of the sea, having been removed by Elijah...

 Chapter 174: Because I really like you

    Thanks to Elijah''s water control and underwater breathing abilities, Elijah and Daisy could dive into the sea from time to time, staying submerged for long periods, feeling the tension and pressure the sea brought.


    At times, they would burst out of the water, enjoying the thrill of floating on the sea surface, with the sky as their canopy and the sea as their bed.


    They were like agile fish, tirelessly ying and frolicking in the water, assuming various postures and enjoying an unprecedented new experience.


    Meanwhile, Lily, not far from the beach in the surf zone,y on her surfboard, paddling her hands and feet happily in the water.


    But at a certain moment, she suddenly noticed that Elijah and Daisy in the distance were nowhere to be seen!


    "Hmm? Where did Elijah and Daisy go? They were just there, Sophia said they were ying with Whitey."


    Lily found it odd, but she wasn''t worried that something might have happened to Elijah and Daisy.


    In her eyes, Elijah, with his versatile abilities, was an invincible strong man. He couldn''t be overwhelmed by the sea, especially with his water control ability.


    However, their disappearance did arouse her curiosity slightly, and she also wanted to check on Whitey.


    With a sudden burst of strength in her legs, Lily propelled herself forward in the water, her feet pushing against it like solid ground, creating a muffled thunderous sound.


    Lily gripped the surfboard like a buoy and swiftly moved forward with a series of "ng! ng! ng!" sounds.


    After several efforts, Lily approached the area where Elijah and Daisy had been.


    But she still didn''t see anyone, only two white swimsuits and a pair of shorts floating on the sea surface.


    "Huh? Why are there swimsuits and shorts here?"


    Lily eximed, wanting to reach out and take a look. However, these three pieces of clothing seemed to be pulled by some force, making it impossible for her to grab them.


    "The currents are controlling them!"


    Lily realized suddenly.


    "So... this must be Daisy''s swimsuit, right? And the shorts belong to Elijah?"


    Thinking of this, Lily''s face flushed slightly.


    "Are they...?"


    Just as she was lost in thought, two figures suddenly emerged entangled with each other from the sea surface beside her.


    It was Elijah and Daisy.


    As soon as they surfaced, they gasped for breath, having yed underwater for a long time just now.


    Despite Elijah''s ability to breathe underwater, the amount of air he had wasn''t enough due to the intense physical activity underwater.


    But after just taking a few breaths, Elijah felt something was off. He turned his head and saw Lily lying on the surfboard, staring at them with clear and innocent eyes.


    "Uh..."


    Elijah instinctively hugged Daisy tightly, causing Daisy to sense something was wrong and turn her head to look.


    "Ah!"


    Daisy saw Lily curiously watching them, immediately blushed and buried her head in Elijah''s neck.


    "How did youe here?"


    Elijah broke the awkward silence first.


    "I was just paddling around, didn''t expect to run into you. Sorry to disturb you, please continue!"


    Lily said with a red face, then turned around quickly and hurriedly left.


    "It''s all your fault!"


    After Lily left, Daisy pouted and med Elijah.


    "Yeah yeah, it''s my fault."


    Elijah chuckled, not minding, but in his mind, he recalled Lily lying on the surfboard just now.


    The narrow swimsuit couldn''t contain her grandeur, especially with her tightly pressed against the surfboard, she seemed like a big pie, squeezing out most of her fair skin, giving him a tremendous shock.


    Thinking of this, Elijah couldn''t help but hug Daisy tighter.


    "Why are you still in the mood?"


    Daisy huffed.


    "Because I really like you!"


    Elijah manipted the waves, letting himself and Daisy drift with the current.


    "Hmph! I bet it''s because you saw Sister Lily, right? Haven''t you dealt with Sister Lily yet?"


    Daisy snorted.


    Elijah was caught off guard by her guess and didn''t say anything, just focusing on the task at hand!


    "Tonight, you take down Sister Lily, and then I''ll suddenly jump out and make Sister Lily feel embarrassed!"


    Daisy pouted, yfully humming.


    Is there still such a good thing?


    Daisy''s idea was too brilliant. Elijah was speechless and could only work harder to swim with her towards the shore.


    "Daisy and them are back!"


    Olivia, wearing a swim ring, was sshing around by the shore, enjoying a rare moment of rxation. Lily, alongside her,y on her surfboard like a salted fish, asionally paddling.


    Upon hearing this, Lily nced towards the distance and indeed saw Elijah and Daisy in their swimsuits, swimming towards them in a normal manner.


    Lily grunted twice, choosing not to respond but instead recalling the scene she had witnessed earlier.


    She couldn''t help but mutter to herself, "They really know how to have fun!"


    Meanwhile, Olivia, holding onto her swim ring, kicked her legs vigorously, making her way towards Daisy. "Daisy, is Whitey scary?"


    Approaching Daisy, Olivia couldn''t help but ask curiously.


    "A wild one would definitely be scary, but this one''s contracted with Elijah, so just like Yello, it''s very gentle!"


    "Oh! Is it fun to ride Whitey?"


    "Well... it''s okay. Do you want to try?"


    "No, no, I was just curious!"


    Olivia shook her head repeatedly. Then, the two of them chatted while swimming back.


    Olivia was dressed in a blue and white one-piece swimsuit today, giving her a youthful and vibrant appearance.


    Although her body was slightly immature and naive, she exuded the innocent liveliness of a teenage girl.


    Unfortunately, Elijah could only nce at her momentarily.


    He quickly turned his gaze to Lily, whoy on the surfboard like a salted fish. Lily seemed to know Elijah''s preferences.


    Despite the hotel''s ample supply of clothes, she still wore a bikini with very little fabric.


    Especially the top, which was so splendid that it barely covered the key areas with palm-sized fabric. Sensing Elijah''s gaze, Lily''s slightly childish doll-like face blushed slightly.


    "...Elijah, is there something wrong?"


    "No issues, just thinking you look really beautiful today! Um, yes! Very beautiful!"


    Seeing Elijah''s eyes seemingly glowing as they scanned her, Lily couldn''t help but feel a twinge of joy.


    However, just then, Elijah''s brow suddenly furrowed.

 Chapter 175: Sandcastle

    After spending some time together, the women on the ind had somewhat grasped Elijah''s character.


    "He likes to admire beautiful women!"


    In simpler terms, he had a taste for the opposite sex!


    This was amon male weakness, or you might say, nature.


    In this increasingly brutal apocalypse, having a strong figure like Elijah to protect and lead them meant they didn''t have to worry about food, clothing, or their living conditions being so good.


    This w was something they could ept.


    The women slowly became conscious and reached an unspoken understanding, knowing they would eventually be Elijah''s women.


    Lily was no exception; she had long been mentally prepared.


    However, recently she had gradually noticed that Elijah seemed to have made certain progress with most of the women on the ind.


    Even Sophia from next door, who camete at night, had her door knocked on yesterday.


    She secretly saw Elijah enter her room.


    Only she herself had remained inactive!


    Perhaps this was rted to her spending less and less time with Elijah recently.


    Always acting separately, their rtionship naturally couldn''t progress any further.


    So when she found out they were going to y by the seaside in the afternoon, Lily, well aware of men''s nature, immediately thought of using her strengths to attract Elijah.


    Hence, she deliberately chose this swimsuit.


    At this moment, seeing Elijah''s eyes shining at her, Lily couldn''t help but mutter smugly to herself: "Hehe, I still have quite a charm!"


    But immediately after, she saw Elijah furrow his brows slightly and then say, "Actually, if we''re talking about issues, there''s still something a bit unusual about you!"


    "Where?"


    Lily immediately became nervous.


    Elijah gestured towards his chest, saying, "You''re unusually prominent here; I think you should get it checked out properly! You know, even if we had the equipment now, we wouldn''t know how to use it. But my abilities can check. How about Ie to your room tonight and give you a thorough examination?"


    Elijah said seriously.


    All that worry for nothing!


    Lily breathed a sigh of relief, then red at Elijah yfully.


    "Hmph, you just want to take advantage of me!"


    "I ampassionate as a healer!"


    "What healer?"


    Like Daisy and Olivia, who each had a lifebuoy, they were floating and ying in the sea, and happened to float over, curious to ask.


    "It''s nothing!"


    Elijah coughed and said to Lily, "It''s settled then!"


    Lily blushed but neither nodded nor refused!


    She turned around and yed in the water with Daisy and Olivia.


    Elijah took it as her tacit agreement, satisfied, watched the three women y for a while, then turned his gaze to the beach.


    At this moment, Katherine, Grace, Sophia, and Jasmine were building sandcastles on the beach, already building arge-scale structure.


    The four women were also wearing swimsuits, white, blue, pink, and ck, each with its own characteristics.


    Katherine wore a one-piece dress-style swimsuit, with a design that entuated her chest, making her bosom look particrly magnificent.


    The sleeveless strap style showcased her smooth back and delicate corbones.


    Below was a short skirt swimsuit decorated with ruffled edges, giving it ayered feel.


    The whole swimsuit perfectly outlined her alluring body curves, disying both fashion and personal charm!


    The only w was that it covered too much!


    Grace, on the other hand, wore a bikini swimsuit, predominantly white with pink patterns, simple yet giving a casual and rxed impression.


    Her upper swimsuit had less fabric, but she didn''t have Lily''s assets to boast about, yet it looked very appealing.


    Unfortunately, the bottom was square-cut shorts, which Elijah wasn''t very satisfied with.


    Inparison, Sophia''s bikini swimsuit truly embraced minimalism, with very little fabric, and her wheat-colored skin made her stand outpared to the other women nearby.


    But whenpared to Jasmine and the others, they paled inparison.


    Although Jasmine was wearing a ck one-piece swimsuit, she had no skirt underneath, just a triangr swimsuit. The tight cuffs made her plump thighs look extremely voluptuous.


    The upper body swimsuit only had a strap hanging around her neck, with arge area of ??skin exposed on the back, all the way to her waist.


    The front was even more boldly designed, with a deep V-shaped opening directly above her navel, showing her bombshell figure to the fullest!


    It made people unable to look away at first sight.


    Sure enough, young people don''t know the goodness of women, and only after tasting them do they know that this is a treasure!


    Jasmine obviously also noticed that Elijah was looking at her, and she waved to Elijah.


    "Come and help us build a castle together!"


    "I didn''t expect Aunt Jasmine to have such childishness!"


    Elijah smiled and walked forward. The four women were responsible for different directions, and the scale of construction here by Jasmine seemed far less than that of the other three women.


    "The older you get, the more you need to keep a young mentality, otherwise you and I will have nothing inmon!"


    "Who said Aunt Jasmine is old? I think she is young!"


    Elijah said sincerely.


    No matter the appearance or the inner self, she is no worse than the young girls!


    Jasmine nced at Elijah charmingly.


    "Sister loves to hear this! Say more!"


    "Then how can sister thank brother?"


    Elijah said, and the hand holding the sand involuntarily touched her smooth and fleshy thigh.


    "Don''t!"


    Jasmine grabbed Elijah''s moving hand and nced at Fiona and others lying on the beach chair behind.


    "Don''t mess around, people will see it!"


    Then she bit her lip lightly, "Come to my room at night, you can thank you however you want!"


    Jasmine felt that since thest time, the practice of body building has had obvious results.


    Guessing whether it was because of Elijah, she thought about trying a few more times.


    "Not tonight, I have an appointment, tomorrow!"


    Elijah said with regret.


    "With Lily?"


    "How do you know?"


    Elijah was stunned!


    "Hehe! I can tell at a nce that something is wrong with you! And you and Daisy, are you in the water..."


    Jasmine deliberately didn''t finish her words, but how could Elijah not understand what she meant.


    "You really have eyes and ears! No wonder you have the least sand castle!"


    "That''s why I asked you to help me!"


    Jasmine said in a slightly coquettish tone.


    Although she was the oldest and was no longer suitable for coquettishness, her tone was just right, so Elijah didn''t feel greasy at all.


    "Okay, I''ll help you!"


    Elijah began to build a sand castle seriously.


    But Jasmine didn''t want to give up like this.


    She thought about it, and then whispered to Elijah:


    "Actually...we can also go to the water to y for a while..."

 Chapter 176: Fionas Advancement

    Going swimming with Jasmine?


    To be honest, Elijah felt his heart flutter for a moment when he heard that!


    But he immediately extinguished the thought.


    If he suddenly ran off with Jasmine to swim, with so many people on the shore watching, anyone would think there was something suspicious going on. Even if Daisy saw them, she could easily guess what he and Jasmine were up to!


    However, it wouldn''t be polite to reject Jasmine when she was being so proactive.


    An idea struck Elijah.


    "It''s too conspicuous to go swimming now! Auntie Jasmine, how about you wait for my signal tonight, and then you can wait for me outside..."


    Upon hearing this, Jasmine''s eyes sparkled with even more charm.


    "So... what signal will you give me?"


    "You''ll know when the timees!"


    Elijah smiled mysteriously.


    Then the two of them seriously began building a sandcastle.


    After a while, Elijah apanied them, then walked over to lie down on a beach chair.


    Hannah, Fiona, and Charlotte were all wearingrge sunsses, enjoying a rxing time here.


    Seeing Elijah approach, Fiona hinted, "Did you have fun today? So many beautiful women in swimsuits, just for you to see!"


    Elijah didn''t answer and instead asked, "Why didn''t you three go y?"


    "I''mzy!"


    Fiona replied frankly, taking a sip of juice.


    "Just sunbathing is nice!"


    Hannah said indifferently.


    Among them, she had the best skin quality, and what''s more, even wearing a bikini that exposed most of her skin to the sun, her skin hardly changed.


    Fiona couldn''t help but touch her own skin with envy after hearing that.


    She wasn''t reallyzy; it''s just that prolonged sun exposure made her skin red, like a cooked shrimp.


    So when she went out, she always wore a sun-protective shirt and applied sunscreen.


    "It''s nice just watching you all quietly!"


    Charlotte said finally.


    "Where''s Be?"


    Elijah looked around and didn''t see Be.


    "Be''s period hasn''t ended, so she can''t get in the water. She''s resting at the vi, and Abigail is keeping herpany because she''s afraid of water too!"


    "Oh, I see!"


    Elijah understood.


    "By the way, I got a nearly mature zombie grass today. Daisy said she doesn''t need it and left it for Fiona to use!"


    "Really?"


    Fiona said with surprise.


    She didn''t particrly enjoy practicing physical techniques or cultivating the Hun Yuan Technique, so she wouldn''t refuse a shortcut.


    "Really!"


    "Then I must thank Daisy properly!"


    Fiona said, then lifted the thin veil she had on, jumping up and running toward the sea.


    Fiona was wearing a long-sleeved, sun-protective one-piece swimsuit with a white base and ck crescent moons as decoration.


    From the front, it looked quite conservative, with her neckpletely covered, leaving only the lower part of her bikini bottoms and her long, slender legs exposed, giving a hint of allure.


    But from the back, it was an open-back design,pletely bare from the neck down to the waist.


    Elijah watched as Fiona rushed into the sea, hugging and yfully teasing Daisy.


    This was a stark contrast to her usual calm and wise demeanor in front of others, and he couldn''t help but smile.


    This side of Fiona was truly adorable!


    "Fiona usually acts so serious. This is much better!"


    Charlotte reminisced about teaching her the Hun Yuan Technique, recalling how embarrassed and annoyed Fiona had been when she touched her, and she couldn''t help but smile.


    Elijah looked over at Charlotte. Compared to Fiona, her outfit was less conservative but not as bold as Hannah''s.


    Hannah was still wearing the same set she wore on the yacht, though now shey on a beach chair with a thin cover over her.


    Charlotte, on the other hand, had nothing covering her because she was in a hazy blue, wide-strap one-piece sporty swimsuit.


    As long as she tied a shirt around her waist to cover the lower part, she could even walk around the streets.


    The three of themy on the chairs, watching Fiona and Daisy y and chat from time to time.


    Time passed quickly, and as the sun slowly set, painting the sea gold, the streetlights along the road gradually lit up.


    A group of people packed up and returned to the vi to freshen up.


    In the evening, everyone gathered for dinner again.


    During this time, Elijah used Katherine''s ability to mature the zombie grass they had harvested today.


    With Be''s assistance, they cut the zombie grass.


    Using her second-stage healing ability, Be easily rejuvenated the root of the zombie grass.


    With this, they now had four reusable spirit nts.


    They had three zombie grasses, and if used solely for awakening, with a reasonable schedule, these three could form a cycle, allowing them to harvest one each day for awakening.


    This meant that even considering giving Quentin and his team a bottle of awakening potion, in just six days, everyone on the ind and in the service area on the shore could be awakeners.


    This would make Elijah''s boast to Quentin a reality.


    However, Elijah didn''t n to use them all right away.


    He decided to hold off on the newly arrived Vincent and Zoey, reserving one zombie grass to mature for advancing the other team members to the second stage.


    For now, the mature zombie grass was given to Fiona.


    She did not disappoint and sessfully advanced to the second stage, significantly enhancing her abilities.


    Initially, her telekinesis range was only five meters, which she had barely managed to extend to ten meters through training.


    Now, it had directly increased to twenty meters with room for further growth.


    The weight her telekinesis could control also doubled from around ten pounds to forty pounds, with potential for more.


    Additionally, her telekinesis now offered some defensive capabilities, allowing her to form a telekic shield in front of her to block attacks, simr to what the second-stage telekinesis zombies had done.


    Although this shield wasn''t very strong¡ªonly capable of withstanding ordinary zombie scratches and easily torn apart by someone like Lily or Elijah with a full-force attack¡ªit was still quite impressive.


    At least she, like Hannah, wouldn''t need to wear thick clothes to prevent zombie scratches in the heat.


    She could now enjoy wearing cool skirts, shorts, and T-shirts.


    Fiona''s advancement made everyone envious, eagerly anticipating what changes their abilities would undergo after their own advancements.


    Elijah promised to schedule one person each week to advance to the second stage.


    With an ample supply of corpse cores, zombie grass could mature in about six to seven days.


    Even if it didn''t mature naturally, Elijah could always speed up the process.


    After dinner, they continued chatting for a while.


    They had all had a great time today, and as they talked, they gradually became sleepy and went to their respective rooms.


    Before leaving, Jasmine gave Elijah a seductive look, reminding him not to forget their rendezvous that night.


    Meanwhile, Lily, with her head down in shyness, returned to her room.


    To those unaware, it might have seemed like she was struggling to lift her head due to her chest.


    Elijah first went to his room, then used Daisy''s ability to quietly slip outside Lily''s door.


    He gently pushed, and the door opened.


    This time, Lily hadn''t locked it.


    Elijah felt a thrill. It seemed Lily had been ready for this! He walked in happily and then closed the door behind him.

 Chapter 177: let me test my abilities

    The seventeenth day of the apocalypse!


    Morning!


    A group of people gathered around the dining table, enjoying breakfast.


    Today''s breakfast included steamed buns, dumplings, pickles, sausages, braised eggs, bread, and more.


    Some were pre-packaged ready-to-eat foods, some were freshly made by Be and Hannah, and some were leftovers from yesterday.


    Everyone picked ording to their preferences.


    Elijah chose steamed buns and sausages.


    He broke open a plump, white bun, stuffed it with a sausage, and savored it with delight.


    He finished with a bowl of thick, fully-cooked rice porridge, feeling satisfied as the day began.


    Lily, sitting opposite Elijah, blushed as she watched him eat with such pleasure, his face full of satisfaction.


    She couldn''t help but think aboutst night.


    "Did Elijah do it on purpose?" Lily mumbled softly.


    Her face flushed, heart racing, she avoided looking at him and focused on her food.


    On the other side, Jasmine squinted her eyes, blowing on the still-hot rice porridge before taking small sips.


    The slightly hot porridge warmed her whole body as it flowed down her throat and into her stomach, instantly recovering the energy she had lost practicing physical techniques that morning.


    At the same time, Jasmine mused to herself: Today, her strength had increased significantly.


    Seeking Elijah''s help indeed worked, and consuming his... essence was even more effective!


    Jasmine had discovered a shortcut to rapidly enhance her physical strength through physical training, even without awakening.


    But it did take a toll on Elijah!


    However, she couldn''t monopolize Elijah every day.


    If she drained him for ten or fifteen days straight, she might even awaken her abilities through this method.


    But she couldn''t do nothing either!


    Jasmine made up her mind. Last night, they could enjoy the summer evening breeze under the trees, sharing the night with the cicadas.


    Today, they could try something different!


    After all, Elijah couldmunicate with her telepathically.


    Likest night, she suddenly received a message in her mind, inexplicably knowing where Elijah wanted her to wait.


    She didn''t doubt it, didn''t hesitate, and went immediately.


    Sure enough, Elijah was there waiting.


    If it workedst night, it could work in the future too!


    Midnight secret rendezvous, leaving their marks all over the ind...


    Jasmine believed Elijah wouldn''t refuse, but she needed to prepare as well.


    Maybe today, she would go pick some interesting clothes.


    Elijah, unaware of their thoughts, focused on his breakfast, replenishing the energy he lostst night.


    Sometimes, he wondered, if not for his enhanced physique from his awakening abilities, dealing with so many beautiful women would have worn him out.


    But now, thanks to his robust physique, incredible recovery ability, and Charlotte''s powers, which allowed him to operate his body with precise control, he could enjoy such blessings.


    Hence, improving his strength was crucial, both for fighting zombies outside and for dealing with beauties at home.


    This morning, he had exerted immense willpower to get up early and practice the Hun Yuan Technique.


    Otherwise, he would have been reluctant to part from Lily''s magnificent chest!


    Soon, everyone finished breakfast. Charlotte led a team northward again, training by killing zombies, expanding the safe zone to the north, and collecting necessary supplies.


    Elijah and Fiona nned to continue south.


    About 6 kilometers south of Azure Isle, there was a gas station.


    Their goal was to clear the road to the gas station. Recently, they had been using fuel extracted from vehicles on the road, which was enough for now.


    This was because they hadn''t been using vehicles very frequently, but in the future, that might not be the case.


    As the exploration distances increase, vehicle usage will be increasingly frequent and crucial, so stockpiling gasoline and diesel is necessary.


    Yesterday, they established a two-kilometer buffer zone to the south; now, they only need to advance another four kilometers to reach the gas station.


    This four-kilometer stretch doesn''t need to be entirely cleared; they just need to create a passable road.


    Elijah''s team remained the same as yesterday. He, along with Fiona, Hannah, Lily, and Sophia, drove straight to the southern buffer zone''s edge.


    As they arrived and prepared to clear the road, several box trucks approached from the direction of the mall.


    Lily and Sophia immediately became vignt, while Elijah and Fiona watched the approaching vehicles with ease.


    "They''re probably Quentin and his team moving house," Fiona remarked.


    "Yes, given the direction and the number of trucks, it must be them," Elijah confirmed with a nod.


    Hearing this, Lily and Sophia rxed. The convoy soon arrived at the intersection, and the leading truck stopped.


    Quentin and Ivy emerged from the driver''s and passenger''s seats.


    "Boss, did youe to wee us because you knew we were moving?" Quentin asked with a happy grin.


    "You''re overthinking it. We just happen to be clearing the road south," Elijah responded.


    "Uh..." Quentin was momentarily taken aback, but Ivy quickly intervened.


    "South? Boss, are you heading to the gas station four kilometers away?" she asked.


    "That''s right," Elijah confirmed with a nod.


    Fiona took a moment to scrutinize Ivy, impressed by her ability to deduce their destination from the direction alone.


    Fiona believed Ivy must have memorized all the nearby map information, ready to retrieve relevant details whenever needed.


    "Ah, the gas station. That''s definitely a spot worth securing in advance. Fuel is more precious than food," Quentin agreed.


    "Since you''ve safely arrived here, the remaining distance should be even safer. Hurry up with the move. Once you''re settled at Azure Isle, I''ll give you a bottle of awakening potion," Elijah offered.


    "Got it, we''ll get right to it. Thanks, boss!" Quentin''s enthusiasm surged. He quickly ended the conversation, pulling Ivy back into the truck.


    The convoy resumed, heading towards Seabreeze Terrace.


    The drivers behind, all of whom Elijah had met before, waved in respect as they passed.


    There were a total of seven trucks, with thest driven by Zachary, who gave Elijah a toothy grin and shouted, "Boss!"


    Elijah waved back.


    The noise from Quentin''s convoy disturbed some zombies in the nearby neighborhoods.


    Those near the gates began to wander out, trailing behind the trucks.


    As the trucks turned a corner and disappeared, the zombies were immediately drawn to Elijah and his team, lunging towards them.


    "Everyone stand back; let me test my abilities!" Fiona suddenly announced, her eyes alight with excitement as two bone spikes, gleaming with a zed finish, floated in front of her.


    "Alright!" Elijah nodded.


    Before Elijah could finish speaking, Fiona had already sent the two bone spikes flying at high speed.

 Chapter 178: This time Elijah was speechless

    Two bone spurs danced like nimble sprites, weaving in and out of the eye sockets of the zombies.


    The zombies fell like harvested wheat, copsing in unison.


    Lily and Sophia gasped in astonishment.


    "Amazing!"


    Lily murmured.


    With her own formidable strength, she could also kill these zombies, but her efficiency was nowhere near Fiona''s.


    And the process would inevitably be messy with blood sttering everywhere, unlike Fiona''s graceful and cool disy.


    "What use is my strength!"


    She couldn''t help butin.


    "No, it''s still very useful in many aspects!"


    Elijah couldn''t help but respond.


    Lily shot him a reproachful look.


    Unconsciously, she recalled what Elijah saidst night.


    He told her to rx a bit!


    Otherwise, he''d be immobilized!


    In Lily''s state of extreme tension.


    Even an iron rod would be ground into a needle!


    But it was indeed veryfortable!


    Elijah couldn''t help but click his tongue in admiration.


    "Sister Fiona''s graceful and cool moves are so simr to that... that guy in Guardians of the Gxy!"


    Sophia, unaware of the cryptic exchange between Lily and Elijah, simply admired Fiona''s swift zombie-ying like wheat harvesting.


    "His are arrows, mine are different!"


    Fiona replied, as the two bone spurs flew back to her side, hovering quietly. Before her, there was not a single zombie left standing.


    "Graceful indeed, but the consumption of mental energy is enormous!"


    Fiona sighed.


    "If another dozen or soe, I would have to retreat while fighting!"


    "That''s already impressive!"


    Elijah consoled.


    "Yeah, yeah, if I had Sister Fiona''s ability, I''d beughing in my dreams!"


    Sophia nodded in agreement.


    "Your sensing ability is also great, indispensable to the team!"


    "Alright, stop ttering each other, quickly extract the corpse cores and continue clearing the road!"


    Elijah stopped their conversation.


    "I need to rest for a bit!"


    Fiona held her forehead.


    "Okay!"


    Elijah pouted, knowing Fiona didn''t want to do the dirty work.


    When they first met, he didn''t notice it, but as they got to know each other, she gradually revealed her true nature, and her princess-like airs would asionally slip out.


    Elijah even suspected she intentionally went on a killing spree to find an excuse to avoid extracting the corpse cores.


    Look at Hannah, she''s so diligent!


    Just as Elijah thought this, he noticed Hannah asking Lily to split the zombies'' heads open, then using her freezing ability to cover her hand with ice before stirring inside the zombie''s brain to find the corpse core.


    Alright, she''s also a clean freak, but at least she uses a method!


    Elijah didn''t stay idle either, he swiftly and neatly smashed open the zombies'' skulls.


    After extracting the cores, they threw the zombies'' bodies into the roadside greenery, piling them up together.


    Hoping one day, beautiful nts might grow from them.


    After finishing, Elijah and his group continued southward, clearing the road and killing zombies along the way.


    After adapting yesterday, Sophia was no longer scared of the zombies. Today, she was bing more skilled in killing them.


    By noon, they could already see the gas station from a distance.


    Elijah didn''t rush. He led the group to a nearby safe shop, locked the door, and began to rest, eating some food to replenish their energy.


    After resting for a while, while Lily was using the restroom, Fiona sidled up to Elijah and whispered softly, "Did you conquer Lilyst night?"


    "How did you know?" Elijah was surprised.


    "Pfft, Lily''s been giving you some strange looks today!" Fiona rolled her eyes at him.


    "Uh... I didn''t notice anything unusual," Elijah replied innocently.


    "Men are really clueless sometimes. Tell me, how did Lily''s face wash feel?"


    "Smothering!"


    "..."


    "So I washed somewhere else!"


    "..."


    Fiona scrutinized Elijah up and down.


    "You seem to be having quite the fun!"


    "Jealous? If you had enough volume, we could try it too! But you definitely can''t beat Lily; her packaging is perfect, especially visually..." Elijah reminisced.


    "I''m so sorry!" Fiona huffed.


    "Oh, by the way, just to let you know, I''m on my period for the next week, so don''t bother me, and the same goes for Hannah!"


    "..."


    This time Elijah was speechless!


    But soon he thought it was probably for the best. Otherwise, he''d really be overwhelmed.


    Just then, Lily returned, and the two stopped discussing the topic.


    However, Lily couldn''t shake the feeling that Fiona was giving her strange looks.


    After a short rest, they resumed their cleanup efforts.


    They arrived at the gas station smoothly along the way.


    The gas station''s employees had also turned into zombies; there wasn''t a single living person, easily taken care of by Elijah and his team.


    "The gas station is a great ce. Not only do they have gasoline and diesel, but also a convenience store with quite a lot of food and drinks!" Sophia wandered into the convenience supermarket of the gas station, marveling.


    "Yeah, we should bring back the stuff from the supermarket. As for gasoline and diesel... we don''t have enough containers to store them. It''s better to leave them here, but we''ll need someone to guard them!" Elijah contemted, thinking of who would be suitable.


    The person should ideally be an Awakener, capable of handling emergencies alone.


    Gabriel was actually the best candidate; he had awakened two days ago and his abilities suited... to escape and report!


    Next choices could be Daisy, Charlotte, or Grace?


    Well... maybe not Grace; her abilities could identally set the gas station on fire.


    "Who should we get to guard? I actually have the perfect candidate!" Fiona suddenly spoke up.


    "Who?"


    "Aren''t you recruiting a bunch of newbies? What are they for?" Fiona smirked.


    "Right!" Elijah suddenly realized.


    When they returned, he would give Quentin''s team a bottle of awakening potion. He would definitely imnt the Seed of Consciousness into it.


    This way, he could gradually control the mid-to-high level members of Quentin''s team and truly control Quentin''s team.


    He could totally let the newly awakened person guard the gas station. Just give them a certain amount of gasoline and diesel allocation, and with someone imnted with the Seed of Consciousness watching, he wouldn''t have to worry about Quentin''s people cheating and taking extra gasoline or diesel.


    "Let''s do that! Next, let''s pack up the supplies from this convenience store!" Elijah nodded in satisfaction.


    Just then, Sophia approached Elijah nervously and whispered, "Elijah, I think I sensed someone southwest of here just now, but now I can''t sense them anymore!"


    Elijah immediately switched to Sophia''s ability, scanning southward, but didn''t find any suspicious figures.


    However, he didn''t doubt Sophia''s words; after all, she could only sense active biological movements, and if someone stayed still, they would disappear from her sensory field.


    "It''s okay. You guys pack up the supplies first; I''ll monitor the surroundings."

 Chapter 179: Old Acquaintance

    Elijah appeared to be casually directing Lily and the others to load supplies from the convenience store, as if he didn''t know anything was amiss.


    However, secretly, he continuously activated Sophia''s perception ability, probing the southwest direction.


    Over ten minutes passed without any movement there, exactly as Sophia had mentioned, with no suspicious figures in sight.


    Just as Elijah began to doubt Sophia''s sensing abilities, a figure suddenly appeared in his perception!


    Finally, he''s moved!


    Elijah felt a surge of excitement but maintained a poker face.


    His gaze casually swept towards where the person was supposed to be.


    Yet, the next moment, his expression briefly darkened before returning to normal. Inside, though, he was far from calm.


    In Elijah''s perception, the person was standing openly under a tree, without much high cover around.


    However, when Elijah looked directly there, he found nothing¡ªas if there was no one there at all.


    But in Elijah''s perception, the person was rxed, moving stealthily closer to them like a ghost.


    "Invisibility ability?" Elijah guessed inwardly. He was sure it wasn''t Daisy''s invisibility since the person was under direct sunlight, not in shadow.


    Elijah covertly tracked his movements, staying vignt against any sudden attack.


    However, when the person approached within twenty meters of Elijah''s group, he suddenly stopped and pulled out a crossbow from behind him.


    Elijah immediately recognized it as a genuinely lethal crossbow, not a toy.


    In the previous world, crossbows were highly favored for their effectiveness against zombies and in ambushes.


    The quality varied widely¡ªcheap ones were ineffective while expensive ones rivaled firearms in damage and range.


    The crossbow in the person''s hand looked crude, clearly homemade, and pulling it out at 20 meters suggested it had limited effective range.


    Despite this, Elijah didn''t let his guard down.


    He marveled at the person''s intelligence forbining invisibility with a crossbow for long-range attacks.


    Without perception abilities, it would be nearly impossible to detect such an assant.


    Unfortunately for him, he encountered Elijah now.


    If Elijah weren''t worried about switching off his perception and identally alerting the person, he had several ways to deal with him.


    For instance, he could switch to Fiona''s telekinesis and control bone spikes for a surprise attack.


    However, bone spikescked sufficient killing power at a 20-meter range.


    If the first strike failed, he''d need to switch back to Sophia''s perception, risking the person''s escape.


    Gabriel''s speed ability posed simr challenges¡ªif Elijah didn''t apprehend him immediately, the invisibility could be used to evade capture.


    Thus, Elijah relied on Sophia''s perception and his own skills for the most secure approach.


    Seeing the person readying the crossbow arrow for a lethal shot, Elijah no longer held back.


    He propelled himself towards the person with powerful leg movements.


    The invisible person had just loaded the arrow but saw Elijah charging towards him.


    In an instant, Elijah covered half the distance.


    Realizing he was discovered, the person didn''t hesitate.


    He aimed the crossbow at Elijah, pulled the trigger, and then without looking, turned and ran.


    As he ran, he wondered how he was discovered. Could Elijah be a perception user?


    But how could he move so fast if he were?


    He held onto a sliver of hope, thinking Elijah might have been tipped off by someone else in their group who had perception abilities, not Elijah himself.


    Therefore, he didn''t run in a straight line but zigzagged, constantly changing his position to exploit his invisibility and shake off Elijah.


    Meanwhile, Elijah didn''t dodge the arrow but let it strike him, knowing his speed wouldn''t diminish.


    Coupled with the invisibility user''s erratic movements, he was caught up to in the blink of an eye.


    Elijah swiftly thrust out a bright silver spear from his hand.


    "Boom!"


    The spear jabbed into the invisible person''s scap, the enormous force knocking him off bnce. He tumbled to the ground, propelled by inertia, rolling until he hit a car and finally stopped.


    Atst, the invisibility dissolved, revealing a young man''s face.


    He struggled to get up, fear evident in his eyes as he stared at Elijah.


    He hadn''t expected this person not only to take his crossbow bolt head-on but also to catch up to him so quickly.


    Moreover, he could urately pinpoint his location even while he was invisible and possessed such immense strength.


    Who on earth was this guy, and what abilities did he possess?


    He tried to struggle to stand up, but his scap was in excruciating pain, as if it were broken.


    His hands and legs were injured from the fall just now, so he couldn''t get up on his first attempt.


    And then, the man was already standing in front of him.


    He immediately surrendered, begging, "Big brother, spare me! I know where there''s a massive amount of supplies, enough to livefortably for a lifetime!"


    Elijah stopped, not moving further.


    Though Elijah appeared calm and cold on the surface, inside he was in turmoil. He didn''t strike not because of the plea for mercy, but because of the man''s appearance.


    This man was someone he knew!


    Someone who had driven him to a dead end in a past life!


    And in this life, an enemy he had longed to personally kill!


    Nathan!


    No wonder he had invisibility powers.


    In a previous life, it was his invisibility that had sessfully ambushed Elijah, forcing him to lure the zombie horde and perish together.


    But immediately Elijah had a doubt.


    Shouldn''t Nathan be in the western suburbs?


    Why did hee here?


    Was it that he had not yet encountered Matthew, or did he have some other purpose foring here?


    "Big brother?"


    Seeing Elijah lost in thought, Nathan tried to stand up and escape, but at that moment, several unusually beautiful women surrounded them.


    "What ability does he have? Howe we couldn''t see him earlier?" Lily wondered.


    She had been startled when Elijah suddenly attacked, and then was hit by an arrow.


    "Probably some kind of invisibility ability!" Fiona nced at Elijah and her intuition told her that Elijah seemed to know this person.


    "Exactly!"


    At this moment Elijah also finished his thoughts and looked at Nathan.


    "Who are you? Why did you ambush us?"


    As he spoke, he pulled the arrow out of his body and gestured towards him.


    Nathan then noticed that his crossbow bolt had only pierced the other''s skin a little, and hardly at all.


    How strong must his defense and muscle strength be?


    And more incredibly, the wound in front of him closed in the blink of an eye.


    "Self-healing?" Nathan wondered.


    "I''m asking you a question!"


    Elijah said, kicking Nathan''s leg hard.


    "Ah!"


    Nathan cried out in pain, then forcibly held back, looking at Elijah with a fawning expression, but his hatred and resentment in his eyes couldn''t be concealed.


    "Big brother ... I ... I didn''t mean it. I just thought thesedies were too beautiful, so I thought ... Big brother, I didn''t hurt you guys, please spare me! I ...


    I know a ce, there''s a massive amount of supplies there, as long as we get them, we''ll never have to worry about food or drink for the rest of our lives!"


    "Oh?"


    Elijah replied extremely coldly, seemingpletely uninterested in the so-called supplies.


    "What''s your name?"


    "Nathan!"


    Nathan honestly answered.


    "What was your purpose foring here?"


    Nathan was about to make up a lie, but then he heard Elijah say, "I forgot to tell you, we have the ability to detect lies here. If you don''t tell the truth, this arrow will go back into your body just the way it was!"


    Nathan immediately swallowed hard. Although he didn''t quite believe Elijah''s im about detecting lies, he couldn''t be sure whether it was true or false.


    What if it''s true?


    Given his fierceness, he might really be shot with an arrow.


    Anyway, it''s not something he can''t say.


    Thinking this, Nathan immediately changed his tune, "I came here to find someone!"


    "Who are you looking for?"


    "Olivia, the daughter of our leader!"

 Chapter 180: Olivias Mother

    "What?" Lily and Sophia couldn''t help but exim in surprise.


    Elijah''s expression mirrored their astonishment.


    "Nathan''s leader is Matthew? Could Matthew be Olivia''s father?" Elijah pondered briefly. However, Olivia had previously mentioned her surname didn''t match Matthew''s... but it could be her mother''s surname.


    "Do you know Olivia?" Nathan''s face lit up with a glimmer of hope, feigning a surprised expression.


    "Well, well, what a small world," Elijah chuckled nomittally. "So, who is your leader?"


    "Kylie," Nathan replied without hesitation. His words were all true, so he wasn''t concerned about any lie-detection abilities.


    Elijah frowned slightly. He had never heard of this person before.


    "The CEO of YLK Cosmetics? I didn''t expect Olivia to be a young heiress!" Fiona suddenly interjected with a smile.


    "Indeed. Do you know our leader?" Nathan''s heart skipped a beat.


    "We''ve met a couple of times. Her cosmetics are good; she once gifted me a few sets, and I''m still using them. How is Kylie doing these days?" Fiona asked with a smile that was more mocking than friendly.


    "She... she''s doing fine," Nathan forced himself to appearposed.


    "As long as she''s doing fine. Surviving in this apocalypse is no easy feat. But Kylie has a good eye for people; she sent you out to find her daughter. Your abilities seem quite suitable for navigating this world overrun by zombies," Fiona remarked casually. "I''m curious, though¡ªcan your ability also cloak others invisibly? How do you n to safely bring Olivia back once you find her?"


    Seeing no suspicion in the others, Nathan breathed a sigh of relief.


    He grinned ingratiatingly, "Originally, no, but recently my abilities have improved. Now I can barely cloak one person along with me."


    His words hinted that he might know how to enhance abilities, thereby increasing his leverage for survival.


    "Second-tier abilities?" Elijah was surprised.


    He hadn''t expected Nathan to advance to the second tier so early. No wonder he dared to roam alone, stirring up trouble everywhere.


    In the previous world, Nathan had operated independently in the northern suburbs under Matthew''s banner, recruiting numerous ability users.


    By then, he was already a seasoned second-tier, pushing his physical abilities to the limits of the second tier.


    Coupled with his elusive invisibility, aside from a few third-tiers, hardly anyone could evade his ambushes.


    If he hadn''t been greedy for Crystal Grass and sought Elijah''s help to harvest it, Elijah might have been killed when he refused to join.


    Nathan''s early advancement to the second tier suggested they might have uncovered secrets of spirit nts and knew how to advance abilities.


    This realization spurred Elijah to hasten his ns for revenge against Matthew.


    If they grew stronger or ascended to the third tier, dealing with them would be more challenging.


    Elijah resolved firmly in his mind.


    Although Elijah didn''t fully trust Nathan''s words, he subtly signaled Fiona, and they stepped aside.


    Meanwhile, Lily, Hannah, and Sophia remained vignt, watching Nathan closely.


    "What do you think about what he said?"


    "Three parts truth, seven parts falsehood. Do you think you know him?"


    "Not exactly, but we have a bit of history," Elijah replied calmly.


    "What about this Kylie?"


    "She''s the CEO of YLK Cosmetics, and thepany is doing quite well. It''s one of the best high-end cosmeticspanies in the country, worth billions, and she''s also quite beautiful. You can see a refined version of Olivia in her. As for her personal life, I don''t recall her having a husband. Interested in her?" Fiona teased lightly.


    Elijah ignored Fiona''s banter and continued, "Considering her personal charm or abilities, do you think she can stillmand someone like Nathan, a second-tier ability user, after the apocalypse?"


    "Unless she''s awakened an ability herself or attached herself to a powerful ability user like me," Fiona nced at Elijah with a hint of self-awareness. "Otherwise, someone as beautiful as her would only be a pawn in this wild era and couldn''t possibly lead a team! That''s why I said three parts of Nathan''s words are true, seven parts are false.


    The truth lies in the fact that he might really havee to find Olivia, and Kylie was once his leader."


    "Hmm," Elijah nodded thoughtfully. "Do you know where theirpany is located?"


    "It''s in the West City District... Oh! I know where he meant by that ce where you can live worry-free for life!" Fiona''s eyes lit up. "Yes, how did I not think of it before?" She shook her head in frustration. "Even if you figure it out, it''s no use. We''re on the East Coast here.


    To get to the western suburbs, you''d have to go through the city center or detour from the south suburbs. It''s not only too far, but there are too many zombies, especially in the city center! Safety can''t be guaranteed, unless like Nathan, you rely on your abilities for solo missions."


    "Huh? By the way you''re talking, do you know where that ce is?" Fiona blinked.


    "The western suburbs. The only ce that fits the description would be the online shopping mall''s warehouse base, and it''s probably thergest in the country! Nathan and his group could have thought of it because they have goods stored there."


    "Pretty smart. So apart from Olivia''s matter, this person isn''t of much use. Have you figured out how to deal with him?" Elijah asked calmly.


    "Of course," Elijah replied, then turned back to face Nathan.


    "Elijah, returning, watched Nathan nervously. He didn''t know what Elijah and the woman had discussed, but he understood that this was the moment his fate would be decided.


    "Big brother, I... I... I know how to enhance abilities. Since you''ve awakened superpowers yourself, surely you want your abilities to advance further?" Nathan hesitated for a moment, then gritted his teeth and revealed his biggest trump card.


    Elijah chuckled lightly at his words. "Do you think someone who can defeat you would have abilities inferior to yours?"


    Nathan''s face stiffened. He had guessed this would be the case, which was why he no longer kept this secret. He hadn''t expected Elijah to truly not care.


    "As for the ce you mentioned, the one where you can live worry-free for life, I actually know about it. So you see, aside from youing to find Olivia, which did surprise me, you can''t provide any value that would make me overlook your actions just now."


    "Big brother, this... it''s all a misunderstanding. Please consider Kylie''s reputation..."


    "Kylie... I don''t know her, so there''s no reputation to speak of. However, there is something on you that I do need."


    "What?" Nathan''s face lit up with hope. As long as he could save his life, he was willing to offer anything.


    "Your corpse core."


    "Huh? Corpse core??" Nathan looked utterly bewildered.

 Chapter 181: Have you been waiting long

    He had no idea what Elijah was talking about.


    But then he seemed to remember something and said in horror, "The corpse core you mentioned... is it the Magic Crystal?"


    "It seems some people call it that!" Elijah replied. As soon as he finished speaking, a sh of cold light gleamed in his hand, and a sharp dagger plunged directly into Nathan''s throat.


    "Gurgle... gurgle..."


    Nathan didn''t have time to dodge; he could only instinctively cover his throat with his hands, trying to press down on the wound Elijah had inflicted.


    But it was useless. Blood gushed out of the wound, a considerable amount entering his esophagus and mouth, causing him to vomit blood profusely.


    Nathan stared at Elijah with wide, angry eyes, not understanding why this person had suddenly attacked him.


    Even knowing the few pieces of information he provided, keeping him alive for mutual verification would have been beneficial!


    He was unwilling! So unwilling!


    As his blood drained away, Nathan''s consciousness began to blur, his heart filled with various resentments and anger, fueling him to use hisst strength to grab at Elijah.


    But in the next moment, a sh of cold light, and the hand reaching for Elijah was smashed by a bright silver spear, dropping limply.


    But Elijah wasn''t satisfied with that and continued smashing Nathan''s remaining three limbs with the spear.


    "Although I had some grudges with this person, you must remember, in this world today, if anyone shows malice or intent to kill you, don''t be merciful. Your kindness won''t earn their forgiveness. When given the chance, they will retaliate a hundredfold!" Elijah lectured the women.


    "I understand, Elijah!" Lily nodded.


    "Yes!" Sophia, who had first discovered Nathan and observed his every move, fully understood that if it were only her, her fate would have been dire.


    So she didn''t feel that Elijah''s attack was wrong.


    Hannah and Fiona, needless to say, stood firmly on Elijah''s side since choosing him.


    At this point, Nathan''s eyes finally became vacant, slowly turning blood-red.


    As he lost consciousness, the zombie virus began to take over his body.


    Soon, Nathan fully zombified, his mouth suddenly opening wide and letting out a terrifying roar at Elijah.


    "Roar~"


    Unfortunately, Nathan''s arms and legs had been smashed by Elijah, rendering him immobile, making his roars seem absurd andughable.


    "Thunk!" Elijah''s spear thrust forward, piercing Nathan''s brainpletely. This time, he was truly dead.


    Elijah then extracted a second-tier corpse core from Nathan''s head.


    "Consider it a reward for my mercy!" Elijah muttered, pocketing the corpse core.


    If it were ording to his initial thoughts after being reborn, he would have thrown him into a horde of zombies to let him experience being torn apart and eaten alive.


    However, considering the information Nathan provided about Olivia''s mother, Elijah decided to give him a quick death.


    Thinking of Olivia''s mother, Elijah told the women, "When we get back, don''t mention this to Olivia. Fiona and I will talk to her."


    "Okay!"


    "Got it!"


    Sophia, Lily, and Hannah responded in unison.


    "Alright, let''s clear a buffer zone around the gas station and then head back!"


    Elijah pped his hands, signaling the women to continue their work.


    At the same time, he gestured to Sophia to collect Nathan''s body.


    After all, it was a second-tier body, and Whitey would likely appreciate it.


    Sophia understood and found a bag to put Nathan''s body in, then ced it in the car.


    The group then worked for over an hour, using the vehicles as outer barriers and the fencing as inner barriers, to create a safety buffer zone around the gas station.


    They also set up anotheryer of protection inside the gas station.


    Once everything was finished, they got back into the car and drove back.


    They didn''t take all the supplies from the convenience store; the car didn''t have enough space, and they wanted to leave some food for the people who would be guarding the area.


    Since they had cleared the way earlier, the return journey was smooth, and they soon arrived back at the service area by the shore.


    As they entered the service area, they immediately saw Quentin leading a group of people waiting there.


    "Boss, you''re back!" Quentin eagerly watched Elijah park the car.


    "Yeah, have you been waiting long?" Elijah asked.


    "Not too long, just two hours!" Quentin replied with a big grin.


    "Alright, I''ll go get the awakening potion for you right away! By the way, have you decided who will use it?" Elijah asked.


    "We''ll follow your orders, Boss!" Quentin said seriously.


    "No, I won''t decide. I told you I wouldn''t interfere with your team management!" Elijah replied.


    "Well... alright then!" Quentin rubbed his hands and then pulled Zachary over. "Let''s have Zachary awaken first!"


    "Quentin..." Zachary looked at Quentin gratefully.


    "Okay, just wait a bit longer!" Elijah patted Zachary on the shoulder.


    "Alright, Boss! No rush!" Zachary tried to contain his excitement.


    Seeing this, Elijah said nothing more and had Sophia take Nathan''s body and return to the ind with some of the women.


    Sophia went alone to feed Whitey, while Elijah and the others returned to the vi.


    By this time, Charlotte and her group had already returned and were resting in the living room.


    "You''re back early today!" Elijah remarked.


    "We advanced another two kilometers south. The safe zone is nowrge enough. We''ll leave that area to Quentin and his group. If they want to expand it further, they can do it themselves!" Charlotte replied.


    "Exactly, we can''t keep doing all the work for our subordinates!" Elijah nodded and then walked into the spirit nts cultivation room.


    Currently, he had four spirit nts.


    The Crystal Grass had grown more luxuriant over the past two days but still hadn''t developed any apertures.


    Although Elijah wasn''t in a hurry initially, seeing Nathan today made him eager to cultivate another third-tier ability user.


    This would ensure that when he went to the west suburb to seek revenge on Matthew, there would be someone to guard the ind and keep everyone safe.


    So, he buried the second-tier defense zombie''s corpse core he got yesterday and today''s second-tier stealth ability user''s corpse core under the Crystal Grass, hoping to elerate its growth.


    Besides the Crystal Grass, he had three zombie grasses. One was in the seedling stage, which he had just harvested yesterday.


    Another was in the early production stage, and thest one was in the mid-production stage.


    The mid-stage zombie grass''s third leaf had basically grown and was ready for awakening use.


    To be safe, Elijah used Katherine''s ability to hasten its growth a bit before cutting it down.


    Then, using Be''s ability, he revitalized the zombie grass, allowing it to continue growing from the seedling stage.


    He then put the zombie grass in a juicer, added some cucumber, celery, sugar, and other ingredients, blended it all together, and poured it into an empty bottle.


    "Alright, the awakening potion is ready!" Elijah announced.

 Chapter 182 : The First Piece

    Quentin and his group were anxiously waiting at the service area by the shore.


    Zachary, in particr, was pacing back and forth like an ant on a hot pan.


    As soon as they saw Elijah driving the sightseeing car from the ind, they immediately ran to the bridge to meet him.


    "Boss!" Zachary''s eyes were fixed on Elijah, as if he were gazing at a rare beauty, making Elijah shiver with difort.


    "Why are you waiting here?" Elijah asked.


    "Well... we''re just anxious," Zachary replied with an awkwardugh.


    "Being anxious doesn''t mean you have to wait here. Come on, let''s go into the service hall!" Elijah said, leading the way into the service hall.


    At this moment, Gabriel, along with Emily and Xavier, also gathered around.


    Vincent and Zoey, in particr, were overjoyed to learn about the awakening potion, which could grant them special abilities.


    They were extremely d they had joined Elijah''s team.


    Since the boss was willing to let outsiders awaken, they believed that by contributing more, it would only be a matter of time before they, as insiders, would get their turn.


    Consequently, they worked even harder.


    Vincent had alreadye up with a nning scheme to discuss with Elijah, while Zoey was meticulously handling the statistics assigned by Fiona.


    This task was incredibly tedious and time-consuming, requiring detailed categorization and record-keeping of all base supplies, including quantities, production dates, prices, and more.


    She also had to estimate the scarcity, sustainability, and renewability of resources in the post-apocalyptic world to facilitate re-pricing and trading.


    Food items, in particr, needed special attention regarding production dates and shelf life to ensure timely use or trading.


    The importance ofputers became evident during this process.


    Fortunately, the base had electricity, allowing her to manage the work more efficiently.


    A group of people surrounded Elijah as they entered the service hall''s rest area.


    Once he sat down, they all looked at him expectantly.


    Under their watchful eyes, Elijah took out a bottle.


    Through the transparent body of the bottle, they could see a glowing green liquid that seemed to shimmer with fluorescence.


    "Is... is this the awakening potion?" someone asked.


    "That''s right!" Elijah handed the bottle to Zachary, who carefully epted it.


    "You just need to drink it. The awakening process might cause some hunger, but it''s not certain. It depends on the potion''s effectiveness and the individual''s physique. Gabriel, prepare some food for him!" Elijah instructed.


    "Okay, brother-inw!" Gabriel replied, immediately bringing over some food.


    Once everything was ready, Zachary, under the envious gazes of the crowd, excitedly opened the bottle and drank it in one gulp.


    The potion entered his mouth with a cool, bitter taste, followed by a hint of sweetness, and then a crisp, refreshing vor that seemed to include cucumber and celery among other things.


    The mixed vors made it hard for Zachary to discern the ingredients, but it wasn''t unbearable.


    As he forced himself to swallow the odd-tasting potion, it transformed into a warm current that filled his body.


    Soon, he felt a wave of hunger, not too intense but noticeable.


    Since food was already prepared, he didn''t resist and immediately began to eat.


    Seeing Zachary gobbling down the food, Quentin and Ivy, who had experience with this process, smiled, knowing it had worked.


    Once Zachary stopped eating, the other underlings eagerly asked, "Zachary, how do you feel?"


    "What ability did you awaken?"


    "Show us!"


    Zachary closed his eyes to sense his new ability and then said with delight, "My ability is Petrification!"


    "Is it like Boa Hancock''s power, turning others into stone?" someone spected.


    "But Zachary doesn''t look any better!" another teased, which made Zachary grimace.


    "My current ability can only cover my own skin with ayer of petrified stone, simr to Quentin''s defensive power."


    "Oh, so you won''t fear zombies anymore!" The group buzzed with excitement and jealousy, eyes fixed on Zachary.


    Zachary demonstrated his ability by covering his skin with a rough, stone-likeyer.


    Ordinary knives couldn''t cut through it, let alone zombie ws and teeth.


    Additionally, he could concentrate the power in his hands, forming massive stone fists, making him a formidable opponent with natural heavy weapons.


    As everyone surrounded Zachary, Elijah watched contentedly, observing the consciousness link between him and Zachary.


    Silently, he imnted subtle subconscious suggestions.


    This was his first pawn.


    In the future, when more team members awakened, or when Quentin and Ivy advanced to the second tier, he could secretly nt Seeds of Consciousness within them, achieving true control over the team.


    "Boss, we''ve collected some corpse cores. When can we get more potions?" Quentin asked Elijah quietly.


    "And about the advancement potions..."


    Elijah noticed that not only Quentin but also the others were focusing on him, waiting for his response, especially Emily.


    This awakening potion was originally intended for her, ording to the n.


    "Currently, there are no more potions avable for distribution. The next potion you can get will be avable at the earliest next week. As for the advancement potion... it will be ready in half a month. However, if you can find spirit nts, depending on their quality, it could be as soon as the next day."


    Quentin and his group immediately showed expressions of joy, while his underlings looked eager and ready to go out to find spirit nts and kill zombies.


    Zachary''s sessful awakening provided a clear path for the rest of Quentin''s team.


    They realized that by collecting enough corpse cores or finding spirit nts, they coulde to Elijah to buy or exchange for awakening potions.


    While the former required waiting and queuing, spirit nts could be quickly exchanged, making Quentin''s team members eager to go out, find spirit nts, and kill zombies.


    However, Quentin didn''t rush to lead his brothers out.


    He still had Elijah''s words about a body strengthening technique that could rapidly enhance an awakened person''s abilities on his mind.


    "Boss, when would it be convenient for you to arrange for some of us to learn that body strengthening technique?" Quentin asked.


    "Oh, right!" Elijah remembered. "Gabriel, Quentin and a few others want to learn the body strengthening technique.


    Arrange a time to teach them."


    "Sure, brother-inw! Emily is the best at it; I''ll have her take charge," Gabriel said, pushing Emily forward.


    "You little rascal..." Elijah shook his head with a smile, understanding Gabriel''s hint to not forget about Emily and to give her a chance to awaken.


    "Alright, tomorrow morning, have Emilye to the ind. She won''t be left out!" Elijah said.


    Emily''s face lit up with joy. "Okay, brother-inw, I promise to teach them well!" she said loudly.


    "Good," Elijah nodded, then turned to Quentin. "Work out the details of the body strengthening training with Gabriel and schedule it reasonably. Now, I have something else to discuss."


    "What is it? Just say the word, Boss!" Quentin replied eagerly, willing to do whatever Elijah asked.


    "Today, we cleared the road to the gas station to the south, but we couldn''t bring all the fuel back. There''s no ce to store it. So, we fenced off a safe area around the gas station and n to have someone guard it. But as you know, while our people are strong, we''re short on manpower. We need some of your team to help guard it. Of course, your men won''t work for nothing.


    There''s a supermarket nearby with plenty of food and water that we''ve set aside. Additionally, your team can take thirty percent of the fuel from the gas station," Elijah exined.


    Quentin''s face lit up with delight. "No problem, Boss! We''ll handle it," he responded enthusiastically, clearly motivated by the offer.

 Chapter 183 : I think you just want to play games

    "This is a simple task, Boss! Just say the word, and we''ll do it. No need for any share," Quentin said, patting his chest.


    "Hey, don''t say that. Even among close brothers, there should be clear ounts. Especially when it involves risking lives," Elijah replied firmly.


    "Alright, if you insist," Quentin agreed, seeing Elijah''s determined expression.


    "Though the area has been cleared, for safety, I think it''s best to send someone who can handle things independently," Elijah continued.


    "Then let Zachary take a few brothers with him," Quentin suggested.


    "Okay," Elijah nodded.


    "Boss, don''t worry. I''ll make sure to guard the gas station well," Zachary promised.


    "Good, I trust you," Elijah said, feeling relieved.


    Just as Elijah was about to head back to the ind, Quentin remembered that with Zachary and some of his team leaving, he would have even fewer people avable, and there was still the newly discovered mall to explore.


    Inspired by the gas station''s sharing arrangement, he had an idea.


    "Boss, there''s one more thing," Quentin said.


    "What is it?" Elijah asked, puzzled.


    "Yesterday, we mentioned exploring a mall," Quentin began.


    "Yes, you encountered a second-tier defensive zombie there," Elijah recalled.


    "Right! Now that we''ve moved, we n to continue exploring that mall and clear it out. Given ourst encounter, we''d like to request your help. Not for free, of course. Once we clear and upy the mall, how about we give you fifty percent of the resources?" Quentin proposed.


    "Hmm, that''s a good idea," Elijah mused.


    It was a timely suggestion since Charlotte and her team were nning to explore beyond their immediate surroundings, and the road to the mall had already been cleared, making it rtively safer.


    "Do you agree, Boss?" Quentin asked, overjoyed.


    "Yes, I agree. Bring your team over tomorrow morning, and we''ll send a squad to join you," Elijah confirmed.


    "Great!" Quentin eximed.


    "Anything else?" Elijah asked.


    "No, that''s all," Quentin replied.


    "Good. It''s still early. You can start learning the body strengthening technique with Gabriel," Elijah suggested.


    "Got it!" Quentin and his team eagerly found Gabriel to begin their training.


    With everyone upied, Vincent seized the opportunity to approach Elijah. "Boss, I have an idea I''d like to discuss with you," he said.


    "Oh? What idea?" Elijah looked at him curiously. A gamer having a good idea?


    "Here''s the thing, Boss. Zoey has a massive workload while cataloging supplies and needs to use aputer. While setting up herputer, I realized we have excellentwork wiring and electricity. So, I thought, why not set up a few servers and create a localwork?" Vincent exined.


    "And what are the benefits of that?" Elijah asked, not fully understanding but knowing that without the inte,puters were just tools.


    "There are many benefits. First, it would make data transfer between the ind and the service area much easier. I can also set up fixed-line phones for easiermunication. Second, we can store movies, TV shows, and games on the servers, so everyone can watch and y anywhere within thework," Vincent borated, listing several more advantages.


    "I think you just want to y games," Elijah joked.


    "Well, that''s part of it. But setting up awork center would bring numerous benefits, making our lives feel more normal, more like modern times," Vincent argued.


    Elijah pondered this for a moment.


    He had to admit, he was tempted. People weren''t machines; they needed ways to rx.


    Having ess to pre-apocalypse movies and games was a great way to unwind.


    Besides, not everyone enjoyed physical activities like those avable on the ind, such as KTV, billiards, ping pong, and basketball.


    "What do we need to set this up? Can we do it with the equipment we have?" Elijah asked.


    Hearing this, Vincent''s face lit up with excitement. He had convinced Elijah! If this worked out, surely it would earn him an awakening potion as a reward.


    "Boss, we only have a few officeputers here. To set up awork center and LAN, especially connecting to the ind, we need fiber optic cables,work cables, servers, switches..." Vincent listed a bunch of equipment, making Elijah''s head spin.


    Some items he recognized, others he had never heard of.


    "Just tell me where we can get these things," Elijah interrupted Vincent.


    "Hehe," Vincentughed sheepishly. "I heard you say you''re going to a mall tomorrow.


    It so happens that a few hundred meters west of that mall, there''s aputer city. They should have everything we need."


    "You''ve got it all nned out, huh? Alright, once we clear out the mall, I''ll take you to theputer city," Elijah agreed, appeasing Vincent before finally heading back to the ind.


    Sophia had just returned, so Elijah asked, "Has Whitey changed after eating that second-tier corpse?"


    "Whitey''s gotten bigger, but there aren''t any significant changes otherwise," Sophia replied.


    "Alright," Elijah nodded. He hadn''t sensed any signs of Whitey advancing to the next tier through their mental link. It seemed Whitey was evolving physically without developing any special abilities.


    Back at the vi, Elijah discussed Quentin''s proposal about exploring the mall with Fiona and Charlotte.


    Both agreed without any objections.


    While exploring the mall would require effort, clearing the road to it had been the most time-consuming part.


    Now that the hardest part was done, the rest just needed cautious handling.


    Plus, Elijah would be joining them, making it like getting half the mall''s resources for free.


    "Where''s Olivia?" Elijah asked Charlotte after finishing the ns for the next day.


    "She''s outside training with Grace," Charlotte replied.


    "Such diligent girls," Elijah remarked, ncing at Fiona sitting elegantly on the sofa.


    "Don''t look at me. Go talk to her yourself. I need to rest," Fiona said, dismissing him.


    "Alright then," Elijah resigned himself to handle it alone.


    "What do you need to talk to Olivia about?" Charlotte asked, puzzled, as Elijah left.


    "We met someone today¡­" Fiona''s voice faded as Elijah closed the door behind him.


    Scratching his head, Elijah pondered how to discuss the matter with Olivia.


    Based on the information he had gathered and his knowledge from his previous life, Olivia''s mother''s situation might not be good.


    But he quickly formted a n. He could use this opportunity to inquire about Matthew and gauge Olivia''s mother''s likely circumstances.


    Unconsciously, Elijah found himself at the training ground where Jasmine, Grace, and Olivia were diligently working out.


    The nting sunlight made their sweat-covered skin gleam attractively.


    He waited until they finished their set before calling out, "Olivia, can I talk to you for a moment?"


    "Huh?" Olivia paused her training, surprised. She looked at Elijah, unsure what he needed to discuss.


    Jasmine and Grace also looked curiously at Elijah, especially Jasmine, whose eyes sparkled with a thoughtful expression.


    "Elijah, what is it?" Olivia asked nervously.


    "Let''s find a quieter ce to talk," Elijah suggested.


    "Oh, okay," Olivia agreed, following Elijah while her mind raced with spection.


    "Could Elijah be nning to..." Olivia blushed slightly, recalling the scene she identally witnessedst night after activating her abilities.


    She had seen Jasmine and Elijah together, realizing Jasmine had be one of Elijah''s women and the two were... very open about it, even in the woods at night.


    This broadened Olivia''s horizons and knowledge, making her feel she was no longer the innocent girl she once was.


    On this ind, it seemed she was the only one not yet one of Elijah''s women.


    Was he now eager to change that?

 Chapter 184: Im not that kind of beast

    As she was lost in thought, Elijah suddenly spoke up.


    "Which room is yours?" he asked.


    Olivia snapped back to reality, realizing they had somehow made their way back to her mansion.


    "Um... it''s on the first floor, this way!" Olivia stuttered, her intuition growing stronger.


    What if Elijah really intends to do something to me? What should I do? Should I refuse or...


    And I''m all sweaty now; at the very least, I should take a shower first...


    Elijah led Olivia into her room, which had ayout simr to Lily''s. However, what surprised Elijah were the cutedy''s pantiesid out in a row on the balcony.


    Uh... does Olivia change her panties this frequently? She must change several times a day with this many, right?


    But then he thought that Olivia had been going out to exercise and kill zombies every day for the past few days, so it made sense for her to change frequently. And maybe she doesn''t wash them every day but umtes them over time?


    Shaking his head, Elijah stopped dwelling on these thoughts and turned to look at Olivia.


    At this moment, Olivia''s face was slightly flushed, her eyes evasive, and she nervously twisted her clothes.


    Scratching his head, Elijah felt Olivia''s gaze on him was a bit strange. But he didn''t think much about it and instead asked ording to the rehearsed lines:


    "Olivia, is your mother named Kylie? The Kylie from YLK Cosmetics!"


    "Yes... yes! Does Elijah know my mom?" Olivia was surprised to hear her mother''s name from Elijah.


    "No, I don''t know her. I just happen to know someone from your mom''spany," Elijah shook his head and continued, "Do you know a person named Matthew?"


    "Fat Matthew? I know him! Does Elijah know him?" Olivia gradually realized that Elijah had no ulterior motives she had been imagining, and her nerves began to settle.


    "Well, I know of him. He probably doesn''t know me! What do you know about this Matthew?" Elijah asked.


    "I don''t know much about him, because I don''t really like him. Every time I see him, he''s always leering at my mom with his squinty eyes! I just know Matthew is one of the area managers at my mom''spany. My mom said Matthew is really good at expanding markets! But he''s just too greedy. Mom is nning to fire him soon!" Olivia wrinkled her brow in thought.


    "I see..." Elijah''s opinion of Kylie''s current situation worsened.


    He hesitated whether to tell Olivia about her mother''s situation.


    Olivia wasn''t stupid and gradually pieced it together.


    "Elijah, are you asking about these things because you know something about my mom? How is she now?" Olivia asked.


    "Well, I did get some information. Your mom might be involved with Matthew, but after hearing your opinion of him and what I know about his character, I feel your mom might be in a tough spot," Elijah replied.


    Olivia''s face turned pale at his words, but she quickly regained herposure.


    "As long as my mom is alive, that''s what matters!"


    Then, after a moment''s hesitation, she continued, "Elijah, could you help me check on my mom? And if possible, bring her back... I know this request is a bit unreasonable, but if you help me, I''ll do anything you ask!"


    Olivia looked at Elijah nervously, but she didn''t expect Elijah to hesitate at all. He reached out and gently touched her head.


    "What are you saying? I already consider you and your mom as my family. Even if you didn''t ask, I would do everything in my power to bring your mom back!" Elijah reassured her.


    "Thank you, Elijah!" Olivia eximed with a mix of joy and excitement. Suddenly, she threw herself into Elijah''s arms, hugging him tightly.


    Elijah patted her back gently and continued, "But you know, your mom''spany is in West City District, quite far from here, and the journey is extremely dangerous. So I can''t leave immediately; I need to prepare. Especially since your strength isn''t enough yet, I hope that by the time I leave, you''ll be able to protect yourselves."


    "Yeah, I understand, Elijah," Olivia said bashfully as she pulled away from Elijah''s embrace.


    She had been so caught up in her own thoughts that she had forgotten it was the apocalypse.


    To reach West City District from here, they would have to cross through the densely popted downtown area where zombies were likely to be more numerous and the danger much higher.


    "Although there''s news that your mom might be with Matthew, anything could happen in these times, so you should prepare yourself mentally. In case your mom..." Elijah started cautiously.


    "I know, Elijah. Fate is fate," Olivia interrupted firmly.


    "Yeah! Spend these days improving your strength. I''ll be able to go out with peace of mind once you''re strong enough," Elijah affirmed.


    "Okay, Elijah."


    "That''s settled then. I''ll head back now. Freshen up, ande over for dinnerter!" Elijah said, giving her head another gentle pat before turning to leave.


    "Elijah!" Just as he reached the door, Olivia called out suddenly.


    "What is it?" Elijah turned back, asking.


    "It''s... nothing. Thank you," Olivia replied. In that brief moment, she had a sudden impulse, but she swallowed her words.


    Elijah chuckled and shook his head, then walked out.


    Olivia stood in the room, feeling a bit dazed. Her mind wandered between thoughts of her mother, Elijah, and the sisters on the ind. Her emotions were in turmoil.


    After a while, she regained herposure and slowly walked into the bathroom.


    Meanwhile, as Elijah exited Olivia''s room, he saw Jasmine pushing open the mansion door and walking in.


    "It seems you really had something important to talk to Olivia about!" Jasmine wore a charming smile on her face, swaying her delicate figure as she approached Elijah.


    "Of course, why else would I..." Elijah realized her intention and snorted.


    "I''m not that kind of beast!"


    "Is that so? Butst night, you were like an animal with me..." Jasmine teased with a hint of resentment.


    "That''s because you were swaying around holding onto trees!" Elijah retorted unapologetically, pulling Jasmine into his embrace without hesitation, feeling her voluptuous body against him.


    "And besides, you seemed to enjoy it, didn''t you?" he added.


    "Well... tonight..." Jasmine whispered near Elijah''s ear, "how about I wear a special outfit?"


    "What kind of special outfit?" Elijah asked.


    "I found a Japanese-style schoolgirl pleated skirt set!"


    "You little fox!" Elijah teased, giving her a yful squeeze.


    "Wait for my signal tonight!" Jasmine pouted cutely.


    "Fine~" Jasmine''s eyes seemed to be filled with watery charm as she nced at him.


    "Well... see you tonight!" With a sway of her curvaceous hips, Jasmine returned to her room, leaving Elijah to savor the feeling in his hands before leaving the mansion.


    On the way, Elijah started seriously considering his ns to go out.


    His promise to Olivia wasn''t just talk.


    He had already nned to seek revenge on Matthew and rescue Kylie, with helping Olivia as an added task.


    Since he had decided to proceed with vengeance, he needed to prepare adequately. He thought carefully.


    First, he needed someone of at least Third Stage strength to stay on the ind, and ideally, everyone should awaken.


    After Emily''s awakening tomorrow, only Xavier, Jasmine, Vincent, and Zoey remained unawakened.


    He could temporarily set aside thest two and focus on upgrading the others to Second Stage using more spirit nts.


    Vincent and Zoey could awaken after he left, under Fiona''s arrangements.


    Regarding his subordinates like Quentin, he must ensure control over them and Ivy through contracts before leaving, along with Zachary and potentially one or two others who might awakenter.


    This way, he would have a strong grip on Quentin''s team.

 Chapter 185: He couldnt resist

    Elijah''s preparations for his uing journey were meticulous.


    With Quentin and his team securing the perimeter, the safety of the women on the ind would significantly improve.


    Now, Elijah focused on his personal preparations for leaving the ind.


    Once outside the range of the ind''s residents, his ability to mimic would decrease significantly.


    Although his current strength made him virtually fearless, having multiple abilities to choose from was always advantageous.


    It would allow him to handle unexpected situations with greater ease.


    Without relying on the ind''s residents, Elijah would have to rely on the zombies he controlled.


    "It looks like I''ll need to cultivate a batch of zombies," Elijah mused to himself.


    With 26 contract slots still avable, he nned to use all of them to contract zombies starting tomorrow.


    His goal was to develop them into awakened zombies and ultimately select a group with practical abilities to advance to the Second Stage.


    Thinking about Second Stage zombies, Elijah summoned Abigail and four other female zombies to him.


    "Abigail, can youmand these zombies effectively now?" Elijah asked.


    "Yes, Master!" Abigail replied confidently without giving anymands.


    The four zombies dispersed and surrounded Elijah, causing a moment of rm. If his abilities were to fail in the future, they might attack him.


    However, they simply stood there without taking any further action.


    In the next moment, they obediently returned to Abigail''s side, lined up, and awaited inspection.


    "???" Elijah looked at Abigail in surprise.


    "What''s wrong, Master?" Abigail tilted her head, puzzled by Elijah''s reaction.


    "You didn''t give any verbalmands just now. How did youmand them?" Elijah asked, intrigued.


    "I just did!" Abigail replied matter-of-factly.


    "Well..." Elijah circled around the zombies, pondering. Could zombies have their own unique means ofmunication?


    He had imprinted Abigail''s information on these zombies, and Abigail, being an unprecedented intelligent zombie, had slowly mastered this form ofmunication.


    Elijah hadn''t encountered this situation before, so he could only specte.


    Regardless, it was a positive development.


    In future battles with a group of zombies, he wouldn''t need to distract himself withmands; he could simply utilize their abilities.


    Grantingmand to Abigail would enhance theirbat effectiveness significantly.


    Elijah fed each of the four zombies several corpse cores, hoping they would advance to the Second Stage soon.


    That evening after dinner, Elijah briefed everyone on the ns for the next day.


    He and Charlotte would lead a small team to meet Quentin''s group and clear out zombies from another mall.


    In addition to himself and Charlotte, four volunteers were needed.


    Fiona volunteered first but rmended Gabriel instead. Elijah chose Daisy, Lily, and Olivia from the others who raised their hands.


    He assigned Hannah and Sophia to continue fishing the next day to see if they could catch more Spirit fish.


    Be seemed upset about being ignored, so Elijahforted her.


    He exined that as a core member of the team, she needed to focus on cultivating spirit nts and couldn''t always apany them to highly dangerous ces.


    When he left, he would rely on Be to nurture spirit nts.


    Whileforting Be, Elijah identally discovered that the annoying little sanitary pads she wore had finally disappeared.


    This discovery sparked an idea in Elijah''s mind.


    "Since words can''t convince you, I''ll use action to persuade you!"


    The 18th day of the apocalypse!


    Elijah woke up entangled in the arms of two girls.


    Looking around, it felt eerily familiar.


    Grace and Katherine each held one of his arms, curled up against him, still asleep.


    For a moment, he almost thought he was back a few days ago.


    Fortunately, the room''s decor waspletely different from his own.


    This snapped him awake instantly, recalling what had happenedst night.


    Elijah had given Be a good "lesson" after sedating her, only to be promptly kicked out of her room.


    Surprisingly, her reason was identical to Charlotte''s: do not disturb her during her practice.


    During these days of her cycle, Be had insisted on practicing the Hun Yuan Technique every night, making it a habit, while also feeling her strength continually increasing.


    So, refreshed, she promptly kicked Elijah out to focus on her practice.


    Helpless, Elijah went to find Jasmine, after all, they had agreed not to miss each other.


    After signaling Jasmine, she quickly arrived at the designated spot.


    Under the bright streetlights, Elijah was stunned at the sight of Jasmine!


    Tonight, Jasmine had indeed dressed as she had described, in a pleated Japanese-style schoolgirl skirt, with white thigh-high socks.


    Whether intentionally or not, the socks seemed a size too small, tightly gripping her thighs, entuating their fullness.


    Above that was a skirt so short it barely covered anything, swaying provocatively with every step she took.


    Her school uniform top was equally small, barely concealing her chest, looking like it might burst open any second, revealing a t stomach and voluptuous waistline below.


    "What a temptress!" Elijah eximed, especially as Jasmine innocently looked at him with herrge, innocent eyes.


    He couldn''t resist!


    Elijah moved in immediately!


    ...


    In the silent depths of the night, the two engaged in a friendly session of learning and exchange, deepening their understanding of each other.


    Elijah''s knowledge of yoga also grew richer!


    After their study session, noticing howte it was, Elijah worried about Jasmine walking alone at night, so he carried her back.


    In the darkness, unable to see the road clearly, they encountered some bumps along the way.


    With great determination, Jasmine refrained from showing any signs of fear and sessfully returned to her room.


    The midnight adventure ended, and Elijah had originally intended to rest there.


    However, by chance, he discovered upstairs that Grace and Katherine were lying side by side in a room.


    They seemed awake, not yet asleep.


    Elijah found this odd¡ªwhy weren''t they sleeping at thiste hour?


    So, after Jasmine fell into exhausted sleep, Elijah quietly made his way to Katherine''s room!


    ...


    The early morning of the 18th day of the apocalypse.


    Olivia, influenced by her biological clock, woke up groggily.


    She hadn''t slept wellst night, partly due to the sudden news from her mother.


    And also... Elijah was quite the troublemaker.


    Olivia had been using her sensing ability all along, so she had seen all of Elijah''s antics.


    Absolutely astonishing!


    This had led her to change her underwear three timesst night.


    Struggling to get out of bed, she couldn''t afford to miss her daily morning training to enhance her abilities.


    Once she was ready and stepped out of her room, she happened to see Elijahing down from upstairs.


    "Morning... morning!" Elijah greeted.


    "Morning!" Olivia blushed and replied before running off without another word.


    "Huh? What''s up with her?" Elijah scratched his head, but then shrugged it off, remembering the scene with Katherine and Grace fromst night.


    The reason Katherine hadn''t slept early and had summoned Grace to her room was because she had cultivated a nt with faint Chi energy¡ªa potted tomato seedling.


    When Katherine first awakened her ability, Elijah had given her dozens of corpse cores, hoping she could cultivate nts simr to spirit nts.


    Initially clueless, Katherine mechanically buried the corpse cores around various nts'' roots, but with no sess.


    It wasn''t until he helped her advance to the third stage and stimted her while ripening spirit nts that she was inspired.

 Chapter 186: A New Supply Point

    In the following days, Katherine continued experimenting by sensing the way spirit nts absorbed corpse cores, continuously ripening fruits and vegetables, and selecting nts that might react to corpse cores.


    This experimentation was extremely tedious and boring, and her own Chi capacity was limited.


    Although she was nurturing ordinary nts, the sheer quantity was overwhelming.


    Therefore, she focused mainly on evenings when she had no other ns to conduct these ripening and selection experiments.


    Finally, tonight, after exhausting her Chi once again, she found a nt among dozens that showed a faint reaction to the corpse cores.


    Excited, unable to wait until the next day, she dragged Grace along to practice the Hun Yuan Technique together to restore their Chi.


    Finally, in thete hours of the night, she ripened the nt that showed a faint reaction to the corpse cores, expending all her energy to fully mature the potted tomato seedling.


    Seeing the branchesden with bright red tomatoes, they couldn''t contain their joy.


    Coincidentally, Elijah arrived at that moment, and they excitedly recounted everything to him.


    Though Elijah didn''t see the fluorescent glow characteristic of spirit nts on the tomato seedling, after tasting one, he did sense the trace amounts of Chi within.


    As the saying goes, the first step is always the hardest, and this sessful first step meant they were on the right track!


    Having a low Chi content was okay; they could continue to cultivate and select.


    More importantly, these nts they cultivated themselves, containing trace amounts of Chi, could be propagated on arge scale.


    Little by little, a qualitative change woulde sooner orter.


    Thinking of all this, Elijah couldn''t contain his joy at the time, hugging and touching Katherine affectionately, eventually involving Grace unavoidably...


    Last night, Katherine and Grace had worked tirelessly into the early hours, so Elijah decided not to wake them in the morning.


    He went downstairs alone and found a quiet spot outside to practice his daily Hun Yuan Technique.


    After finishing his morning exercises and returning to his vi, Elijah discovered Emily eagerly waiting for him on the ind.


    Taking advantage of everyone being upied with breakfast preparations, Elijah ripened another growth stage of zombie grass into awakening readiness.


    Following his usual process, he made a potion and handed it to Emily.


    Emily was ecstatic and, under everyone''s watchful eyes, she drank the potion and sessfully awakened her ability!


    Her ability, like Abigail and Quentin''s, focused on defense.


    Pairing well with Gabriel''s offensive speed-based abilities, they formed a bnced team¡ªone focusing on defense, the other on swift attacks.


    Emily was naturally thrilled as she had long desired such capabilities. While her offensive skills were not exceptional like some others, her newfound defensive strength greatly enhanced her sense of security.


    After breakfast, Emily joyfully departed, and Elijah tasked Katherine with arge quantity of corpse cores.


    Her primary mission was to ripen the seeds obtained from the mutated tomato nt from yesterday and nt them all in the greenhouse, with Grace assisting on the ind.


    These tomatoes didn''t require special ripening; they would grow by absorbing corpse cores.


    Katherine would then select and cultivate nts with high efficiency in absorbing corpse cores, aiming to gradually breed varieties closer to spirit nts.


    Katherine believed these tomatoes had already be apletely new species and suggested Elijah name them.


    Seeing the bright red fruits packed with miraculous Chi, Elijah decided to call them "Red Fruit No. 1."


    With Katherine''s tasks set, Elijah, apanied by Charlotte, Daisy, Olivia, and Lily, drove to the coastal service area.


    There, they met up with Gabriel and Quentin''s group, preparing to head to another mall in the southwest direction.


    Emily oversaw the coastal service area while Fiona, with Zoey''s assistance, managed inventory there. Zoey, learning of Emily''s morning awakening, worked even harder.


    Quentin and hispanions had cleared the route to their gathering point smoothly, but beyond that, they encountered increasing numbers of zombies pouring onto the streets from various buildings and neighborhoods.


    Despite Quentin''s efforts to clear them the previous night, the zombies continued to appear.


    However, with Quentin and Elijah working together, they quickly dispatched the zombies.


    Quentin had spent the night practicing body forging techniques and, though not yet fully proficient, had already felt significant physical improvement, a sentiment shared by Ivy and Zachary.


    While Ivy and Zachary had not awakened as early as Quentin, Ivy guarded the gathering point, and Zachary managed the gas station, allowing them ample time for practice.


    Seeing their progress motivated Quentin to redouble his efforts, aware that Ivy and Zachary might surpass him if he ckened.


    Nevertheless, Quentin wasn''t overly concerned, knowing physical fitness didn''t equate tobat prowess.


    Ivy, despite limited experience fighting zombies, and Zachary, who had faced life and death situations with him,gged behind inbat skills.


    Witnessing Charlotte effortlessly dispatch zombies left Quentin astonished.


    Her movements were simple yet effective, devoid of unnecessary actions, akin to a gazelle''s swift horns.


    Charlotte''s mastery of body forging techniques was truly remarkable.


    Daisy, Lily, and Olivia also impressed Quentin and his team with their decisive and efficient kills of the zombies. They were no weak women but rather a group of Valkyries in battle!


    Gabriel''s performance restored their confidence somewhat, but even inbat, Charlotte guided Gabriel, visibly improving his fighting abilities.


    This made Quentin and hisrades envious, prompting them to study seriously alongside him.


    Meanwhile, Elijah remained rtively idle during the journey, observing everyone attentively.


    Whenever he spotted a well-preserved zombie, he would swiftly capture it, imnt a Seed of Consciousness, and feed it two corpse cores.


    Elijah nned to cultivate another batch of zombies so they would have a variety of abilities for future outings.


    With asional stops to clear zombies along the way, the two groups unknowingly arrived at their destination.


    After gradually getting ustomed to each other, Charlotte gradually evolved into the true leader of the two groups.


    Upon reaching the mall, she organized the clearing operations based on each person''s abilities and weapons,mencing their work to purge the sprawling mall.


    Unlike the previous mall they had upied, this one was significantlyrger, integrated with a skyscraper, and upied a vast area, teeming with numerous zombies.


    It even housed a few advanced first-tier zombies, two of which had awakened abilities. However, Elijah swiftly dealt with them.


    The team continued clearing until dusk, barely securing most areas of the mall. However, their activities seemed to have attracted more zombies to the perimeter.


    With nightfall approaching, clearing the zombies surrounding the mall would take too long!


    Although Elijah wasn''t afraid of nighttime operations, he had to consider the others. Therefore, the group unanimously decided to spend the night inside the mall.


    This was part of their pre-departure n, ensuring their absence from the base didn''t cause concern.


    Moreover, they now controlled the underground supermarket, ensuring ample supplies for food and drink.


    That night, Elijah diligently practiced throughout, regretting he couldn''t enjoy another yful evening with Jasmine. He missed the bumpy ride back to his room from outside the vi.

 Chapter 187: win-win cooperation

    On the 19th day post-apocalypse, the group began a thorough sweep of the mall, eliminating all potential threats.


    They particrly fortified the passages between the underground supermarket and parking lot with various barriers.


    Understanding the interconnectedness between the parking lot and office buildings, they sealed off potential entry points to prevent sudden zombie influxes into the supermarket.


    Once internal threats were neutralized, they cleared out new zombie appearances outside the mall with bicycles, cars, and various barriers, creating a secure buffer zone.


    They then began transporting supplies by driving vehicles up to the mall entrance.


    "Thanks to your team sending people to help us clear out, dealing with so many zombies would have been tough!" someone remarked gratefully.


    Seeing things fall into ce, Quentin rxed as the first batch of supplies was nearly loaded onto a truck.


    "Mutual benefit, win-win cooperation, right?"


    "By the way, boss, Gabriel mentioned yesterday that there are specialized fishing boats on the ind that can catch a lot of seafood?"


    "Yeah, that''s right. Interested in using them?"


    "We don''t really have anyone who knows how to use those things! I was just thinking, since you have seafood there, could we use Corpse Core to procure some?"


    "Oh, that''s no problem at all. Just talk directly to Gabriel about it."


    "Alright!"


    Upon hearing this, Quentin immediately went off happily to find Gabriel.


    Meanwhile, Elijah gazed towards Azure Isle. Just moments ago, he sensed unusual fluctuations in the consciousness thread.


    Based on experience, someone or some zombies had definitely advanced!


    Unfortunately, the distance of this mall had exceeded Elijah''s mimicking capabilities, and he wasn''t sure who had advanced!


    However, judging by the timing, it was likely one of the four zombies controlled by Abigail.


    As expected, shortly after, Elijah received sessive unusual consciousness fluctuations from three more consciousness threads.


    All four zombies had advanced to the second tier!


    This delighted Elijah, who couldn''t help but nce proudly at the 26 zombies lined up neatly behind him.


    Over the past couple of days, he had gradually contracted them, all fed with Corpse Core.


    He anticipated that tomorrow, the earliest contracted zombies might start awakening.


    He was very eager to see what magical abilities this batch of zombies would bring him.


    Meanwhile, Quentin''s crew, loading supplies into vehicles nearby, looked at the well-ordered army of zombies with a mixture of awe and fear.


    If someone controlled these zombies and attacked them, not one of them would survive.


    But knowing that their boss''s boss controlled them filled them with both gratitude and pride.


    Elijah, oblivious to their thoughts, continued to inspect his zombies.


    After 19 days of the apocalypse, these zombies were all dirty, with dry skin and a pitiful appearance.


    Elijah had selected them carefully; none were missing limbs or had obvious injuries.


    He did this for two reasons: firstly, they looked more presentable this way, and secondly, based on past experiences and observations in this world, he found that zombies with intact bodies had a higher chance of awakening.


    Of course, this didn''t mean that zombies with missing limbs couldn''t awaken; they tended to evolve more towards bodily deformities and odd shapes, possibly rted to specific routes needed for different abilities.


    How could a zombie run if it was missing arms or legs? But at their current energy levels, if they couldn''t awaken, their bodies would mutate instead.


    Currently, Elijah needed a variety of abilities he could mimic, so anything that increased the probability of awakening was worth doing.


    Once the supplies were loaded onto the vehicles, Elijah and Quentin led a convoy back to Azure Isle and Seabreeze Terrace.


    Elijah took the lead in one truck, apanied by another truck driven by Quentin''s crew.


    In Quentin''s truck were two of his longer-serving guys, Adrian and Brandon.


    In Elijah''s truck were Daisy and Lily.


    The rest stayed behind at the mall to continue clearing zombies in the vicinity.


    Upon returning, they not only unloaded goods but also brought back more vehicles.


    Elijah led the way, easily handling any zombies that wandered onto the road during their return journey.


    The three vehicles made it safely back to Azure Isle and Seabreeze Terrace.


    Lily and Daisy helped unload while Elijah went straight to Abigail on the ind, delivering all 26 zombies to her.


    At the same time, Elijah carefully observed the four second-tier advanced zombies.


    The zombie with fire abilities and the one with water maniption showed no outward changes but had stronger capabilities.


    Previously, the fire zombie could only generate mes the size of a lighter, with high temperature but limitedbat use, though its passive resistance to burns was more practical.


    Now, at the second tier, Elijah could summon fist-sized mes and cover his fists with them, forming effective fire punches.


    He could alsounch these fire punches, causing small explosions, a useful skill forbat.


    The water maniption zombie could now gather more water and control it more freely, although its effectiveness was highly dependent on the environment.


    In a desert, it might only satisfy thirst, but by the sea, it could conjurerge masses of water and manipte them to drown someone by covering their head, though this had limited use against zombies but could coordinate well with Hannah.


    The strength zombie underwent significant bodily changes, growing taller and more muscr, evolving from a 1.5-meter small stature to nearly rivaling Elijah in size, with well-developed chest muscles.


    This worried Elijah slightly¡ªwould Lily''s chest also grow when she advanced to the second tier?


    Her current size was just right¡ªsoft,fortable, and supportive¡ªbut anyrger would be cumbersome and less aesthetic!


    The final w zombie did surprise Elijah. Its ws had been strengthened to be even harder, and its arm and leg muscles had noticeably increased.


    It could sprint at full speed without muchg behind Elijah, a Tier 3 ability user who had also received enhancements from Gabriel''s abilities.


    If this zombie were not under his control and instead infiltrated a group of corpses, it would be a nightmare for awakened individuals.


    Even Abigail''s Tier 2 defense ability, Copper Skin, might not fully withstand its steel ws.


    After observing and testing the changes and abilities of the four zombies, Elijah nodded satisfactorily.


    If half of the other 26 zombies could awaken useful abilities, he would be content.


    Thinking about cultivating them to Tier 2 made Elijah feel invincible. He now had more confidence in venturing out in the future.


    Abigail was visibly pleased with her newfoundrge group of subordinates. Without saying anything, the zombies automatically began to organize themselves into formation, except for a couple of individuals. Elijah was delighted to see this!


    Sure enough, Abigailmanded these zombies through a special signal that only zombies could receive.


    The prerequisite was that these zombies had to be able to bemanded by Abigail.


    Back in the mall, Elijah had already encoded Abigail''s information into the Seed of Consciousness of these zombies, except for the two exceptions.


    Now, those two zombies stood there nkly, not following the movements of the others.


    Confirming his suspicions, Elijah finally rxed.


    As long as Abigail and this group of zombies remained under control, he could breathe a sigh of relief.


    Next, it was up to time to see what miracles this group of zombies could produce.

 Chapter 188 : Pleasant Surprises

    Elijah promptly imnted Abigail''s information into the two standout zombies, who immediately fell in line with the rest.


    Satisfied, Elijah instructed Abigail to train the zombies while he drove back to the coastal service area.


    Quentin''s guys, Brandon and Adrian, were already waiting there with anotherpanion, totaling three trucks.


    Daisy and Lily each drove a truck, making a convoy of six vehicles heading towards their destination.


    The journey to the mall was smooth. Charlotte and Quentin had already cleared nearby zombies and had some supplies ready at the entrance.


    Seeing Elijah''s return, everyone resumed loading the trucks.


    Throughout the entire day, Elijah led multiple round trips with the convoy, rotating drivers to ensure familiarity with the route.


    Due to their activity, they attracted attention from several survivors who intercepted the convoy, seeking assistance or wanting to join them.


    Elijah deferred any decisions about new recruits to Quentin, who provided food and water, directing them towards Seabreeze Terrace.


    If theycked the courage or ability to handle such a journey, Elijah wasn''t interested in taking them.


    By evening, Elijah and his team no longer needed to stay at the mall, leaving Gabriel with Quentin''s crew to watch over it.


    The rest returned to their respective gathering points.


    Over the next two days, Elijah alternated between driving and guarding the supermarket during the day and returning to the ind in the evenings to y with Be, Lily, and especially Jasmine.


    Elijah found Jasmine''s mature age and profound ideas captivating.


    That same evening back on the ind, while discussing advanced yoga poses with Jasmine, Elijah suddenly received abnormal consciousness fluctuations from Daisy''s consciousness thread.


    Through persistent practice of the Hun Yuan Technique, Daisy had finally broken through to the second tier.


    Her stealth ability now allowed her to truly merge into shadows without being affected by their size or brightness, even in daylight.


    There was no longer a cooldown period for her stealth transitions.


    Additionally, Daisy''s speed had greatly enhanced, now rivaling that of Gabriel at the first tier. She had be a true shadow assassin, capable of striking anyone without perception abilities.


    In addition to Daisy''s awakening, on the 20th day of the apocalypse, Elijah observed the Crystal Grass.


    Thanks to cultivation with second-tier Corpse Core, the Crystal Grass had reached a breakthrough.


    The first node had fully matured, and the second was beginning to grow.


    Once the Crystal Grass reached six nodes, Elijah could once again coborate with Katherine to birth another Tier 3 powerhouse, allowing him to confidently seek revenge against Matthew.


    With time running short for his preparations, Elijah also noted another Zombie Grass had grown to the point of awakening, prompting him to produce another awakening potion, which he entrusted to Xavier.


    Xavier, who had been diligently assisting with logistics and cargo handling, sessfully awakened due to his upbringing near the sea, manifesting water maniption abilities.


    Elijah assigned him to apany his sister Sophia on the fishing boat to catch fish.


    Quentin''s crew enjoyed the seafood, a delightful change from canned and packaged foods, prompting an increase in seafood procurement topensate for the scarcity of meat.


    With Xavier focusing on fishing, Elijah brought Hannah back to rece him, with Emily recing Gabriel, joining the escort team transporting supplies at the mall.


    Vincent took over the task of cattle farming, leaving Elijah to concentrate on training and observing the awakening progress of the 26 newly contracted zombies.


    Over the 20th and 21st days of the apocalypse, all 26 zombies awakened one after another, leaving Elijah pleasantly surprised at the results.


    These 26 zombies, 10 of them have advanced towards body mutation, their forms bing incredibly diverse!


    Some have grown into giants, others are as small as dwarves, some resemble crawlers, and some maintain normal body sizes.


    Among the normal-sized ones, either their arms or legs have developed exceptionally, and there are those with hardened bone spikes growing from certain parts of their bodies, simr to wed zombies.


    These mutated forms are too grotesque and terrifying in appearance, none of them appealing to Elijah.


    However, he didn''t outright discard them; instead, he nned to use them as samples to show to the people on the ind and the service area on the shore.


    He aimed to educate them on how to deal with simr zombies and where their weaknesses lie.


    The other 16 awakened zombies mostly manifested abilities that were already awakened among the people on the ind.


    For example, strength, defense, speed, fire, and ice abilities weremon.


    But there were surprises as well; one zombie awakened a perception ability simr to Sophia''s, though it wasn''t limited to sensing only moving creatures but could perceive all living beings within a range of just under 20 meters.


    Aside from this, the biggest surprise was another zombie gaining invisibility abilities.


    This invisibility didn''t make the zombie transparent but cloaked it in an optical camouge, rendering it nearly invisible to the naked eye.


    This first-level invisibility ability allowed Elijah to cloak himself and his clothing in optical camouge, disappearing from view.


    Acquiring this ability would make traversing areas heavily popted by zombies much easier in the future.


    Despite these zombies awakening or evolving, Elijah''s nurturing of them didn''t end there; he continued to feed them corpse cores.


    Even those zombies he didn''t desire or whose abilities were redundant received the same treatment.


    Elijah intended to wait until these zombies advanced to the second stage and possessed second-stage corpse cores before killing them to obtain the cores.


    This process would then facilitate the cultivation of Crystal Grass using second-stage corpse cores.


    On the evening of the 21st day after Doomsday, Katherine brought Elijah good news.


    After several days of continuous screening, she had finally selected a strain of Red Fruit with higher efficiency in absorbing corpse cores and containing stronger Chi energy.


    Powered by m_vl_em_p_yr


    Katherine named it Red Fruit No. 2.


    That night, Elijah shared this news with everyone and distributed several Red Fruit No. 1 fruits that Katherine had nurtured over the past few days for everyone to taste.


    Because the mass cultivation of Red Fruit hadn''t yet matured, there were only a few Katherine had screened and ripened, and each person received only two or three.


    Even Yello, who joined in for the sake of it, got two.


    Everyone praised the fruits after tasting them!


    The taste was indeed excellent, but more importantly, they contained Chi.


    After consuming them, they could clearly feel their Chi energy increase, especially Sophia, Lily, and other first-level ability holders, who felt it most distinctly.


    It was at this moment that Yello, who had already grown quiterge, suddenly let out a wolf-like howl, and a familiar wave of consciousness surged into Elijah''s mind.


    "Yello has awakened?"

 Chapter 189 : Quite Talented

    Elijah looked at Yello in astonishment. Somehow, the dog had grown a bit taller without anyone noticing.


    Its fur had be extremely smooth, as if a breeze was constantly flowing over it, and its eyes were more lively than before!


    "Has Yello awakened too? What ability?" Daisy ran over joyfully and hugged Yello, feeling its fur was incredibly soft, and sensing a gentle breeze emanating from it.


    "I''ll try to mimic the ability!" Since Yello couldn''t speak, Elijah attempted to imitate it, but quickly realized that the dog''s physiological structure waspletely different from a human''s, making it impossible for him to replicate.


    "I can''t mimic it!" Elijah shook his head, then a hint of coldness shed in his eyes. If he couldn''t mimic the ability, what use did he have?


    "Why not just ughter and eat the dog; maybe it could awaken someone else!" Sensing Elijah''s cold gaze, Yello broke free from Daisy''s embrace and skipped over to Elijah, rolling over and showing a remarkably human-like expression, as if to say, "I''m very obedient."


    "Alright, get up now. Go outside and demonstrate your ability for us!" Elijah couldn''t help but chuckle at Yello''s antics.


    Yello immediately flipped over and dashed a few steps outside the vi.


    "This speed..." Elijah and Daisy exchanged a nce before joining everyone outside.


    Once Elijah and the others hade out, Yello shook its body and then nced back at Elijah, indicating it was about to begin!


    With Elijah''s nod, Yello immediately shot off, its body moving gracefully and silently, like a ghost, without making a sound throughout its sprint.


    Yello swiftly circled nearby and returned to the front of the vi without approaching Elijah and the others.


    Instead, it stood behind a row of shrubs and suddenly let out an ear-splitting roar.


    The roar howled, and a gale force wind rushed out, blowing towards the bushes in front of it. The shrubs seemed to be swept over by a typhoon, countless leaves torn and swirling!


    By the time the wind wave reached Elijah and the others, it had lost most of its power.


    "This fellow has awakened wind abilities, enhancing its speed to run like the wind and using roars to release strong winds carrying tiny wind des. The damage isn''t great, but it''s highly insulting!" Elijah pinched his nose. The stench was unbearable!


    "Well, we''re not expecting it to fight. Just to roar as a warning at critical moments!" Daisy also pinched her nose, frowning slightly.


    "Yeah, that''s right. With Whitey patrolling the sea and Yello patrolling the ind, it''s not bad at all!" Elijah nodded in satisfaction.


    "Oh, Katherine, don''t waste the branches of the harvested Red Fruits. Give them to the cowster; who knows, they might awaken some ability too!"


    "Alright!" Katherine responded.


    After everyone had watched Yello''s disy of abilities, they returned to the vi one by one.


    Then Elijah took out a bottle of potion and said to everyone, "Today, I''ve made another second-tier potion. I want to give this bottle to Katherine. There are two reasons: first, she has cultivated a mass-producible variant of spirit nts¡ªthe low-grade version, Red Fruits!


    When the Red Fruits mature on arge scale in the future, everyone can eat them daily, which I believe will rapidly enhance everyone''s strength. The second reason is that I hope Katherine, after advancing to the second tier, will have stronger abilities to cultivate Red Fruits for us.


    Hopefully, one day, we can cultivate Red Fruits that are not inferior to spirit nts and can be grown on arge scale!"


    The women listened without objection, all apuding enthusiastically.


    Katherine quickly stood up to thank everyone and then epted the advanced potion.


    "I added some Red Fruit into this potion, so the taste shouldn''t be too bad, and you won''t need to replenish Chi through food anymore!" Elijah said with a smile.


    Katherine nodded and then, under everyone''s gaze, tilted her head back and drank the awakening potion.


    True to Elijah''s words, this advancement didn''t cause her any difort; instead, she felt a warm sensation throughout her body, as if she had boundless energy.


    "How do you feel? Any changes in your abilities?" Grace asked beside her.


    "The energy inside me feels much stronger now. It should be much easier to cultivate spirit nts in the future!"


    Katherine recalled how exhausted she had been after cultivating Crystal Grassst time.


    "In addition, I feel like I can grow nts faster now, and I can also control their movements!" Katherine continued, pulling out some seeds from her pocket.


    After carefully selecting one, she released her ability on it.


    The seed quickly sprouted and grew into a vine at an incredibly fast pace, then, under Katherine''smand, it entwined towards Grace nearby.


    Grace cooperated without resistance and was soon securely tied up by the vine around her legs and chest.


    Elijah watched as the vine wrapped around Grace''s chest, making her front particrly prominent, and nodded approvingly.


    "Katherine seems quite talented at binding! We should exchange ideas sometime!" he remarked.


    "This vine is quite strong!" Grace tried to struggle but couldn''t break free.


    "Hehe, of course. I deliberately chose a tough variety of vine!" Katherine stopped her ability, and the once lush vine immediately withered and died, bing dry and fragile.


    "If used unexpectedly, it''s actually a pretty good control skill!" Elijah nodded.


    After cleaning up the dishes and chatting for a while longer, everyone dispersed.


    Jasmine finished three Red Fruits with great anticipation but unfortunately didn''t awaken like Yello had. With even the dog on the ind gaining abilities, she felt left out.


    Before leaving, Jasmine cast a somewhat resentful nce at Elijah. Over the past few days, she had tried every means possible to please him, hoping to win his favorpletely.


    Her resentful look made Elijah feel a bit awkward for a moment. But then, an idea struck him.


    "Katherine has reached the second tier in her abilities. Maybe if she cultivates Zombie Grass now, the results will be better?" he thought to himself.


    Acting on the thought, Elijah entered the spirit nts cultivation room and switched to Katherine''s ability. He targeted a newly growing Zombie Grass and elerated its maturation.


    As expected, where Katherine used to only be able to grow one leaf, Elijah effortlessly coaxed two leaves out of the Zombie Grass. It rapidly entered thete growth stage, nearly reaching maturity.


    "This should do the trick," Elijah thought, immediately sending a signal to Jasmine.


    "Tonight, bothnd and sea!" he signaled. "Time for her to really impress."

 Chapter 190: Temperature Control

    Jasmine awakened her ability as she wished, and thanks to the supplementation through Elijah, she didn''t feel hungry during her awakening.


    Her ability was quite unique; she could freely manipte the temperature of objects she touched and temporarily withstand corresponding temperatures herself.


    Currently, her upper limit for maniption and tolerance was 200 degrees Celsius, with a lower limit of minus 20 degrees Celsius.


    The higher or lower the temperature, the greater the energy consumption for her.


    Elijah experienced this ability firsthand through Jasmine.


    The sensation of alternating between hot and cold was indescribable! However, its utility was limited; it wasn''t very effective against zombies.


    Heating water to boiling at 200 degrees Celsius and wielding a metal weapon to slice zombies made it slightly sharper.


    On the cooling side, Jasmine''s ability was somewhat simr to Hannah''s, but she could only create ice andcked Hannah''s finesse in controlling it.


    Seeing everyone on the ind awakened, Elijah felt he hadpleted another preparation.


    With the contract zombies awakening one after another, all that remained was for Crystal Grass to mature, bringing forth another Tier 3 abilities holder among the ind women.


    Meanwhile, he needed to figure out how to contract both Quentin and Ivy as well.


    Only then could he leave withplete peace of mind.


    After a yful night with Jasmine, on Day 22 of the apocalypse, Elijah once again followed the convoy to the mall.


    This time, he wasn''t alone; he brought a zombie with stealth abilities along.


    He wasn''t here to transport supplies from the mall this time but to head alone to the nearbyputer city, searching for items Vincent needed.


    Elijah had Vincent prepare a list beforehand.


    Utilizing the stealth ability of the zombie, he managed to evade numerous zombies along the way and arrived smoothly at theputer city.


    During this journey, he wasn''t just hiding; he was also scouting for suitable routes. Vincent required quite a lot, and Elijah couldn''t carry much on his own. Hence, he would need a vehicle to transport everything back.


    He navigated, finding optimal paths, bypassing blockages when possible, and even creating passages when necessary. This stop-and-go journey covered nearly a kilometer and took up most of the day.


    Inside theputer city, Elijah encountered many zombies. He closed the doors securely and methodically cleared them out. He didn''t want to risk being ambushed while transporting supplies.


    After spending nearly a day, Elijah had cleared most of the zombies from theputer city. During the process, he even encountered a mutated zombie that posed no threat to him and was swiftly dispatched.


    Upon retrieving the corpse core, Elijah was pleasantly surprised to find that it was a Tier 2 core.


    However, the zombie itself was weak, not even as formidable as the Tier 2 defense zombie he had encountered previously.


    Elijah could only specte that this zombie had awakened some kind of perception-based ability.


    As dusk approached, Elijah quickly packed some easily recognizable equipment from the procurement list into a whole box and then drove at full speed, crashing his way back towards the mall.


    Charlotte, Quentin, and others who had been waiting there immediately helped clear out arge wave of zombies that followed.


    After getting off the car, Elijah joined them in clearing out the remaining zombies.


    Quentin, visibly excited, approached Elijah and said, "Boss, my buddy just found a spirit nts today!"


    "Oh?" Elijah was surprised.


    "Where is it? Take me to see!" he eximed.


    "This is the message my buddy brought back when he returned with the cars. Zachary and them were clearing zombies around a neighborhood entrance and found it. They''ve already brought it to the service area!" Quentin exined.


    "I see. Let''s hurry back then!" Elijah quickly checked that everyone had loaded their vehicles and didn''t linger any longer, leading the way back to his own car.


    Except for those who stayed behind, everyone boarded their respective trucks. They returned along the cleared road in a grand procession, making their way back to the Coastal Buffer Zone.


    Quentin had his brother drive the car away, while he followed Elijah and the others to the service area by the shore.


    Upon entering the service area, Quentin immediately spotted his buddy cradling the blood-red nt like a treasure.


    "Quentin!" His buddy saw him and hurried over excitedly.


    At that moment, Elijah also stepped out of the car.


    "Boss!" His buddy called out loudly to Elijah.


    "Hello," Elijah responded before turning his attention to the spirit nts his buddy held, marveling at it.


    "This spirit nt is about the same size as zombie grass, but unlike zombie grass which has pale veins in its green leaves, its entire leaf is blood-red. The patterns and veins on the leaves resemble capiries and arteries, giving it a very eerie look.


    Unfortunately, it looks wilted now due to transnting andcks vitality.


    Elijah examined it carefully for a while and found it simr to the spirit nts he had in mind. He then asked, ''How did you discover this spirit nt?''


    ''Isaac took us to clear out nearby zombies,'' he exined, ''and I happened to notice near the entrance of a neighborhood that a few zombies clearly heard us killing zombies but didn''te out. I remembered what the boss said about something possibly attracting zombies, so I sneaked over and found this spirit nt.


    I reported it to Zachary, who brought a few of us to create a bigmotion, attracting the zombies. We took them out one by one, until we encountered a tough one¡ªa mutated zombie! But with Zachary''s abilities, we managed to kill it in the end and got this spirit nt.''


    ''Lucky break!'' Elijah eximed.


    With this, he confirmed that this spirit nt was indeed the blood spirit grass he had in mind¡ªa rtively rare type of spirit nt that usually grows in ces with strong blood breath.


    This blood spirit grass grew near the neighborhood entrance, where presumably many people were killed by zombies, gradually umting strong blood breath, which eventually led to the idental cultivation of this blood spirit grass.


    Elijah had never seen this blood spirit grass before in his past life, but he had heard of such spirit nts.


    Rumor has it that this spirit nt has a powerful amplifying effect for those with physical abilities, potentially enhancing the physical abilities of awakeners or advanced practitioners to their peak without the need for extensive training or body forging techniques.


    There are even rumors that with strong enough physical constitution, one can advance to the third level just by consuming mature blood spirit grass!


    Hmm... no, wait, could it be true in his past life?


    Elijah nced at Quentin.


    Wasn''t Quentin in his past life the one who advanced to the third level with the help of this blood spirit grass?


    But the timing doesn''t seem to add up.


    This blood spirit grass is already nearing maturity; by the time it matures, it would have likely been eaten by the surrounding zombies.


    ''What''s wrong, boss?'' Quentin asked, puzzled by Elijah''s nce.


    ''It''s like this¡ªthis blood spirit grass is quite valuable. It can be exchanged for a bottle of second-level advancement elixir...''


    Upon hearing this, Quentin''s face immediately lit up with joy!"

 Chapter 191: Detailed Inspection

    "Really?" Quentin eximed incredulously.


    "Yes, but we won''t be able to produce the advanced potion until the day after tomorrow," Elijah nodded.


    "Oh... um..." Quentin was about to agree when he noticed his younger brother holding the spirit nts with a look of disappointment. He quickly changed his tune, "Can we switch the advanced potion to Awakening Potion?"


    "Huh?" Elijah was surprised that Quentin would refuse the allure of advancement.


    He was the only one who knew about this particr spirit nts, so whatever he said could not be known by others.


    Elijah was being honest because he wanted to enhance Quentin''s abilities, and incidentally, he had mixed the Seed of Consciousness into the advanced potion to control Quentin, so that he could better protect Azure Isle.


    But soon, Elijah reacted to the situation and understood that Quentin didn''t want to disappoint his brothers.


    They had risked their lives to obtain the spirit nts. If the end result was that the leadership profited, it was anyone''s guess how that would feel.


    "I see your point, and it''s not impossible. One dose of the advanced potion can be exchanged for two doses of the Awakening Potion. Are you sure about this?"


    "I''m sure," Quentin said with solemn determination.


    "Quentin!" His younger brothers gazed at him with gratitude, struggling to find the words.


    "Alright, no need to say more. This is something you''ve worked hard for¡ªI can''t take it all for myself."


    "To be honest, there''s no need. Even if we were to exchange two doses of the Awakening Potion, we still can''t provide them right now. We have to wait until the day after tomorrow. So, how about this: didn''t we agree earlier that we would distribute one dose of the Awakening Potion to you guys?"


    "I''ll still exchange this spirit nts for one dose of the advanced potion for you guys. I''ll sell you the Awakening Potion that you''ll be distributing ahead of time. How about that?"


    Elijah estimated that a "zombie grass" would mature the next day, and the other two "zombie grasses" were ready for activation.


    At that time, they could use the mature zombie grass to make advanced potions, while the other two could make Awakening Potions and continue to grow until they matured to give to the women on the ind.


    "That would be fantastic! Thank you, Boss!"


    "Thank you, Boss!"


    Quentin and his younger brothers said excitedly to Elijah.


    "Then, youe back the day after tomorrow to pick them up!"


    "Okay, Boss!"


    The younger brothers handed the spirit nts to Quentin, and they left in high spirits.


    When they were gone, Elijah immediately took out several "corpse core" and buried them under the roots of the spirit nts.


    The spirit nts wilted leaves immediately became firmer, recovering their vitality!


    Then, carrying the spirit nts, he returned to the ind.


    At dinner, Elijah showed the spirit nts to the women and exined its effects.


    "I think this spirit nts is more suitable for Lily. Does anyone have any objections?"


    Finally, Elijah exined the ownership of this spirit nts.


    "I... I don''t know if it''s right. Hannah hasn''t even reached the second order... "


    Lily was a bit embarrassed.


    "It''s okay! I can wait a few more days!"


    Hearing Lily''s words, Hannah immediately spoke up tofort her.


    "Yes, some of you know, and some can guess, we now have the method of cultivating spirit nts, so there is no need to worry or rush. Everyone will advance sooner orter!"


    Elijah gave Hannah an approving look.


    Seeing this, Lily no longer hesitated!


    Elijah sessfully harvested the spirit nts with Be''s assistance, and under Be''s abilities, the remaining roots of the Blood Spirit Grass also regained vitality.


    Afterwards, Elijah mixed in some of Katherine''s Red Fruit No. 2 fruits, which had been sessfully tested today for enhancing effects, to create a bottle of advanced potion with a blood-red hue, which he handed to Lily.


    Under the gaze of everyone, Lily drank the potion.


    As it touched her lips, Lily initially sensed a trace of blood, quickly countered by the sweetness of the Red Fruit.


    As the potion entered her system, her energy swiftly surged, drawing Chi from the surrounding air, and her body began to grow stronger and more powerful.


    At a certain moment, her body suddenly shook, and the rapid energy flow within her slowed down.


    Simultaneously, her energy had increased two to three times more than before.


    Despite having already mastered her powers through training and guidance from Charlotte, Lily knew her limits well and hadn''t experienced such an inexhaustible feeling in a long time.


    But now, Lily once again felt invincible.


    "My muscles and bones have been greatly strengthened again! Unlike the primary muscle enhancement of the first stage, this time I feel my bones have received more improvement!"


    "People with physique-based abilities are interconnected; it''s just that the focus is different, but it doesn''t mean other areas won''t be strengthened!"


    Elijah also simted Lily''s second-stage abilities and felt the exaggerated power within him, nodding satisfactorily.


    What pleased him most was that Lily had grown taller again and was no longer the petite girl she used to be; she was nearly approaching Sophia''s height.


    Her previously slightly short and muscr legs had also be long and powerful,plementing her increased height.


    Of course, the most important thing was that her chest had not overdeveloped this time, only slightlyrger, whichbined well with her increased height.


    Everyone congratted Lily, envying her for being able to undergo secondary development.


    Unnoticed by others, Elijah whispered a few words to Lily. Lily blushed and nodded.


    As night fell and everyone dispersed, Elijah quietly entered Lily''s room. He intended to conduct a thorough examination of Lily, considering her body had undergone significant changes, which surely affected her sensations.


    And indeed it did! Lily had always been able to provide him with an indescribable experience.


    After this growth spurt, her legs were strong and powerful without Elijah having to strain himself; Lily handled it on her own!


    23 days before doomsday!


    Elijah felt rare soreness in his waist!


    Lily had just awakened, and her control over her strength was still a bitcking.


    If Elijah had not switched to strength-based abilities as well, he would have had trouble coping.


    Her legs, like snakes, at one momentpletely lost control of their strength and almost broke his waist!


    But it was a real joy!


    After all, strength knows no bounds!


    Lily and Elijah yed half the night, and in the morning, she woke up full of energy, humming a tune as she went to the kitchen to help cook.


    Elijah, supporting his waist, entered the spirit nts cultivation room.


    Last night, after burying the second-order corpse core obtained from theputer city into the roots of the Crystal Grass, the Crystal Grass grew more vigorously. Today, its fourth aperture had fully opened, and the fifth was faintly taking shape.


    "Maybe it''ll be six apertures by tomorrow," Elijah muttered to himself.


    At thetest by the day after tomorrow, there would definitely be another third-stage ability user on the ind.


    But now, Elijah faced a question: who should advance to the third stage?


    He already had a faint answer in his mind, but he needed to gather a few more opinions!


    After breakfast, Elijah arrived at the shore service area. His purpose was twofold: to see if Vincent was satisfied with the equipment he had brought back, and secondly, to take him to theputer city to personally select items.


    However, as soon as he arrived at the service area, Vincent gave him unexpected news!

 Chapter 192: Everythings settled

    "Boss, after feeding the nts from the ind to those two cows these past couple of days, they''ve grown like crazy. They''re now over a meter tall!" Vincent eximed excitedly to Elijah.


    "Oh? Show me," Elijah replied, his own excitement tempered but not entirely surprised. While Red Fruit''s branches and leaves didn''t hold as much Chi as its fruits, they certainly had some effect.


    "Boss, are these nts rted to Awakening Potion?" Vincent led the way ahead while asking.


    "Sort of. I only needed the fruits of those nts, but I figured the branches and leaves might have some effect, so I didn''t want to waste them and fed them to the cows," Elijah exined.


    Vincent and the others didn''t know about Red Fruit; Gabriel was the only one who had some knowledge.


    "I see. Um... can I try some?" Vincent asked tentatively.


    "Well... you can, but you don''t have topete with the cows for food!" Elijah chuckled.


    "When you''ve done a good job with the ind''s informatization work, I''ll reward you with a dose of Awakening Potion!"


    "Alright!"


    Vincent clenched his fist in determination. This mission reward was within his grasp!


    The two of them quickly arrived at the ce where the two cows were kept. When Xavier had previously fed them, during their spare time, they fenced off an area in the service area''s green zone and even set up a shed for them.


    Normally, they would cut some grass for them or lead the two cows around to forage on their own.


    None of them had ever raised such animals before; Xavier had been experimenting by himself, and in the end, they hadn''t died and had grown somewhat.


    When Elijah had first seen the calves, they were only about half a meter tall, but now, standing before him were two nearly adult cows, each over a meter tall.


    Moreover, these two cows no longer looked as thin and weak as before. They appeared muscr, powerful, and robust.


    "There''s been quite a change. If we keep feeding them like this, we might have fresh milk to drink in no time!" Elijah marveled as he circled around the two cows.


    "Hehe, Boss, I know a bit about this. See this cow here? Usually quiet, but today, she''s been mooing a lot and waving her tail high..." Vincent chuckled and pointed out.


    "And here, it''s plump, soft, rxed, and shiny... these are signs. I estimate we''re not far from having fresh milk!" Vincent continued excitedly.


    "What kind of things do you usually look at?" Elijah looked at Vincent in astonishment.


    "Didn''t you hand them over to me, Boss? So I found a guide on pre-and post-natal care for cows!" Vincent replied confidently.


    "Well...," Elijah wanted to ask where he found such a guide, but then thought better of it. He patted Vincent on the shoulder.


    "I''ll leave these two cows to you! When the dayes for fresh milk, I''ll reward you with a dose of advanced potion!"


    "I promise toplete the task!" Vincent saluted Elijah respectfully.


    Happy in his heart, another taskpleted, and the advanced potion was secured!


    After discussing the cows, Elijah asked if there were any other equipment they needed.


    Vincent immediately listed a bunch of things Elijah had and hadn''t heard of.


    Finally, Elijah grew impatient and said, "Today,e with me to theputer city. If you need anything, find it yourself!"


    "Alright!"


    Vincent was very enthusiastic, after all, it was rted to his reward of Awakening Potion!


    The two of them drove the cargoden vehicle, following it to therge shopping mall. They arrived smoothly.


    Afterward, Elijah continued forward with Vincent.


    Yesterday, they encountered many wandering zombies on the road Elijah had cleared. Ignoring them, Elijah charged straight through, quickly arriving at theputer city.


    Once there, he got out of the car and dealt with all the zombies that had followed them, allowing Vincent to disembark and enter theputer city to choose equipment.


    Over the next day, Elijah made several trips back and forth with Vincent, transporting a considerable amount of equipment back.


    Later, Elijah also noticed that Vincent wasn''t just bringing back the necessary equipment; he hadn''t overlooked some currently useless equipment either. Stuff like GTX 6090 graphics cards, Intel Core i9-16th generation CPUs¡ªwhile moving them around, he muttered.


    Back when he was broke, he couldn''t bear to buy them, but now he could take them casually. I want to rece all theputers on the ind with the most luxurious configurations.


    When the moving was nearly done, Vincent busied himself with various hardware piled up in the warehouse.


    Elijah himself returned to the ind.


    In the blink of an eye, it was the second day.


    Elijah emerged from Sophia''s room, first checking on the spirit nts.


    The sixth sense of the Crystal Grass was already halfway grown. With Katherine''s second-tier ability, it should be able to ripen soon. Find more chapters on m_v l|e-NovelBin


    But as a precaution, Elijah decided to wait until evening to decide; half a day wouldn''t make much difference.


    There was a zombie grass nt nearing maturity; using his ability, he fully ripened it. Along with another nt suitable for awakening, he harvested them, creating one potion for awakening and one for advancement, adding the Seed of Consciousness to both potions.


    After returningst night, he abandoned the two mutated zombies he controlled, clearing space for Quentin and his soon-to-awaken younger brother.


    Sophia took care of the zombies'' bodies and fed them to Whitey.


    Afterpleting this task, Elijah practiced for a while. After breakfast, he arrived at the shore service area, where Quentin and his group of younger brothers had been waiting for a long time.


    "Huh? Why are there so many people today? Didn''t you go to the mall to move supplies?" Elijah asked in surprise.


    "Hehe, the brothers are enthusiastic and wanted to see, so we''re not in a rush to work today!" Quentin chuckled apologetically.


    "Alright." Elijah smiled indifferently, then handed Quentin two bottles of potions in the expectant eyes of the crowd.


    "The reddish one is the advancement potion, and the greenish one is the awakening potion!"


    Upon hearing this, Quentin solemnly took the potions and then handed the green one to the younger brother who had brought spirit nts yesterday.


    "Cameron, you go first!"


    "Okay, thank you Quentin, thank you boss!"


    Cameron expressed his gratitude to Quentin and Elijah before excitedly drinking the awakening potion. Under everyone''s gaze, he sessfully awakened.


    "What ability did you awaken?"


    Surrounded by his younger brothers, Cameron was asked enviously.


    "Maism control!"


    Cameron eximed with delight.


    "Wow, that''s like Mao''s ability! You''re going ces, kid!"


    Others showed envy on their faces.


    "It''s not that impressive. I can''t fully utilize the Earth''s maic field yet. I can only give metals some maism or even grab metals from a distance!"


    Cameron chuckled.


    After two days of interaction, Quentin and his younger brothers gradually understood that while awakened abilities were important, what mattered most was the enhanced superhuman physique achievable through body forging techniques after awakening.


    "Oh, stop acting like you don''t want it!"


    "Yeah, if you don''t want it, give it to me!"


    Cameron was surrounded and teased by his younger brothers for a while before everyone looked at Quentin together.


    Without further ado, Quentin drank some of the advancement potion under everyone''s gaze.


    As the potion entered his system, a thread of consciousness connected between Quentin and Elijah.


    "Everything''s settled!"


    Quentin now controlled three out of the four ability users on his team, no longer worried about them losing control.


    Next, it was about determining who would advance to the third tier!


    Then, he could safely go out!

 Chapter 193: Ready

    After Quentin drank the advancement potion, he sessfully advanced to the second tier.


    His defensive abilities were greatly enhanced, and when he exerted his full power, his skin became as tough as metal.


    "Is this the second-tier ability? It''s so strong!" Quentin murmured to himself, then repeatedly thanked Elijah.


    "We''re all on the same team, no need to be so polite. I''ll still need you all to look after the safety around here," Elijah replied.


    "Don''t worry, boss, we''ll make sure the area stays secure!" Quentin assured, patting his chest.


    Satisfied, Elijah nodded.


    After chatting for a while longer and seeing that it was gettingte, Quentin bid farewell with his younger brothers and headed to the mall to continue transporting supplies.


    Elijah returned to the ind and found Be first, briefing her on his n to go out for a couple of days. He also mentioned that Crystal Grass was about to mature again and asked for her opinion on who should advance to the third tier.


    "Are you nning to have this person oversee the ind while you''re away?" Be asked.


    "That''s right."


    "In that case, there are only three suitable candidates: Daisy, Charlotte, and Fiona."


    "That''s exactly what I was thinking," Elijah nodded, then asked further, "Between the three of them, who do you lean towards?"


    "Lean towards? Hmm... I think you don''t need to think too much about it. I believe Charlotte and Daisy may not rely too much on external items to advance, so it might be better to talk to them first."


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    "That makes sense! I''ll go find Charlotte first then," Elijah thanked Be with a kiss on the cheek and went off to find Charlotte.


    Charlotte hadn''t gone out today. After a few days of training on the ind, the girls had grown a lot, especially with Daisy leading the way. Since the road to the mall had been mostly cleared, Charlotte decided to take a day to rest on the ind. However, her idea of resting involved meditation in a shady grove.


    Sensing Elijah''s approach, Charlotte opened her eyes and asked, "What''s up?"


    "It''s like this..." Elijah briefly exined his intention to go out and his n to have someone advance to the third tier to oversee the ind while he was away.


    "Is this about Olivia''s mother?" Charlotte asked calmly.


    "That''s just one of the reasons. There''s also a warehouse base over there I want to explore, which would be convenient for future upation. And finally, I have someone I need to settle a score with..."


    As Elijah spoke, a cold gleam flickered in his eyes.


    "I see. In that case, give the Crystal Grass to Fiona. With her intelligence, she should be able to manage everything on the ind while you''re away," Charlotte suggested.


    Fiona was indeed Elijah''s top choice, and since Charlotte agreed, he didn''t argue further.


    After all, Crystal Grass could mature again in the future, and advancing to the third tier was only a matter of time for everyone.


    Fiona had been busy with Zoey sorting out supplies these past few days, so Elijah decided to wait until evening to talk to her.


    In the afternoon, the 24 zombies he had contracted with began awakening one after another.


    Elijah removed the cores from several zombies with duplicated abilities and mutations, obtaining 10 second-tier corpse cores.


    The bodies were frozen and handed over to Sophia to feed to Whitey.


    Elijah then made 10 Seed of Consciousness and ced them in the juice of crushed Red Fruit, storing them in the refrigerator.


    During the creation of the awakening potion, Elijah had discovered that Seed of Consciousness could remain viable for quite some time in a solution containing Chi, even when separated from his body.


    So, he specifically set aside 10 Seed of Consciousness to ensure control in case someone came to trade for awakening potions during his absence or if Fiona wanted to expand recruitment.


    With these preparationsplete, Elijah now controlled 19 zombies, each with abilities including defensive capabilities, strength, fire control, water maniption, steel ws, speed, ice powers, perception, and invisibility.


    Despite some duplicates in abilities, they were all formidable inbat, so Elijah decided to keep them for now.


    These zombies, including Abigail, would apany him to the western suburbs.


    After packing the 10 second-tier corpse cores, Elijah didn''t notice that Abigail''s eyes had visibly brightened. Her already alert blood-red eyes narrowed involuntarily.


    "Mmm, I really want to eat. What should I do?" Abigail tilted her head, thinking for a moment before a smile spread across her face.


    In the evening, everyone gradually returned to the ind. Elijah spoke with Daisy, who, just as Be had said, was indifferent to Crystal Grass and suggested giving it to Fiona.


    Curiously, Daisy showed considerable interest in Elijah''s ns to go out, eager to join him. She reminisced about their adventures to Azure Isle together, disying a nostalgic expression.


    Elijah gently persuaded her, exining the dangers and hardships they would face, which ultimately dissuaded her from apanying him.


    During dinner, Elijah informed everyone about his ns to go out the next day. Olivia''s eyes welled with tears, a look of pleasant surprise on her face.


    Although the girls were concerned, upon hearing that Elijah would only be gone for a few days and would return soon, they did not try to dissuade him.


    At the same time, Elijah took out the third-tier potions made from the matured Crystal Grass and announced that he would give one to Fiona.


    Fiona was very surprised and looked at Daisy and Charlotte with astonishment. She hadn''t expected to be the first to receive a third-tier potion.


    However, she quickly figured out the probable reason and happily epted the potion, drinking it in front of everyone''s expectant eyes. Fiona sessfully advanced to the third tier!


    Like Elijah, her energy underwent a qualitative change upon reaching the third tier, transforming from gaseous energy to liquid energy.


    Her physical strength saw a tremendous increase.


    Furthermore, her Telekinesis underwent a dramatic transformation.


    She could now control weights exceeding 100 pounds and extend her range to over 50 meters.


    Her telekic shield also became stronger, capable of defending against heavy blows.


    Most importantly, under the watchful eyes of everyone present, she used Telekinesis to lift herself into the air. Although not very proficient yet, she achieved true physical flight!


    Finally, whether out of exhaustion or intention, she descended from the air andnded in Elijah''s arms.


    Fiona embraced Elijah''s neck and whispered softly in his ear, "Tonight,e to my room."


    "Aren''t you on your period?" Elijah asked in surprise.


    "We can use other ces... just fine," Fiona teased, biting her lip and casting a flirtatious nce at him.

 Chapter 194: Departure

    "This fairy!"


    Elijah couldn''t help but feel stirred!


    If not for the eyes of the public, he would definitely give Fiona a good "lesson"!


    Should he really go and "teach her a lesson" tonight?


    Elijah pondered silently.


    But just the thought of possible bloodshed made him feel inappropriate!


    Forget it, wait until her menstrual period is over; she''ll get what''sing to her then.


    Thinking this, Elijah reluctantly let Fiona go, but before releasing her, he spitefully pinched her buttocks.


    This earned him an eye roll from Fiona.


    The other women were either oblivious or pretended not to hear or notice.


    After dinner, Elijah pulled Olivia aside to ask about the location of her mother''spany.


    He had never been to the western suburbs in his past life, so he had no idea where Matthew and his group''s base was!


    Olivia''s mother''spany location was a possibility.


    Of course, it was only a possibility; he wasn''t sure yet, but at least it was a target, right?


    If they couldn''t find Matthew there, they could ask around nearby. In his past life, since Matthew was involved in the zombie flesh trade, their base location couldn''t have been that hidden.


    Apart from that, he could also go to that storage base.


    That must be Matthew''s target. By waiting there, they would eventually catch Matthew and his group.


    Elijah and Olivia walked to a quiet corner. Elijah was about to ask a question when Olivia suddenly hugged him and kissed him, stopping his words.


    It was the first time Elijah had been treated this way by a little girl.


    He couldn''t stand it and immediately responded strongly.


    After a while, Olivia felt a little breathless and had to stop.


    She then shyly buried her head in Elijah''s chest and whispered, "Thank you, Elijah!"


    "I feel your gratitude!"


    Elijah chuckled lightly, making Olivia blush even more. But she didn''t shy away this time. Instead, she tried to mimic Fiona''s coquettishness and said to Elijah, "So, Elijah, do you want an even better thank-you gift?"


    Olivia looks like a young girl, but she tries hard to act coquettishly, which is weird and funny.


    Elijah pinched her nose and smiled, "Of course I want it, but I prefer the natural Olivia rather than this adult act you''re putting on now!"


    "I am already an adult!"


    Olivia argued, then muttered, "It''s not like Elijah doesn''t behave lecherously usually and often messes around with Aunt Jasmine outside. I thought you liked that!"


    "??"


    Elijah had two question marks in his head and was stunned for a moment before he reacted.


    "You... you saw all that?"


    He said incredulously.


    "I didn''t see it... I sensed it!"


    Olivia turned her head away.


    Elijah immediately realized what she meant.


    On the ind, there were two individuals with perception abilities: Sophia couldn''t see through walls, but Olivia could, though she only saw a mass of light and shadows, unable to discern specific features or body details.


    This reassured Elijah somewhat. Yet, when he thought about certain antics with Jasmine, he couldn''t help scratching his head.


    Even with just light and shadows, wasn''t it still too obvious?


    Was his current image aplete mess in Olivia''s mind?


    Wait a minute! Didn''t this girl just mention wanting a better thank-you gift?


    Elijah''s heart stirred. Looking at the youthful girl in his arms, he couldn''t help but ask, "Olivia, is tonight''s thank-you gift going to be like what you and Aunt Jasmine do?"


    "Um... not outside!" Olivia pouted.


    Elijah''s eyes lit up!


    "Not outside, then let''s go to your room!" Elijah whispered softly in her ear.


    "Then... I''ll wait for you!" Olivia managed to say with all her might, then promptly let go of Elijah and ran out!


    "It''s a deal!" Elijah chuckled twice and followed her back to the living room.


    As the night grew deeper, Olivia returned to her vi early. Shortly afterward, everyone else also retired to their rooms. Elijah was focused on going to Olivia''s roomter, not even noticing the seductive look Jasmine gave him as she left.


    Once everyone had gone, Elijah quietly made his way to Olivia''s room!


    ...


    Day 25 of the Apocalypse!


    Elijah rarely slept in. At this moment, he was in Olivia''s room, embracing her. Thinking back tost night''s romantic scenery, the taste of it all was something only he could appreciate, making him indulge in it, not wanting to get up at all.


    As they say, where beauties reside, heroes are buried!


    The ancients were right!


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    Elijah sighed.


    ...


    With great determination, Elijah finally tore himself away from his idyllic retreat!


    Today, he was going out officially; he couldn''t stay immersed in thend of beauties forever.


    After settling scores and removing the lingering unease in his heart, there would be plenty of time to enjoy!


    After breakfast, Elijah bid farewell to Be, Fiona, Grace, Katherine, and Sophia, who hade to see him off.


    He then boarded the vehicle with Charlotte, Daisy, Hannah, Olivia, and Jasmine, heading to therge mall to transport supplies.


    From there, he would join Abigail to lead a group of zombies, walking through the two city centers of Neoville City, heading towards the western suburbs.


    Elijah could have taken a detour to the south to avoid the heavily infested areas, but that would have added considerable travel time.


    Without his second-tier invisibility ability, that would have been his n.


    However, now equipped with this ability, he was confident about passing through the city center.


    Furthermore, he had 19 second-tier zombies with extraordinarybat capabilities apanying him. Their terrifying presence alone would deter ordinary zombies from approaching.


    Elijah gave some instructions to Charlotte and the others to ensure their safety during his absence, then proceeded with Abigail and the zombies, slowly heading west, gradually disappearing from view of the others!


    "Damn it! You little mouse hiding in the gutter, don''t let me catch you!"


    Inside a luxurious multi-story residential building, Elijah sat on a sofa in a room, gritting his teeth.


    "Master, that guy, like Daisy''s, has the same ability. I can feel the pressure he''s emitting; it''s definitely third-tier!"


    Abigail stood nearby, her cosy outfit torn open to reveal fair skin underneath, and her otherwise intact clothes somewhat dusty, giving her a disheveled appearance.


    Her eyes betrayed a hint of rare fear.


    "I suspected as much! I never imagined that less than 30 days into the apocalypse, there would already be third-tier zombies in the city center, and they''ve partially regained their senses. They''re so cunning!" Elijah sighed in frustration.

 Chapter 195: Rat in the gutter

    Since the day before yesterday, after bidding farewell to the women on the ind, Elijah continued westward alone with Abigail and a group of zombies, relying on their invisibility abilities.


    During their journey, they encountered numerous dangers, such as massive hordes of zombies exceeding tens of thousands, which they deliberately avoided.


    They also faced mutated zombies unafraid of the group of second-tier zombies around Elijah, but these attackers were dispatched by Elijah and their corpse cores harvested.


    This afternoon, Elijah suddenly sensed that the consciousness link to a zombie under his control had vanished.


    As he and Abigail investigated, they discovered that the zombie had been silently eliminated, with even its corpse core gone.


    This was a first for Elijah! To have a second-tier zombie killed right under his nose raised immediate concern.


    Especially since this particr zombie was the only one under his control with sensory abilities.


    Elijah suspected that whoever or whatever attacked them had awakened abilities akin to invisibility or stealth, and had observed them for a long time to urately target sensory-capable beings.


    Subsequently, both Elijah and Abigail heightened their vignce. Despite this, due to theirck of sensory abilities, they lost another water-controlling zombie to an ambush.


    However, they gleaned insights from the encounter, estimating their adversary possessed abilities simr to Daisy''s¡ªstealth, incredible speed, likely wielding a dagger-like weapon, extremely sharp.


    Their increased caution paid off when Abigail reacted swiftly to an ambush, causing the assant to retreat wounded, confirming their suspicion that the attacker was indeed a zombie from the blood left behind.


    Elijah now understood that zombies above second-tier needed to consume higher-tier corpses or corpse cores to advance. While Abigail had been consuming first-tier corpse cores like candy, she showed no signs of advancement, unlike Elijah''s group, which mostlyprised second-tier or higher beings¡ªenticing prey for those seeking advancement.


    Thus, encountering second-tier zombies tracking and attacking them wasn''t surprising.


    With the realization that their foe was a zombie, Elijah felt somewhat relieved.


    Zombiescked rationality, acting mostly on instinct; setting traps allowed them to ovee even the most cunning and swift adversaries.


    Elijah and Abigail subsequently sought safer paths, strategically cing one zombie in shadows while othersy in wait, preparing to strike.


    Yet, to their surprise, their adversary ignored these traps and directly targeted Abigail, themander of the zombies.


    If not for Abigail''s resilient defense, which deflected the attack, she might have suffered the same fate as the two fallen zombies.


    The assant was equally astonished by Abigail''s defense, their strike seemingly ineffective against her formidable protection.


    In that fleeting moment of astonishment, Elijah and Abigail noticed something familiar in the blood-red eyes of their attacker¡ªsomething reminiscent of Abigail''s own demeanor.


    This guy wasn''t just an instinct-driven beast anymore; he was a cunning hunter who had regained some semnce of rationality.


    Failing his first strike, he immediately vanished into the shadows.


    Despite Abigail being in a position seemingly with only her shadow, this zombie moved effortlessly, unsettling Elijah.


    They promptly sought refuge in a residential area, strategizing their next move. Elijah suspected the adversary was a third-tier zombie, a suspicion confirmed by Abigail.


    This exined how the zombie navigated minuscule shadows with ease¡ªthird-tier invisibility likely allowed for jumping between shadows.


    Elijah recalled Daisy''s second-tier invisibility, where one merged with shadows, bing a part of them, invisible yet tangible.


    Second-tier invisibility felt like entering a shadow realm, detached from reality.


    Now, facing this zombie''s ability to jump between shadows, Elijah realized capturing him would be incredibly challenging.


    Moreover, the adversary appeared intelligent, retracting immediately after a failed strike. Without sensory abilities, Elijah and Abigail were in a game of cat and mouse.


    "Though I know Daisy''s abilities are perfect for assassination, facing them ourselves is a headache!" Elijah shook his head. "But we have to find a solution. Having a third-tier zombie tailing us for assassination is too dangerous!"


    He sighed. "And it''s getting dark soon¡ªthat''s his advantage. We''ll be even more vulnerable!"


    Abigail looked at Elijah seriously. "Yes! Looks like we need to y big!"


    Elijah pulled out several corpse cores from his pocket¡ªall second-tier, totaling seven. These were originally from the zombies he cultivated andter abandoned.


    He kept four for Crystal Grass cultivation and carried the rest with him.


    The third-tier zombie hadn''t managed to take these corpse cores after killing the water-controlling zombie, so Elijah now possessed all seven second-tier corpse cores.


    "I don''t give a damn! Even if he''s rational, faced with these corpse cores, I bet he''ll take the bait!" Elijah cursed, his expression determined.


    Together with Abigail and their group of zombies, they moved to a vacant area in the neighborhood, selecting a suitable spot.


    Just as Elijah and Abigail prepared to hunt the third-tier zombie, they were unaware that every move they made upon entering the neighborhood was being watched by a woman.


    Lillian observed the unfamiliar man downstairs carefully, feeling deeply conflicted. She hesitated about whether to seek help from him.


    Instinctively, the man gave her a strong sense of safety.


    However, looking around him, there were over a dozen figures emitting a bloody red aura, which filled her with dread.


    Since the apocalypse, she had awakened a mysterious ability allowing her to perceive colors emanating from humans or zombies within a 20-meter radius.


    The blood-red aura she saw had been associated, from her month-long observations, exclusively with zombies, representing extreme malice towards her.


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    Contradictorily, the man amidst the zombies emitted a green aura. It was the first time she had seen a man with such a color since gaining this ability, and it brought her a profound sense of security.


    Lillian was highly superstitious about trusting her intuition. It had helped her evade disaster several times over the past month.


    "That man seems trustworthy and unlikely to have ill intentions towards me. But why are there so many fierce zombies around him? And why aren''t those zombies attacking him?" Lillian wondered to herself.


    If it were just the man alone, she would have approached him without hesitation. But now, surrounded by so many zombies...


    However, the harsh reality of dwindling supplies of food and water left her with little room for hesitation.


    Finding someone who posed no threat to her was a rare opportunity, and she couldn''t afford to let it slip.


    Moreover, she wasn''t alone; she had to consider Nora, the sleeping little girl on the couch in the living room.


    Nora wasn''t her child, nor was this ce her home.


    On the day of the outbreak, she had been entrusted to look after Nora for half a day, but due to the zombie virus outbreak, she had been trapped here ever since.


    Nora, just six years old, had remained remarkablyposed and obedient amidst the brutal scenes of zombies and cannibalism.


    Lillian cherished Nora deeply and treated her like her own daughter.

 Chapter 196: Lillian

    Thanks to Lillian''s friend and Nora''s biological mother, who had hoarded food in fear of shortages, they had managed to survive the initial days of the apocalypse.


    Later, as supplies dwindled, survivors from the neighborhood began venturing out to clear zombies and scavenge for resources.


    Lillian, relying on her newfound ability, had managed to avoid zombies and scavenge some food and water from her building.


    Eventually, she had started interacting with other survivors in the neighborhood.


    However, many of them emitted dangerous yellow or even red auras when she observed them, keeping her cautious and alert.


    This vignce had saved her from several dangerous encounters with survivors who had ill intentions towards her.


    One of those survivors had somehow provoked a zombie emitting a dark red aura, which had stormed into the neighborhood, massacring everyone except Lillian and Nora.


    Since then, that terrifying zombie had lurked nearby, preventing Lillian from leaving until now, when their food and water were running out.


    It was at this critical moment that Elijah entered their neighborhood, bringing a glimmer of hope. Find exclusive stories on m_v l|e-NovelBin


    Seeing Elijah emit a reassuring green light immediately turned that glimmer into a possibility of rescue.


    But then she noticed the many zombies around Elijah, including the familiar one emitting the dark red aura that had caused her so much fear.


    Faced with Elijah surrounded by numerous zombies, Lillian hesitated.


    Just as she did, the familiar zombie, emitting the dark red aura, suddenly appeared in her view, quietly approaching Elijah and swiftly closing in on him, unnoticed.


    Seeing the vicious zombie wielding what looked like a dagger towards Elijah''s neck, Lillian couldn''t hold back her shout: "Watch out!"


    Downstairs, Abigail and Elijah were surveying their surroundings.


    Initially focused on finding a secluded spot, they hadn''t thoroughly observed the area and had randomly chosen a building with fewer zombies.


    Now, as they nned to lure the third-tier zombie, Elijah immediately spotted an issue.


    The number of zombies in this neighborhood is very small!


    This is highly unusual!


    It''s likely that someone has already cleared out the zombies in the neighborhood.


    But the problem is, they''ve been here for half a day and haven''t seen a single living person.


    Just as he was pondering this, he suddenly felt a chill at his neck.


    At that moment, a woman''s cry rang out: "Watch out!"


    Upon hearing this, Elijah immediately activated Abigail''s defensive capabilities to the fullest, his skin immediately taking on a bronze glow.


    Simultaneously, Elijah swiftly thrust his hands backward!


    "ng," a sound like metal striking metal echoed.


    Behind Elijah, a zombie emerged from the shadows, precisely the Tier-3 zombie Elijah had been trying to lure.


    It wielded a dagger-like sharp weapon, which it swung at Elijah''s neck.


    But what astonished the Tier-3 zombie was that the dagger didn''t sever Elijah''s neck, nor did it even break the skin; it only left a white mark.


    "How... is this possible?"


    Doubt shed through the Tier-3 zombie''s mind.


    After tracking this group of "prey" for a while, it roughly understood that the female zombiemanded them, and she, in turn, obeyed this human.


    Initially, it hadn''t nned to attack this human, as it only sought this group of "prey."


    But to its surprise, it was detected after just one sessful ambush and injured by the group in a second attempt.


    With its somewhat restored intellect, the Tier-3 zombie realized that to obtain this group of "prey," it must eliminate the female zombie, causing the group to lose control so it could hunt them at leisure.


    Therefore, in itsst assassination attempt, it targeted the female zombie.


    However, it hadn''t expected her defense to be so strong that its usually invincible weapon couldn''t prate her skin.


    Fortunately, she was helpless against its abilities, allowing it to retreat calmly.


    Experiencing two consecutive failures, the Tier-3 zombie began to reflect on its experiences.


    Since it couldn''t kill the female zombie for now, it might as well kill this human first.


    From its previous tracking, it had noticed this human disappearing and reappearing intermittently.


    It assessed that this human''s abilities were likely simr to its own, capable of concealing its presence and certainly unable to withstand its attacks.


    So when it saw the seven "prey"id out among the group, it resisted the temptation and headed straight for this human.


    But reality proved different from its expectations; this human unexpectedly possessed such strong defensive capabilities that its usually invincible weapon once again failed to prate the opponent''s skin.


    But that was okay; it could still retreat calmly as long as it slipped into the shadows!


    Just as the Tier-3 zombie was about to do so, a voice suddenly rang out.


    "You little rat, finally fucking caught you!"


    The third-order zombie was taken aback at the words, hastily trying to use his abilities to slip into the shadows and escape. But the next moment, he found himself firmly held by the man before him, hands sped behind his back.


    With such arge object, he couldn''t enter the shadow space at all!


    "Attack!" It was then that Elijah shouted loudly!


    Several zombies who were already prepared immediately swarmed in.


    One of them was a steel-wed zombie, swinging its ws fearlessly towards Elijah. With a swift motion, the steel w plunged into the third-order zombie''s body and with a strong pull, scraped across!


    At the same time, two strength-type zombies, one on each side, their arm muscles bulging, forcefully struck the third-order zombie!


    A first-tier strength ability user can effortlessly lift a small car with their full strength.


    A second-tier can toss it around like a toy.


    Though zombies cannot concentrate their strength like humans and distribute it throughout their entire muscr structure, their unleashed power is still terrifying. And now there were two!


    Theirbined heavy blows sent the third-order zombie, along with Elijah, flying!


    "Bang!"


    Elijah and the third-order zombie crashed into the wall, smashing it to pieces. They then mmed into a room, causing a loud series of crashes and stirring up a huge cloud of dust.


    Meanwhile, other zombies, under Abigail''smand, also closed in, ready to overwhelm!


    "Ptooey! Ptooey! Ptooey!" Elijah''s voice echoed from the room.


    "That''s enough, stop!" As soon as his words fell, the zombies, ready to continue their attack, immediately halted.


    Soon after, amidst the swirling dust, Elijah, looking disheveled, dragged a broken corpse out from the wall with a gaping hole.


    "Damn it, lucky I''m tough, or you guys might''ve actually killed me!"


    As Elijah cursed, he nced at the third-order zombie in his hand.

 Chapter 197: Elijah walked into the building alone

    At this moment, the third-tier zombie was in a miserable state.


    Aside from some minor scrapes and bruises, the most noticeable injuries were two bowl-sized bloody holes and five gashes on its back.


    These were caused by two power zombies and a steel w zombie.


    Through the two bowl-sized holes, shattered lung and heart tissues were visible, and the five gashes prated its body, mirrored on the zombie''s chest.


    Even Elijah''s back bore five distinct white marks from cuts.


    If not for Elijah''s strong defense, the steel w zombie alone could have skewered him.


    Although the steel w zombie didn''t harm Elijah, the two power zombies had hammered him so hard that he felt like his internal organs had shifted, even with the third-tier zombie taking the brunt of the attack.


    His robust defense barely kept him intact, unlike the third-tier zombie, which had directly endured the hits.


    The third-tier zombie was nowpletely motionless, but Elijah stayed vignt, holding it firmly.


    He dragged it to an open space and ordered Abigail to decapitate it.


    Only then was the threat, which had been stealthily lurking and waiting to strike,pletely neutralized.


    Elijah tossed the third-tier zombie''s body aside, took out his knife, and pried open its head to retrieve an emerald-green corpse core.


    "A third-tier corpse core!"


    Elijah cleaned the knife and the corpse core with a cloth and examined it closely.


    It was his first time seeing a third-tier corpse core, as beautiful as an emerald.


    As he observed it, Abigail''s eyes gleamed with desire, and she couldn''t stop swallowing.


    "Mmm~ It must be delicious. I really want it!"


    Unfortunately for her, Elijah quickly pocketed it. He then collected seven second-tier corpse cores he had used as bait.


    These seven corpse cores had served their purpose well!


    After the third-tier zombie failed to assassinate Abigail, Elijah suspected he might be the next target.


    So, he openly ced seven second-tier corpse cores as bait and positioned a few zombies in a surrounding formation.


    Secretly, he also set up more zombies targeting himself.


    If the third-tier zombie couldn''t resist the bait and went for the seven corpse cores, it would face an all-out attack from Elijah and the other zombies.


    If the zombie saw through the trap and targeted Elijah instead, Elijah would rely on his defense to withstand the attack, capture the zombie, and prevent it from hiding again.


    Elijah''s confidence came from Abigail''s ability to withstand the third-tier zombie''s previous attack with her defensive powers.


    The zombie wouldn''t have guessed that Elijah had the same ability. Thus, everything went ording to Elijah''s n.


    Thinking of the voice that warned him, Elijah nced at a nearby multi-story building. On the third-floor balcony, a woman was looking at him in shock.


    Lillian couldn''t believe how powerful this man was! She had witnessed that elusive, dark red zombie systematically eliminate the survivors in this area.


    Among them was a person with seemingly superhuman strength, who also couldn''t withstand the zombie''s sneak attack.


    Only she and Nora, for some unknown reason, had escaped detection.


    Just moments ago, facing the zombie''s ambush, this man didn''t even dodge.


    He took the zombie''s attack head-on and thenmanded the other zombies to attack both him and the zombie.


    Lillian was astonished by the disy, especially by the two powerful zombies who sted the man and the zombie away like cannonballs.


    What shocked her even more was that while the zombie was left in tatters, the man appeared unscathed, only slightly dirty.


    "Who is this man? How can he be unharmed by such a strong attack and evenmand these zombies?" Lillian murmured to herself.


    Continue your adventure at m|v-l''e m,p| y- r


    Then she saw the man extract something from the dead zombie''s head, examine it briefly, and look her way.


    "Thanks for the warning earlier. Would you mind if we came over to talk?" the man said.


    "Of... course!" Lillian responded nervously, then watched as the man smiled slightly and walked into her building.


    Elijah did not let the zombies follow him. Instead, Abigailmanded them to spread out and keep watch. Elijah walked into the building alone.


    He didn''t bring the zombies along, as he was afraid of scaring the other party, although the woman might have already sensed through her abilities that he was apanied by a group of zombies!


    Soon, Elijah arrived on the third floor. Relying on his memory, he found the room where the woman was located. Just as he reached the door and before he could knock, the door opened by itself.


    At the same time, the woman from the balcony appeared at the doorway.


    "She indeed has sensing abilities and can even perceive through walls!" Elijah thought while also taking a clear look at the woman in front of him.


    The woman appeared to be in her thirties, wearing a white shirt and ck trousers.


    She had a curvaceous figure, with her shirt stretched tight and the top two buttons unable to close, revealing a bit of cleavage that was quite eye-catching.


    Below her chest, her waist became very slender, almost small enough to be grasped by one hand, making one want to hold it with both hands.


    Further down, her hips red out in a dramatic curve,parable to her shoulder width, forming a beautiful shape, and extending into two plump, long legs, making her figure appear especially tall and elegant.


    Moreover, her face was also very attractive, with a blend of delicate and striking features.


    She exuded the unique charm of a mature woman.


    The only pity was that her face was a bit pale and slightly haggard, which detracted a bit from her beauty.


    For some reason, Elijah felt that this woman looked somewhat familiar.


    "Sorry... Can we talk outside? My child is still sleeping," the woman said, somewhat nervously.


    Hearing this, Elijah looked into the living room through the entrance and indeed saw a little girl sleeping on the sofa.


    "Of course," Elijah replied indifferently. It didn''t matter to him where they talked.


    Upon hearing this, Lillian carefully closed the door.


    "Is it okay to leave the child alone at home?"


    "It''s fine. Nora is very sensible. Whenever I went out to look for food and water before, she stayed home alone. She''s very brave!" Lillian said proudly. "By the way, I forgot to introduce myself. My name is Lillian!"


    "I''m Elijah. Thank you very much for your warning earlier!"


    "No need. If anyone should be thanking, it should be me thanking you. If you hadn''t killed that vicious zombie, we would have been trapped in themunity and starved to death!" Lillian shook her head.


    At the same time, her stomach growled a few times, and her pale face blushed slightly, making Elijah momentarily dazed.


    "You were trapped here by that zombie?"


    Having been exposed to many beauties on the ind, Elijah quickly recovered and asked curiously.


    At the same time, he took some wafers and bottled water from his bag and handed them to Lillian.


    "Here is some food and water. Have some. After all, you did help me in a way!"


    "Thank you!"


    Lillian did not refuse. Even if she didn''t need it, her child needed to replenish food and water.

 Chapter 198: I can be your woman

    She epted the food and water without eating immediately and began to address Elijah''s earlier question.


    "Yes, that zombie appeared out of nowhere, elusive and deadly. It killed many survivors in ourmunity. If I hadn''t been able to sense its presence, both of us wouldn''t have survived. Although we weren''t killed by it, the zombie kept wandering around nearby, and I didn''t dare to go out to look for food.


    If you hadn''t appeared and killed it, we might have starved to death!" Lillian said, still fearful at the thought of that elusive zombie.


    As she finished speaking, her energy seemed to drain away, and she swayed a few times, nearly falling. Elijah quickly supported her.


    "Why don''t you sit down, eat something, and rest for a while?" Elijah suggested, holding her arm.


    He felt her warm, delicate skin, and the softness under her armpit pressed against the back of his hand. Looking closely at her skin, it was translucent and radiant, like white jade, exuding a porcin-like glow.


    The pallor on her face added a touch of fragility to her mature charm, making him want to cherish her even more.


    Honestly, Elijah, who was used to nights of revelry, found it a bit ufortable traveling without thepany of women.


    Seeing Lillian, so close and helpless, with an impable figure and appearance, stirred some feelings within him.


    However, he quickly suppressed these thoughts, as he still intended to recruit her and utilize her sensing abilities to continue his journey.


    What Elijah didn''t know was that when he had that fleeting thought, Lillian, through her sensing vision, noticed a slight yellow light emerging from the center of Elijah''s otherwise green aura.


    This yellow-green light was subtle but enough for Lillian to detect.


    Lillian paused momentarily, understanding that this change indicated Elijah had some unspeakable thoughts about her.


    As a mature woman, she was quite perceptive about such things, knowing that men were often attracted to beautiful women like her.


    Over the years, she had encountered many who coveted her, and after the apocalypse, some survivors in themunity had made their intentions tantly clear, using various threats and bribes, almost resorting to force.


    So, she didn''t find Elijah''s reaction inappropriate. What surprised her was that the yellow light quickly dimmed.


    The ability to suppress his desires,bined with the strength to kill that zombie...


    Lillian''s resolve strengthened.


    They couldn''t stay trapped here forever, as themunity''s food and water would eventually run out.


    With zombies densely popting the area, she couldn''t ensure long-term survival for herself and her child.


    But Elijah was different; he had clearlye from the outside, could control a group of zombies, and had experience in surviving and navigating the outside world.


    Thoughts shed through her mind, and then Lillian said, "The unit next door is unupied. Why don''t we rest there for a while?"


    "Sure," Elijah agreed, still supporting her. Lillian didn''t ask him to let go. They walked to the next unit, and Lillian skillfully took out a key and opened the door.


    "They turned into zombies and wandered in the hallway. I dealt with them and got the key. Their food and water helped us survive for a few more days," Lillian exined as she opened the door. Read new chapters at m_v-l''e|-NovelBin


    "Being able to kill zombies on your own is impressive!" Elijah praised.


    "s, I can only handle ordinary zombies. If I encountered the one you killed, I would have been helpless and just waited to die."


    "Indeed, that zombie was not something an ordinary person could handle," Elijah agreed with a nod.


    The two of them entered the apartment, closed the door, and sat on the sofa.


    After a moment of hesitation, Lillian continued, "Elijah, you''re so strong. Can you take us with you when you leave? Don''t worry, we won''t be a burden. My ability allows me to sense people''s intentions and, as you saw today, detect zombies hiding in the shadows."


    An ability like Olivia''s? Elijah was a bit surprised but quickly understood.


    No wonder she had been willing to warn him and even meet with a stranger.


    She must have seen that he had no ill intentions, emitting a green light.


    That ability could indeed be very useful! He had originally nned to invite her to join him, but knowing she had a child now made the situation moreplicated and dangerous.


    Seeing Elijah''s hesitation, Lillian grew anxious. Recalling the change in colors she sensed in his aura, she blurted out, "If you take us with you, I... I can be your woman. Even though I''m older..."


    "I''m willing, of course, but I''m worried the child is too young, and I can''t ensure her safety," Elijah responded, swallowing as he looked at Lillian''s heaving chest, the white shirt straining as if it might burst open at any moment.


    "Besides, you don''t look old at all. If it weren''t for the child, I would have thought you were younger than me!"


    Everyone lovespliments, especially when they are about looking young. A delighted smile appeared on Lillian''s face.


    "Don''t worry, Nora is very well-behaved."


    "Your daughter is named Nora? That''s a beautiful name!" Elijah remarked.


    Hearing this, Lillian''s expression darkened before she forced a smile. "Nora isn''t actually my daughter. She''s the child of one of my clients. My own daughter might already be... But over these days, I''vee to treat Nora as my own."


    Elijah was genuinely surprised to learn that the little girl wasn''t her biological daughter. Lillian then briefly recounted her story.


    Lillian had been a nurse in a hospital when she was younger.


    Later, with her husband''s support, she opened a high-end spa and beauty salon for women.


    Nora''s mother was a loyal customer of the salon.


    They had known each other for many years and had be good friends.


    Nora often apanied her mother to the salon and was very familiar with Lillian.


    Sometimes, when Nora''s mother had engagements, Lillian would help take care of her.


    Unfortunately, the outbreak of the zombie virus trapped her here.


    What shocked Elijah even more was that Lillian had a daughter who was already in college.


    Based on the typical age of marriage, Lillian had to be at least over forty.


    However, her appearance didn''t show it at all, and she could easily pass for someone in their twenties.

 Chapter 199: Spirit plants

    After some questioning, Elijah finally learned that Lillian was not yet 40 years old.


    The reason her daughter was so grown-up was due to an unintended pregnancy when she was young.


    Since their families knew each other, they decided to get married and have the child.


    Even so, Lillian''s appearance did not match her age. Elijah could only attribute it to her profession in running a spa and beauty salon, which must have helped her maintain her looks exceptionally well.


    As they chatted, Lillian ate, and Elijah revealed some of his abilities.


    This rified Lillian''s earlier confusion about why so many zombies were around Elijah and under his control.


    Elijah''s strength stemmed from his ability to mimic the powers of those he had contracted.


    The more Lillian heard, the happier she became. Elijah''s strength meant greater safety for her and Nora. Understanding Elijah''s mimicking ability, Lillian guessed part of his intentions and proactively suggested that Elijah contract her.


    Elijah sessfully imnted the Seed of Consciousness in her, confirming that Lillian''s abilities were indeed simr to Olivia''s.


    Their conversation, especially through the Seed of Consciousness and the contract, made them much more familiar with each other.


    As the evening grew darker, Lillian, having eaten and regained some energy, stretchedzily and said to Elijah, "It''s gettingte. Nora might be awake. I''ll go check on her."


    Lillian noticed Elijah wasn''t responding. When she looked closely, she saw he was staring intently at her chest.


    When she had stretched her arms, her chest had be particrly prominent, capturing Elijah''s full attention.


    Blushing slightly, Lillian instinctively covered her chest with her hand. Elijah, snapping back to reality, took out some more food from his backpack.


    "It''s time to check on our daughter. Take these so she won''t go hungry," he said.


    "Our daughter?" Lillian retorted yfully but didn''t refuse, putting away the food and water.


    "Get some rest," Lillian said, then left the room with the supplies.


    Watching Lillian''s swaying figure disappear, Elijah felt a bit regretful. Suddenly, Lillian''s head popped back into view.


    "Once our daughter is settled, I''lle back to find you..." she said before disappearing again.


    If it weren''t for Elijah''s enhanced senses confirming she had indeede back, he might have thought he imagined it.


    "Coming to find mete at night? That must mean..." Elijah chuckled to himself.


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    As night fell, Elijah started feeling hungry, so he ate some food while contemting a problem. Lillian''s earlier description of the Tier 3 zombie had a w.


    Lillian didn''t know that the zombie possessed intelligence and merely believed that her sensing ability and good luck had allowed her to avoid it.


    However, Elijah had a different perspective.


    The Tier 3 zombie had discovered Elijah''s group and had patiently observed them beforeunching a surprise attack.


    It had precisely targeted Abigail and Elijah, the core members, and had resisted the lure of the corpse core.


    Each of these points indicated that the Tier 3 zombie''s range of activity extended beyond this residential area and that it was both rational and cunning.


    The Tier 3 zombie had been able to kill everyone else in themunity, so it seemed unlikely that it hadn''t noticed Lillian.


    Its constant presence in the area, with only asional forays to hunt, suggested that something in thismunity attracted it.


    "Lillian mentioned that the zombie came here while chasing a survivor from themunity, who was also an Awakened but ultimately died at the hands of the Tier 3 zombie. Could it be that the survivor had something the Tier 3 zombie wanted? After killing the survivor and failing to find it, the Tier 3 zombie has been lingering around here, unwilling to leave," Elijah spected.


    Elijah had a rough idea that what could attract a Tier 3 zombie were likely spirit nts, spirit beasts, or a high-grade corpse core. "There''s no rush to leave tomorrow. I''ll search the area first."


    While Elijah pondered, Lillian returned to her room and found that Nora had already woken up on the sofa.


    "Nora, are you hungry? I found some food for you!" Lillian hurriedly approached and handed the food Elijah had given her to the little girl.


    "Aunt Lillian, I''m not hungry," Nora said, herrge, bright eyes pretending to be strong. But no sooner had she spoken than her stomach growled.


    "You say you''re not hungry!"


    Lillian affectionately stroked her head, knowing the child was trying to be considerate.


    Since the vicious zombie arrived in the vicinity, depriving them of food, Lillian had reduced her own intake, leaving more food for the child.


    At first, Nora hadn''t noticed, but she gradually understood.


    She started eating smaller portions at meals, stopped ying with her toys, and spent most of her time lying on the sofa, sleeping.


    Lillian initially worried that constant sleeping was unhealthy, but since Nora showed no adverse effects, she let it go, guessing that the girl slept more to conserve energy and require less food.


    She lovingly hugged the child, whose body had be very thin, lighter even than before the apocalypse.


    This was a child still in her growth phase! Lillian felt a pang of heartache but quickly felt happy.


    The vicious zombie was dead, and now there was a strong person they could rely on, promising better days ahead.


    She eagerly shared this news with Nora, encouraging her to eat the food she brought back, assuring that more would follow.


    Nora looked up at Lillian, listening intently to her description. Lillian didn''t know if she fully understood, but when she finished, Nora exhaled like a little adult.


    "Aunt Lillian thinks that uncle is a good person, so he must be. And that uncle is really amazing! He beat the bad guy who hides. Now I can be at ease!" Nora said.


    Lillian smiled warmly. "Can you eat well now?"


    "Yes, yes!" Nora eagerly picked up the food and started eating.


    Meanwhile, downstairs, Abigail, who was directing the zombies to keep watch, suddenly felt a strange vibrationing from the building in front of her.


    Not only did she sense it, but the Tier 2 zombies under her control also felt it and collectively turned toward the building, eager to rush inside.


    Abigail quickly controlled the group to stay calm and swiftly entered the building, guided by her intuition, until she stood outside a door on the first floor.


    At the same time, Elijah sensed an abnormal fluctuation in the consciousness link and wondered what was happening.


    He rushed out of his room and ran downstairs. When he reached the ground floor, he saw that Abigail had controlled the zombies but was nowhere in sight.


    Using the consciousness link to determine her location, Elijah found her in a room on the first floor.


    "What are you doing?" he asked upon entering, seeing Abigail huddled in a corner with her back to him, her shoulders asionally twitching.


    Startled, Abigail turned around, looking like a cat caught stealing food. She covered her mouth, chewing as she mumbled, "Nothing... nothing!"


    "Nothing?" Elijah was skeptical of her furtive behavior and looked around the room, especially at the spot where she had been squatting.


    Thanks to Daisy''s enhanced night vision, he quickly spotted a flowerpot with a nearly bald nt, only one wilted leaf remaining. Around this single drooping leaf floated tiny, almost invisible, glowing specks.


    "Spirit nts?" Elijah eximed in surprise.

 Chapter 200: I just wanted to cheer you up

    Elijah''s eyes lit up as he saw the spirit nt. Then, with a pained expression, he stepped forward, first taking out a few Tier 1 corpse cores and burying them in the pot.


    He then switched to Be''s solidified Tier 2 healing ability and began to heal the spirit nt.


    As the healing ability took effect, the previously drooping leaf gradually perked up, and the glowing specks around it became denser.


    Seeing this, Elijah breathed a sigh of relief.


    He carefully examined the spirit nt and realized that he had never seen it before and had no idea about its effects.


    He turned to Abigail, who was standing there like a child who had done something wrong, still covering her mouth and chewing.


    "Is it tasty?" he asked.


    "Um..." Abigail nodded, then shook her head.


    "Is it tasty or not?" Elijah wondered aloud, realizing that wasn''t the point. "How did you find this spirit nt? Why didn''t you tell me before eating it?"


    Abigail finally finished chewing and let out a sigh, lowering her hands. "This grass tried to jump out of my mouth," she mumbled.


    Elijah was baffled. Abigail, seeing his displeased expression, exined, "Just now, I felt a strange vibration, and the other zombies noticed it too.


    I controlled them and came over immediately.


    Then I saw this grass dancing. When it saw me, it tried to run, so I grabbed it. But I identally yanked it out..."


    "And then you ate it?" Elijah asked.


    Abigail nodded vigorously. "Yes, yes!" Continue reading on m|v-l''e -NovelBin


    Elijah sighed, shaking his head. "Well, what''s done is done. At least we managed to save it."


    He couldn''t be too harsh on Abigail since spirit nts had an inexplicable attraction to zombies, and she couldn''t resist eating it. "Can you still sense any strange vibrations from this spirit nt?"


    "No," Abigail replied, shaking her head.


    Elijah pondered this. It seemed the spirit nt had reached a certain stage of growth before disying those characteristics.


    Now that it had been revived, it would need time to grow again before showing such traits.


    Holding the spirit nt, Elijah returned to the third floor. As a punishment, he assigned Abigail to patrol outside for the night.


    Shortly after he returned, the door to his room was suddenly opened from the outside. Lillian entered, wearing a loose, strapless nightgown.


    Elijah finished arranging the spirit nts and gradually came to his senses.


    Could it be that the third-order zombie was looking for this spirit nt?


    But why hadn''t it found it earlier?


    Was it because it hadn''t fully grown and thus hadn''t emitted the fluctuations that agitated the zombies?


    Or was there some other reason?


    Elijah couldn''t figure it out for now.


    Perhaps, after the spirit nt grows for a while, he might understand.


    But for now, Abigail had eaten the spirit nt that the third-order zombie coveted, and he couldn''t predict what consequences that might bring.


    Elijah felt a surge of worry. Maybe he should ask Lillianter and find out where the survivor used to live.


    That way, he could determine if this spirit nt was indeed what the third-order zombie was searching for.


    Just as Elijah was thinking this, the door suddenly opened from the outside. Lillian walked in wearing a loose, strappy nightgown.


    The nightgown was ck satin, looking smooth and silky in the bright moonlight.


    It was very loose at the top, hanging on her body by two thin straps, and only stayed in ce because of her sudden curves at the chest.


    The hem of the nightgown was very short, barely covering her thighs, leaving her voluptuous legs fully exposed.


    More crucially, as she walked, the hem swayed, almost revealing everything with each movement.


    Elijah''s eyes immediately fixated on her, forgetting his previous concerns. "Is our daughter asleep?" Elijah asked, looking at Lillian with eager eyes.


    Lillian didn''t know that Elijah had night vision, but it didn''t matter.


    She had already prepared herself mentally by wearing this outfit. She quickly replied, "Asleep!" and sat down next to Elijah.


    Their bodies touched, and they could feel each other''s warmth. Both adults knew what was about to happen.


    Elijah, having abstained for two days, could no longer hold back and immediately embraced Lillian.


    Lillian softly moaned but didn''t resist.


    She whispered into Elijah''s ear, "Elijah, I want you to promise me that if I be your woman, you will treat Nora like your own daughter."


    "Of course!" Elijah responded firmly, then added something that made Lillianugh. "But I''ve never been a father or had a daughter, so I don''t really know how to treat a child."


    Lillianughed and feltpletely at ease. "It''s okay, I''ll teach you!" She smiled seductively at Elijah and lifted her nightgown.


    Instantly, her breathtaking, alluring body was revealed.


    Lillian was wearing a set of purple, semi-transparent lingerie that made her porcin-like skin look even more delicate and radiant.


    Elijah''s desire surged, and he immediately became assertive.


    ...


    That night, Elijah experienced long-missed fullness and satisfaction. The saying "taste and savor" truly applied, leaving him reluctant to part.


    If it weren''t for Lillian''s worry that Nora might wake up and be scared if she couldn''t find her, they would have continued their intimate time.


    Even so, Lillian was a bit weak when she left, needing to drink plenty of water before returning to her room. Elijah also fell into a deep, contented sleep.


    ...


    Elijah didn''t know how much time had passed, but half-awake, he felt something crawling on him. Sometimes it was near his mouth, other times on his chest.


    It was warm andfortable.


    When the thing crawled down to his lower abdomen, Elijah wondered if Lillian had returned.


    But as the clumsy movements began to hurt him, Elijah suddenly woke up. No, it wasn''t Lillian!


    He quickly opened his eyes and saw a woman in cosy attire leaning over the bed, curiously examining something.


    "Abigail? What are you doing here?"


    Elijah eximed and then broke out in a cold sweat immediately upon seeing what she was holding in her hands.


    "Master, you''re awake!" Abigail pouted, then continued, "I just wanted to cheer you up. Can you forgive me for eating the spirit nts?"

 Chapter 201: So Abigail was special

    Elijah wasn''t sure if it was just his imagination, but he felt that


    Abigail''s speech and expressions had be more vivid, almost indistinguishable from a normal person''s.


    However, he didn''t have the mood to dwell on these thoughts now.


    "Alright! Alright! Can you loosen your grip first?"


    "Really?"


    Abigail smiled happily, "I saw you and Daisy, along with other women, do this often. I thought you liked it, so I wanted to try it. I didn''t expect it to be so hard!"


    Hearing this, Elijah''s expression grew even darker, and he immediately checked his body thoroughly.


    "Fortunately... there are no signs of turning into a zombie!"


    Elijah let out a long breath.


    If he got infected by a zombie he controlled, it would be quite embarrassing and unfair.


    Wait, something''s not right!


    Elijah recalled what had happened when he was half-awake and quickly asked, "Did you... kiss me just now?"


    "Yes!"


    Abigail licked her lips, which instantly became plump and shiny, making one irresistibly want to kiss them.


    "This is bad!"


    Elijah''s face immediately turned ashen!


    Besides blood, any other tissue exchange with a zombie, even for an Awakened one, could result in bing a zombie.


    "What''s bad?"


    Abigail asked curiously.


    "I... I''m doomed, I''ll turn into a zombie because of you!"


    Elijah replied angrily.


    "Oh... but master, aren''t you fine?"


    "Uh... that''s true!"


    Abigail had kissed him for a while now, but why was he still okay?


    Could it be that he was immune to the virus?


    Thinking about it carefully, it made sense. If he could control zombies, but still get infected by the virus from the zombies he controlled, he would eventually be a zombie.


    But in his past life, he controlled zombies for a long time without any issues.


    He died by being torn apart by a horde of zombies, not from a viral infection!


    At this thought, Elijah suddenly remembered his Seed of Consciousness ability, the most important aspect of which was information exchange.


    Perhaps the Seed of Consciousness had already exchanged the virus information from the zombies he controlled, and although he couldn''t discern it, his body had already produced the corresponding antibodies.


    Realizing this, Elijah finally felt relieved.


    He then took the time to look at Abigail.


    Because the third-stage zombie had torn a hole in Abigail''s clothes earlier, she was now kneeling by the bed, revealing the scenery below her neck.


    From a distance, it looked like a bundle of dough, but up close, it was like a doughy mass!


    The usual grandeur was now even more magnificent and perilous!


    Elijah''s blood surged as he thought about the recent scare and his spections, and he decided to take a bold step.


    Since they had already kissed, why not go further?


    Elijah immediately pulled Abigail up.


    "Hmm? Master, are you going to..."


    Abigail didn''t resist, her pair of blood-red eyes looked at Elijah with some confusion.


    "Shut up, I''m going to fight zombies."


    "Fight zombies?"


    Abigail was stunned.


    "Is the master still angry? Can you be gentler?"


    Abigail asked with innocent wide eyes.


    "No, I''m going to punish you properly!"


    "The taste of zombies is really something else!"


    The next morning!


    Elijah leisurely practiced a set of body-strengthening techniques, reminiscing about the wonderful night before. As he looked at the alert female zombies around him, they all seemed much more charming.


    "Bah! Bah! No, my orientation is normal. I''m nothing like that degenerate Matthew!"


    Elijah quickly turned away and looked at Abigail.


    Abigail''s original cosy outfit had been torn apart by Elijah. She was now wearing a simple round-neck T-shirt and shorts, showing off her long, slender, and toned white legs, looking youthful, fashionable, and vibrant.


    Now, except for her blood-red eyes, Abigail''s expressions,nguage, and behavior in certain situations were indistinguishable from a normal human.


    Elijah personally experienced thisst night and could vouch for it!


    So Abigail was special!


    His orientation was still fine!


    At this moment, Abigail was cherishing the three second-tier corpse cores in her hands. After a while, she took one out, put it in her mouth, and chewed it with a satisfied expression like a kitten that had sneaked a fish.


    After finishing one corpse core, she noticed Elijah staring at her.


    Thinking he regretted giving them to her and wanted them back, she quickly hid the remaining corpse cores with both hands and red at him angrily.


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    These were hard-earned, bought with her blood. She wouldn''t return them.


    Hmph! He said they were going to fight zombies!


    In the end, the master broke his promise and instead... well, let''s just say it was a different kind of fight...


    Seeing her protective stance, Elijah couldn''t help but smile.


    After a night of bloody battle, Elijah confirmed he was truly immune to Abigail''s virus.


    When Abigail asked for second-tier corpse cores, Elijah gave her four as she requested.


    Four second-tier corpse cores weren''t enough for Abigail to advance to the third tier, but they satisfied her, so why not?


    And even if Abigail advanced, Elijah might not be able to fully control her, but with the intelligence Abigail had shown, Elijah wasn''t worried about her betraying him.


    In the worst-case scenario, even if she did, Elijah was immune to her virus. Since Abigailcked powerful attack methods and was only extraordinarily tough to defend against, Elijah was confident he could handle her.


    "No one''s taking them from you!"


    Elijah shook his head with a smile, then continued, "I''m going upstairs to check things out. Do you want toe with me?"


    "No!"


    Abigail still didn''t let her guard down, protecting her second-tier corpse cores and shaking her head.


    "I''ll keep an eye on this bunch!"


    Elijah looked at the surrounding vignt zombies and said indifferently, "Alright then!"


    With that, he went upstairs alone.


    Just as he reached Lillian''s door, she opened it before he could


    knock.


    Lillian had changed out ofst night''s slip dress and was back in her shirt and pants from the previous evening.


    Seeing Elijah, it was as if nothing had happened the night before. She led him inside like a guest.


    As soon as he entered the living room, Elijah saw the little girl he had seen yesterday, but this time she wasn''t sleeping. She was looking at him with big, curious eyes.


    "Hi! Hello, your name is Nora, right? You''re so cute!"


    Elijah tried to put on a friendly expression.

 Chapter 202: Shielding

    "My name is Nora, uncle. Was it you who defeated that bad, vicious person yesterday?"


    Nora asked seriously, like a little adult.


    "Yes! Not only did I defeat that bad guy, but I also brought you some food and water!"


    Elijah said, taking out some food and water.


    "Thank you, uncle!"


    Nora epted the food and water without hesitation, then turned to Lillian and said, "Aunt Lillian, let''s eat together!"


    "Alright!"


    Lillian smiled and sat down beside her.


    Since Elijah had been eating alone for the past couple of days, he hadn''t brought much food and water. What he had just given to Lillian and Nora was thest bit. Although it wasn''t much, it was enough for the two of them to eat.


    However, Elijah knew he would need to visit a nearby convenience store soon to stock up on more supplies.


    But before that, he had something to confirm.


    "Lillian, where does the survivor you mentioned who attracted the third-tier zombie live?"


    "That person..."


    Lillian hesitated for a moment before answering truthfully, "He originally lived in a high-rise building two blocks away. Later, while out scavenging for supplies, he ran into me and then moved to the first floor of my building."


    As expected, it seemed that the spirit nt was indeed brought by that person. It was even possible that he had stolen it from the third-tier zombie, which is why he was being pursued all the way here.


    Elijah pondered for a moment.


    Seeing this, Lillian feared he might misunderstand, so she added, "I used my ability to see that he had bad intentions towards me, so I ignored him. Later, when he came downstairs to pester me, I still didn''t..."


    "Lillian, I believe you!"


    Elijah interrupted her, then exined, "I asked because I discovered the reason why the third-tier zombie was lingering around here..."


    Elijah briefly exined his conjecture.


    Lillian finally felt relieved.


    "Lillian, those who make a contract with me, I treat as family, so you don''t need to worry about the past. We need to look forward!"


    "Mm-hmm!"


    Lillian nodded.


    "Uncle, what about me? I haven''t made a contract with you yet!"


    Nora raised her small hand and said.


    "Oh, I almost forgot about you!"


    Elijah realized, then cut his finger with a knife, squeezing out a drop of blood containing the Seed of Consciousness.


    "Ah! Uncle, does it hurt?"


    "It doesn''t hurt! Swallow this drop of blood, and we''ll have a contract!"


    Elijah held his finger out to Nora.


    "Really?"


    Nora frowned, unsure whether she didn''t believe it didn''t hurt or didn''t believe that this was how to make a contract.


    "Really!"


    Hearing this, Nora leaned forward and licked the blood off Elijah''s finger.


    Under the watchful eyes of Nora and Lillian, the cut on Elijah''s finger healed visibly.


    "Wow?"


    Nora looked at Elijah''s finger with wonder.


    Lillian was also amazed!


    "I have healing abilities, so you don''t have to worry about getting hurt anymore!"


    "Mm-hmm!"


    Nora nodded happily.


    Meanwhile, Elijah''s expression suddenly became strange.


    Looking at the little girl examining his finger, he couldn''t help but ask,


    "Nora, do you also have some kind of special ability?"


    "Special ability?"


    Nora tilted her head and thought for a moment, "Do you mean ying hide and seek, uncle?"


    "Sort of..."


    Elijah''s mouth twitched.


    "Hide and seek?"


    Lillian asked, confused.


    Seeing that Lillian genuinely didn''t know, Elijah exined, "After making the contract with Nora, I sensed energy fluctuations within her. By mimicking it, I realized how you both managed to evade the third-tier zombie''s search!"


    Including that spirit nt!


    Nora believes her ability is hiding, but to Elijah, it should be called shielding!


    By mimicking, Elijah discovered that Nora''s ability can shield the perception of those within a certain range centered on the ability user.


    For instance, the abnormal fluctuations emitted by the spirit nts could not be detected by the outside world due to this shielding ability.


    Simrly, the third-level zombie couldn''t detect Lillian and Nora because the shielding ability caused it to subconsciously ignore them.


    However, the shielding ability can only block perception, intuition, and other mentally-inclined or instinctual abilities.


    It has no effect on sound and vision, which is why Elijah could hear Lillian''s voice yesterday and see her.


    Nora calling her ability hiding is actually quite fitting.


    "These days, Nora has been so sleepy because she''s been constantly using her ability. This is too much of a burden for a child, and she can only recover a little through sleep."


    Hearing Elijah''s exnation, Lillian let out a long sigh of relief and hugged Nora tightly.


    "Thank you, Nora!"


    Lillian hadn''t realized that Nora had been protecting her in her own way all this time.


    "Aunt Lillian, don''t be afraid!" Nora said, patting Lillian like a little adult, which made both Elijah and Lillian smile.


    "With Nora''s ability, we''ll be even safer on the road!" Elijah praised as he patted Nora''s head.


    With his second-level invisibility ability, he could barely take one person with him, but adding Nora made it a bit strenuous.


    Elijah had thought of letting the second-level invisible zombie also use its invisibility ability to take one person, but he couldn''t control the zombie precisely enough, and any mistake could expose someone, which would be troublesome.


    Now, with Nora''s shielding ability, they could cover the whole team, reducing their presence and preventing idents.


    Nora was also very happy with Elijah''s praise.


    The three of them happily finished their breakfast, and Elijah said to the two of them, "Pack up your things, we''ll set off in a bit!"


    Lillian knew that Elijah and the others were just passing through here, with their real destination being the western suburbs, so she didn''t ask any questions and went straight to pack clothes.


    She didn''t have many clothes she could use here, mostly packing things for Nora. Nora busied herself alongside, and soon they had packed a bundle.


    "Alright, let''s go!"


    Lillian looked around the room reluctantly.


    In the nearly month-long period after the virus outbreak, she and Nora had relied on each other here. Enjoy more content from m-v l''-NovelBin


    Lillian knew that leaving this time meant they would never return.


    Nora didn''t fuss; she just took onest look at the room and then followed Elijah and Lillian downstairs.


    Abigail was already controlling a group of zombies waiting here.


    When Lillian and Nora saw this group of second-level zombies, even though they were mentally prepared, they were still a bit frightened.


    Especially Lillian, whose pupils constricted slightly upon seeing Abigail.


    She felt that this girl looked somewhat familiar but thought it was impossible to meet her here.


    The main thing was Abigail''s blood-red eyes and the scarlet aura in her perceptual field, all indicating that this was a dangerous zombie.


    "You two don''t need to worry; these are zombies I control. They''re very safe!"


    Elijah reassured the two of them first, then continued, "Alright, everyone is here. Let''s set off and find a nearby convenience store to replenish our supplies!"


    After Elijah finished speaking, Abigail ordered the zombies to surround them.


    Then Elijah and the second-level invisible zombie activated their invisibility ability.


    Lillian and Nora were amazed to see their bodies seemingly covered with a transparent membrane, then instantly disappearing from sight, even though they could still clearly sense their own bodies.


    "Wow, how magical!" Nora eximed in surprise, then quickly covered her mouth, realizing it was inappropriate to make a noise.


    "Nora''s ability is also very magical. Later, can you use your ability to hide us?" Elijahforted her.


    "Sure!" Nora responded happily, and the group headed out of themunity.


    Using Elijah''s second-level invisibility ability and Nora''s shielding ability, they safely reached a convenience store, dealt with the zombies inside, and started scavenging for supplies.


    Since there were now two more people, Elijah brought more food and water than usual, filling threerge bags, which the zombies carried.


    They then continued their journey.


    After nearly a day of avoiding severalrge groups of zombies, they slowly made their way out of the city center.


    As they got closer to the western suburbs, Elijah and the others began to see some survivors.

 Chapter 203: Dont worry

    However, because Elijah and his group were in a state of invisibility, and they were surrounded by a group of obviously formidable zombies, the survivors they encountered avoided them.


    "It seems that after a month has passed, most survivors are experiencing a shortage of supplies or have realized the reality and starteding out to search for resources!"


    Elijah murmured to himself after seeing a street-side convenience storepletely emptied.


    Then he turned to Lillian and said, "It''s gettingte now. Let''s find a safe ce to rest."


    "Okay!" Lillian replied, holding Nora without any objection.


    They walked a bit further, and suddenly, the number of zombies decreased. Elijah suspected there was a survivor settlement nearby.


    He nned to find a nearby house and also see if they could gather any information from these survivors.


    Just as Elijah was about to turn into a residential area, Lillian suddenly grabbed his arm. Elijah looked at her in confusion.


    Lillian whispered to Elijah, "There are three peopleing this way!"


    Elijah listened carefully and soon heard the footsteps of three people. Their voices gradually became audible as well.


    "Dominic, do you think these people will obediently join our group?" one of them asked.


    "Hey, we''ve already expanded to the surrounding area. It''s better if they cooperate. If they don''t..." Dominic sneered, "They''ll get a taste of Ethan''s methods!"


    The person who asked the question shivered involuntarily, seemingly recalling something, then forced a smile and said, "Right! Right! Let''s hurry back to the mall. We''ve lost quite a bit of time trying to recruit them."


    As the voices got closer, the three figures gradually came into Elijah''s sight. All three were men. The one in the middle was extremely tall and muscr, almost like a giant. To his right was a fat man, nodding and bowing, and to his left was a slender man about 1.7 meters tall with an expressionless face.


    The three men emerged from the residential area and headed straight west. At this point, the fat man nced in Elijah''s direction, and his face immediately showed a horrified expression.


    "Dominic, there are zombies behind us!"


    "What?" Dominic turned to look at Elijah and was also shocked to see the group of second-level zombies.


    "Damn it, didn''t you activate your perception ability?" Dominic cursed in a low voice.


    "I did!" the fat man replied, almost in tears.


    "Keep your voices down, those zombies haven''t noticed us yet!" the expressionless skinny man suddenly reminded them.


    Hearing this, the fat man and Dominic fell silent and carefully observed.


    Sure enough, they noticed that the group of zombies was just wandering aimlessly and hadn''t detected them or moved towards them.


    This was because Elijah had ordered the zombies to pretend.


    "Damn it, there must be a mutant zombie among them that can shield my perception!" The fat man, feeling bolder now that there was no immediate danger, started cursing again.


    "Not only that, but these zombies are all very sturdy and not at all sluggish. They must have been supplemented with flesh, especially the two at the front; they''re tall and strong. They could also be mutant zombies!" the skinny man analyzed.


    "Should we lure them over and take care of them?" the fat man asked Dominic.


    "Forget it, we''re here to seize supplies from the mall. No need toplicate things. Besides, these zombies look tough and are blocking the way. This will give the people in the settlement something to think about," Dominic sneered.


    "Dominic''s n is brilliant!" The fat man ttered him, and then the three continued westward.


    "Group? Mall? Recruitment?" Elijah silently watched the three leave without making a move. Being new here and unfamiliar with the surroundings, he decided to observe and gather information first.


    Once the three were out of sight, Elijah led his group to a nearby house and settled Lillian and Nora inside.


    "We''ll rest here tonight. Nora, I have a task for you. Is that okay?" Elijah said.


    "What task do you have for me, uncle?" Nora asked curiously.


    Elijah took out the spirit nt, which had been mostly consumed by Abigail, from his backpack and handed it to Nora.


    "This nt is very important to me. I''m going out for a while and can''t take it with me. Can you look after it for me?"


    Nora''s small hands epted the pot.


    Though it wasn''t heavy, it weighed down her hands a bit, but she managed to hold it steadily.


    She looked at the nt, which had only one leaf, with wave-like patterns and several firefly-like glows that appeared and disappeared around it, creating a magical effect.


    "Don''t worry, uncle, I will take good care of it!" Nora said solemnly, like a little adult.


    "Good! I trust you!" Elijah wanted Nora to look after the nt to prevent it from emitting those strange fluctuations that could attract zombies. Nora''s ability was perfect for shielding it.


    Meanwhile, Lillian asked worriedly, "Are you going out? It''s getting dark."


    "Yes, I n to scout the nearby settlement and the mall for information. Don''t worry, I''ll leave Abigail and this group of zombies here to protect you."


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    "Abigail?" Lillian looked in shock at the female zombie who seemed familiar to her.


    "Oh, right, I forgot to mention. Abigail is the most special zombie I''ve contracted. She has her own consciousness and is no different from a normal human," Elijah exined, calling Abigail over.


    "Abigail, I''m going out for a while. Stay here and protect them!"


    "No problem!" Abigail''s blood-red eyes nced at Lillian before she pouted at Elijah. "But I''m running out of second-level candy."


    "Uh..." Elijah scratched his head and reluctantly took out the remaining three second-level corpse cores.


    "Use them sparingly; these are myst ones!"


    "But you still have a third-level one, don''t you?" Abigail quickly grabbed the three second-level corpse cores and looked at Elijah with fiery eyes.


    "That one... I can''t give you; I need it for something else!" Elijah said sternly. "Anyway, take good care of them!"


    "Got it, mission epted!" Abigail replied happily, then ran off with the corpse cores.


    Lillian stared at Abigail, both shocked and puzzled. "Can zombies regain their intelligence?"


    "I''m not sure. So far, Abigail is the only example I''ve seen," Elijah shrugged. "Alright, you two have dinner. I''ll be back soon!"


    "Be careful!" Lillian urged.


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    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 204: the heartless villain, must be there

    "Alright, don''t worry. Within a five-kilometer radius, I can mimic your abilities. No one can harm me right now," Elijah said calmly.


    Hearing this, Lillian felt much more at ease.


    Elijah didn''t linger any longer. He activated his invisibility ability and headed straight towards the residential area where the three men hade from.


    Not long after Elijah left, Lillian hesitated for a moment before finally approaching Abigail.


    "You''re... called Abigail, right?" Lillian asked.


    "Yes!" Abigail replied, ying with the corpse core in her hand and looking at Lillian.


    Lillian felt a bit uneasy under Abigail''s blood-red gaze, but remembering that she was controlled by Elijah gave her somefort. She scrutinized Abigail closely.


    Although Abigail''s appearance had changed somewhat after bing a zombie, she looked increasingly familiar to Lillian, especially with the same name.


    So, she couldn''t help but ask, "Abigail, don''t you recognize me? I''m your Aunt Lillian!"


    "Aunt Lillian?" Abigail tilted her head and scrutinized Lillian, then shook her head. "Sorry, I don''t remember. Do you know me?"


    "I think so," Lillian said hesitantly. "You used toe to my salon for beauty treatments... don''t you remember?"


    ...


    The nearest survivor settlement had no guards at the entrance, and Elijah, using his invisibility, entered the area without any issues.


    After walking a short distance, he saw a group of people in a heated argument.


    The group consisted of about a dozen people, split into two factions.


    One faction was led by a man in a suit and sses who was making an impassioned speech.


    "YLK Group is a renowned bigpany with integrity and strength. We''ve heard that they wee survivors to join them. Now that they''ve extended their territory to this area, this is a great opportunity! Why are you all hesitating? I''ve heard that the entire west is their territory, and it''s very safe there. You''ve seen their strength¡ªthey took over that huge mall with ease!"


    "But we were the ones who discovered that mall first and started clearing out the surrounding zombies!" a young man, who looked like a college student, retorted indignantly.


    "Finn, you need to face reality. In this zombie-infested apocalypse, strength is what matters. They have a group of awakened ones, while we only have you. We''re outmatched, so we couldn''t hold onto that mall. I know you''re upset, but think about it this way: if we join them, that mall still bes ours. Plus, there''s safety in numbers!" the man with sses reasoned persuasively.


    Hearing their conversation, Elijah''s eyes lit up.


    YLK Group¡ªthat''s Olivia''s mother, Kylie''spany! That''s precisely where I''m headed!


    Matthew, the heartless viin, must be there!


    Elijah didn''t expect to get news about Matthew so soon after reaching the outskirts of the west side.


    This also indirectly proved that Matthew and his group were thriving.


    From the conversations he overheard, it was clear that YLK Group had many awakened ones and could deploy people close to the city center to upy arge mall.


    As Elijah pondered this, the two groups of people, influenced by the man with sses, finally reached a consensus.


    He could tell that Finn was still somewhat resentful but no longer strongly opposed. They decided to join YLK Group the next day.


    Seeing that he couldn''t gather more information, Elijah slowly exited the neighborhood and headed west, following the direction where the three YLK Group members had gone.


    Along the way, he encountered few zombies, which aligned with Finn''s im that they had spent a lot of time clearing the area, only to have YLK Group swoop in and im the mall.


    Soon, Elijah arrived outside a mall. It was already dark, and he could faintly see some lights inside.


    Knowing that there were sensory ability users, Elijah deactivated his invisibility and switched to Nora''s shielding ability, slowly approaching the mall entrance.


    Through the ss, Elijah saw several people inside.


    Besides the three he had seen earlier, there were three other men, all of whom looked well-nourished and fit¡ªindicative of a good supply of food and drink even in the apocalypse.


    "Leaving six people to guard the mall means they had more people when they cleared it out," Elijah thought.


    Back when he and Quentin cleared a mall, they had arge group and left a team behind to guard it.


    He believed that this group might not have as many people as they did back then, but it wouldn''t be too few either.


    "Plus, ording to the man with sses, these people are all awakened ones!" Elijah observed closely.


    Though he couldn''t tell their abilities just by looking, the men appeared confident and unafraid.


    Considering the size of the mall, there must have been a few mutant zombies, indicating that these people were not weak.


    Elijah contemted his strategy.


    The people inside the mall were not a major threat, but he didn''t know how many people YLK Group, especially Matthew, had or what their abilities were.


    Everything was an unknown.


    He could capture these individuals and interrogate them, but that risked alerting the others.


    It was best to strike decisively.


    Moreover, he was alone.


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    Prolongedbat was not advisable.


    He also had Lillian and Abigail to consider.


    While Lillian and Nora couldn''t contribute much in a fight, their abilities were still crucial.


    Most importantly, Abigail and her 16 second-tier zombies were a trump card.


    Elijah could use these zombies to bulldoze any settlement.


    "But the situation is unclear right now. It''s better to proceed cautiously," Elijah thought with a smile.


    Since YLK Group was actively recruiting survivors, infiltrating their ranks shouldn''t be difficult. Knowing your enemy was crucial for victory.


    Once inside, he could assess the situation and then take them down thoroughly.


    Elijah also wanted to see how they managed to have so many awakened ones.


    He had the knowledge of cultivating spirit nts from his previous life and Be''s healing ability, which allowed for the continuous cultivation of these nts.


    He doubted that Matthew''s group could have discovered the secrets of spirit nt cultivation so quickly.


    Even if they had, without an ability like Be''s, it wouldn''t be possible to produce arge number of awakened ones.


    Besides this, there was only one other possibility¡­


    Elijah had his suspicions but needed to confirm them himself.


    Having made his decision, Elijah headed back. His n was set; the next step was to arrange for Lillian and the others.


    But as he was halfway back, he suddenly felt a violent fluctuation in his consciousness link.


    "Is this¡­Abigail?" Elijah''s expression turned serious.


    The consciousness link was shaking violently, as if it might break at any moment. This could only mean that Abigail was advancing to the third tier!


    Elijah immediately quickened his pace to return!

 Chapter 205: Ive advanced

    He ran while thinking to himself, having just given Abigail seven second-tier corpse cores, with thest three being very recent.


    Based on previous experience, Abigail couldn''t possibly digest them so quickly.


    So, the only thing that could have spurred her advancement must have been the spirit nt she consumed!


    What''s more critical is that Abigail hadn''t finished eating the entire spirit nt; there was still some left, enough for her to advance to the third tier.


    No wonder the third-tier zombies had been relentlessly searching for this spirit nt.


    Obviously, the grade of this spirit nt might be even higher than Crystal Grass! Elijah''s heart was filled with both joy and worry!


    By the time he returned to where Lillian and the others were hiding, the fluctuations in the consciousness connection had subsided, and Abigail hadpleted her advancement.


    Elijah was relieved to find that the consciousness link was intact, and Abigail remained under his control.


    Thus, upon reaching the door, instead of hurrying back, he tried to emte Abigail''s third-tier abilities.


    As he sessfully mimicked her abilities, Elijah felt his skin be even harder than before.


    When his arms collided, they produced a metallic "ng."


    He drew a dagger and forcefully shed his own arm; with his current strength, he could only break through a bit of flesh, unable to harm the tendons and bones.


    Of course, self-inflicted wounds were inherently limited, but even if he went all out, it would probably only deepen this wound a bit.


    He could feel unprecedented enhancement of his skeletal structure this time.


    In fact, when he used second-tier defensive abilities, he could feel that his bones had been strengthened, but they were still within the scope of carbon-based bones.


    But now, he felt that his bones were as hard as steel,pletely different from before.


    "Is this the ability of Copper Skin and Iron Bones? With such defense, one could practically dominate the apocalypse!"


    Elijah muttered to himself, the new ability giving him more confidence for the actions toe.


    After adapting to the third-tier Copper Skin and Iron Bones ability for a moment, Elijah slowly walked into their hiding ce.


    Lillian was the first to notice Elijah''s return, but she didn''t greet him; instead, she was soothing Nora, who was asleep.


    Nora had been waiting for Uncle Elijah to return so she could tell him that she had been keeping an eye on the spirit nts.


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    Unfortunately, despite starting to replenish food and water normally, her body was still weak from prolonged use of abilities, and she fell asleep before Elijah returned.


    Seeing this scene upon entering, Elijah didn''t disturb them and went to find Abigail instead.


    Unseen by him, in the instant he turned away, Lillian''s gaze towards him was filled withplexity, mingling shame and regret.


    Abigail was in another room, and when Elijah entered, he caught her demonstrating her abilities, her whole body shimmering golden.


    Upon seeing Elijah, Abigail immediately pounced on him, hanging onto his body and joyfully eximing, "Master, I''ve advanced!"


    Elijah held her hips, watching her increasingly lively spirit, feeling a wave in his heart.


    "Is that so? Then, Master must thoroughly inspect!"


    "What? Lillian seems to know you?"


    After a beneficial physical and mental check-up, Abigaily in Elijah''s arms, recounting what had happened during his absence.


    To Elijah''s surprise, Lillian appeared to be acquainted with Abigail.


    "Yeah, she asked me a lot about school stuff, seems like she and I were ssmates. I even went to her store for beauty treatments, but I don''t remember a thing!"


    Abigail sighed in frustration, tapping her forehead. Besides remembering Daisy vividly, she slowly regained some instinctive memories ormon knowledge.


    Even memories of her own parents weren''t very clear.


    In a way, Abigail was essentially apletely reborn self-aware personality, markedly different from her past self in behavior, demeanor, and temperament.


    This was the reason Lillian initially hesitated to confirm their connection!


    "Speaking of which, Lillian did mention having a daughter... could she have been your ssmate? Since you don''t remember, ask Daisyter, she might know!" Elijah suggested.


    "I thought of that too. I mentioned Daisy to her, and she seemed quite interested!" Abigail replied.


    "Well, in any case, it''s a good thing," Elijah nodded, deciding not to dwell on the matter. Currently, the most important thing was how to deal with Matthew''s issue.


    A quiet night passed.


    Early the next morning, Nora ran over to Elijah to report that she had kept a close watch on the spirit nts. Elijah praised her thoroughly, and Nora left happily.


    After breakfast, Elijah exined his n. Lillian voiced her concern, "Are you sure you''ll be alright on your own?"


    "Don''t worry about that. There''s no one in this world who can harm me!"


    Elijah sounded a bit self-assured, though his defenses weren''t as exaggerated as he imed.


    Therefore, Elijah needed to either take Abigail along on his mission or ensure she stayed within five kilometers of the YLK Group.


    "But your safety is also a concern!" Elijah furrowed his brow, then continued, "Today, you''ll stay hidden here while I take the stealth zombies..."


    Thinking of potential telepaths on the other side, Elijah added, "...and Nora to scout their headquarters. Once we confirm its location, we''ll move nearby together!"


    Elijah outlined the n roughly, aiming for stability above all else.


    Nora was excited to hear she''d be apanying Elijah, and while Lillian had concerns, she didn''t object.


    After finalizing their ns, Elijah instructed Abigail to protect Lillian with the other zombies while he carried Nora and the stealth zombies toward the supermarket where the YLK Group members had been seen the day before.


    As Elijah stepped out, he spotted the survivors from yesterday in the distance, heading toward the mall with bundles in tow.


    Before departing, Elijah had explicitly instructed Nora that this mission was like arge-scale game of hide-and-seek¡ªthey couldn''t speak or be discovered.


    Nora obediently stayed in Elijah''s arms, herrge eyes curious as she looked around.


    With Nora and the stealth zombies'' abilities, Elijah wasn''t concerned about being detected.


    "Well, this makes things easier. Let''s just follow them," Elijah smirked and quietly trailed near the group.


    They arrived safely at the mall, where many more people had gathered, along with several trucks being loaded and unloaded with supplies.


    Dominic, whom Elijah had seen yesterday, greeted the influx of people with a rare, feigned smile of hospitality, directing everyone onto a truck to return with other transport vehicles.


    "With this fresh blood supply, our strength will increase significantly again!"


    Fatso eximed after the busy work, walking over to Dominic, ttering him and even licking his lips involuntarily.


    "Don''t worry, I won''t forget your credit; I''ll tell the boss when we get back!" Dominic responded excitedly.


    "Thank you very much!"

 Chapter 206: Sneak in

    Elijah, concerned about being discovered, didn''t get on the vehicle but instead followed behind on foot.


    Fortunately, the vehicle wasn''t moving fast, and Elijah''s superhuman physique allowed him to easily keep pace.


    However, the speed of the stealth zombies was slower, sometimes forcing Elijah to grab one and run a few steps.


    After covering approximately seven to eight kilometers, Elijah arrived with the convoy at a hotel near the river.


    "It looks like their headquarters!"


    Elijah remarked as he watched the truck enter the underground parking of the hotel, deciding not to rush in but to pause and survey the surroundings.


    It was a luxurious seven-story hotel, somewhat reminiscent of Azure Isle where Elijah had been.


    However, unlike their coastal location, this one was by the river.


    "They''ve chosen their spot well; at least they won''t worry about water sources here!"


    Elijah mused. He observed nearby buildings¡ªresidential areas, shops, offices, malls¡ªall cleared of useful supplies and marked with dark, bloody stains, though few zombies were visible.


    At both the main entrance and the underground parking of the luxurious hotel, guards were posted.


    Elijah could have infiltrated using his abilities, but with zombies and Nora in tow, it wasn''t convenient.


    He decided to first settle Lillian and the others nearby, allowing him to use his powers and focus without worries.


    With his n set, Elijah found a secluded spot nearby and, after a brief lunch, returned to where Lillian and the others were hiding.


    He then set off officially with a group of zombies and Abigail Lillian.


    To avoid encountering YLK group members, Elijah chose a route far from their supply lines, resulting in encountering many zombies along the way.


    Thankfully, with his shielding and stealth abilities and a group of second-tier zombies to deter threats, they safely reached Elijah''s chosen hidden location by mid-afternoon.


    Next, Elijah familiarized Abigail and the stealth zombies with the area, ensuring they understood the terrain.


    Once ready, he reassured Lillian and Nora before boldly heading towards the YLK group''s gathering ce.


    Of course, Elijah didn''t carry his bright silver spear this time, knowing it would draw attention.


    He hadn''t even brought a short hammer and had intentionally dressed in dirty clothes. He had grabbed a fire axe, aiming to appear less conspicuous.


    Approaching the luxurious hotel cautiously, Elijah, looking alert and cautious, suddenly encountered two men wielding axes at the hotel entrance.


    "Who goes there!" "Halt!"


    Elijah feigned surprise, as if encountering long-lost friends, and eximed excitedly, "Is this... Is this the YLK group? I heard you were recruiting, and I finally found you!"


    The two guards exchanged nces, and one of them warmly responded, "Indeed, brother! This is the gathering ce of the YLK group!"


    "We are indeed hiring. Where did you hear about it, bro?" The other guard grinned simrly.


    "I was passing by a gathering spot and overheard people inside talking. They mentioned someoneing here!" Elijah began his act.


    Since those three from the mall could venture out to that nearby gathering spot to recruit, Elijah believed they were likely doing the same elsewhere.


    But Elijah didn''t quite understand, why were they hiring so many people? Was there plenty of food? Weren''t they afraid those people might suddenly turn into zombies?


    "Ah, I see!" The two guards didn''t question further, smiling as they said, "Well then, go on in!"


    "But before you go in, you''ll need to surrender your weapons. No weapons allowed inside!"


    "Oh, sure, no problem, no problem!" Elijah promptly handed over the fire axe to the guard, expressing gratitude, "You folks at YLK Group are really great, willing to take in people like us with nothing."


    "Hahaha, well..."


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    "Hurry on in!"


    The two guards chuckled, their eyes gleaming strangely.


    Elijah, oblivious, happily walked inside, saying as he went, "You two are good people! Good deeds bring good rewards!"


    As Elijah entered the hotel lobby cheerfully, the two guards couldn''t help but remark to each other, "Didn''t expect the boss''s casting around would be so effective for recruitment!"


    "Yeah, herees another fool..."


    "Hehe..."


    The two chuckled ominously.


    Meanwhile, as Elijah just stepped into the hotel lobby, he noticed there were still people guarding the inner doors. Immediately, he activated Lillian''s perception abilities.


    Sure enough, on both sides, he spotted two individuals emitting a faint red glow, apparently armed and subtly aiming at him.


    "Invisible power users? Tsk tsk, with the two outside, that makes four suspected awakened guarding just the entrance..."


    Elijah remainedposed outwardly, but inwardly, he grew increasingly curious. What secrets did this YLK Group hide? They guarded their premises so tightly, and had so many ability users!


    Just then, a woman spotted Elijah and immediately approached him.


    "Hello, I''m Wendy. Wee to join YLK Group. May I know your name?" Wendy said, extending her hand to Elijah.


    "Oh, hi, hello!" Elijah feigned surprise and delight, warmly shaking her hand. "I''m Quentin. Wendy, sister, you''re really beautiful!"


    Being away from home, he naturally couldn''t use his real name, so he borrowed Quentin''s alias. Elijah wasn''t just ttering; Wendy did look quite attractive, though a bit older, her charm was still evident.


    Of course,pared to Jasmine or Lillian, she fell short by far.


    But the key point was, Wendy was bold in her attire!


    She wore only a white camisole top that barely covered her chest, leaving her midriff exposed.


    And indeed, there was nothing inside that white camisole¡ªno bra, no padding! Her contours were clearly visible!


    Her lower half was equally provocative, with an extremely short pleated mini-skirt that barely covered her buttocks. Elijah suspected there might be nothing underneath it as well.


    As a man, faced with such a sight, Elijah naturally reacted.


    His gaze involuntarily scanning Wendy up and down, his face showing an appreciative grin.


    Wendy didn''t seem to mind Elijah''s gaze, gently withdrawing her hand from his grasp.


    "Since you called me sister and I''m a few years older, let''s go with Little Quentin!" Wendy chuckled lightly, then continued, "Let me introduce you to our ce!"


    With a flick of her hair, Wendy couldn''t help but reveal a hint of allure.


    "Sure, sure!" Elijah followed behind Wendy, his gaze lingering admiringly on her.


    "You''ve heard of us already. Our boss is the manager of YLK Group. After the zombie virus outbreak, he led us in constant battles, eventually taking over this ce and clearing out nearby zombies, securing a safe zone!"


    "Our boss is really amazing! What''s his name? I''d love to meet him in person!" Elijah admired.


    "Hehe, to meet the boss, you''ll have to be an awakened first!" Wendy chuckled lightly.

 Chapter 207: I promise Ill pass the test

    "Wake? Awakened?" Elijah scratched his head in confusion.


    "Awakened are people who developed special abilities after the zombie virus outbreak, like bing unusually strong, fast, controlling fire, and so on," Wendy exined.


    "Oh, I see..." Elijah eximed in surprise and realization. "Sis, now that you mention it, I think I might be one of those awakened!"


    "You..." Wendy looked at Elijah in astonishment. It was then she noticed he didn''t resemble the usual frail individuals seeking refuge with them. His body was strong and sturdy, looking robust and powerful.


    "What ability have you awakened?" Wendy asked.


    "My skin has be very tough. Once a zombie grabbed me, but couldn''t break through my skin, which allowed me to survive," Elijah said, extending his arm.


    He wasn''t mimicking a defense ability, but with the passive enhancement from his third-tier defense ability, it was alreadyparable to a first-tier defense ability.


    "I don''t need a knife to test that; I believe you!" Wendy smiled faintly. "In that case, I can arrange for you to meet the boss after we settle you into a room and you''ve had dinner."


    "Alright!" Elijah eximed with delight. "Wow, I''m surprised!"


    "Alright, let me continue the introduction," Wendy said, pointing to a floor n on the wall.


    "We have a total of seven floors above ground and two below. The two basement levels are a parking lot and a warehouse. The first floor houses the kitchen, dining hall, and some rooms for new recruits like yourself. Once you pass the test, you can move to the second floor."


    "Test?" Elijah couldn''t help interrupting. "You don''t think just anyone can join us and earn our trust, right?"


    "Well... there should be some screening, but you''ll find out about the test when the timees," Wendy replied, steering the conversation away from that topic.


    "Moving on, the third and fourth floors are where the awakened reside. Once you pass the test, you''ll move directly to the third floor. The fourth floor is where some of the group''s leaders live, and I reside there too. After you pass the test, you cane find me at night..."


    Wendy bit her lip lightly, giving Elijah a flirtatious look.


    "I... I promise I''ll pass the test!" Elijah responded energetically, as if infused with enthusiasm.


    "Then it''s settled!" Wendy affirmed with a smile.


    Wendy smiled charmingly and led Elijah into a room.


    "You''ll stay here temporarily today," she said.


    "Alone in here?" Elijah surveyed the room, a standard double room with two single beds that looked fairly clean.


    "Yes," Wendy confirmed, noticing Elijah''s gaze towards the window. "As you probably know, even without being bitten or scratched by zombies, ordinary people have a chance of mutating into zombies, especially at night when it''s too risky while everyone rests. So, for everyone''s safety, each person must stay alone, and the windows are sealed shut. Of course, Awakened individuals are exempt."


    "Why are Awakened exempt?" Elijah asked innocently.


    "Because Awakened individuals don''t mutate into zombies without warning, unless they''re bitten or scratched by zombies," Wendy exined.


    "Oh," Elijah nodded as if understanding something important.


    "We have quite a few Awakened in our group, so you can rest assured here,pletely safe," Wendy reassured him.


    "I''ve encountered survivors before but never met another Awakened like me. With so many here, are there special methods or techniques?" Elijah asked curiously.


    "You''ll have to guess..." Wendy smiled mysteriously.


    "Do I guess, or don''t I?" Elijah fought the urge to prod further.


    "I can only tell you that we do have ways to make Awakened individuals stronger. As for the rest, you''ll find out after you pass the test," Wendy said cryptically.


    "When is the test?" Elijah couldn''t hide his eagerness.


    "Can''t wait, huh?" Wendy chuckled softly. "After dinner, I''ll let you know. For now, rest well!"


    With that, Wendy swayed out of the room. Whether intentional or not, just before leaving, a gust of wind lifted her short skirt, revealing a glimpse inside.


    "She really isn''t wearing anything underneath!" Elijah couldn''t help but sneak a nce.


    Then the door closed shut. Left alone in the room, Elijah refrained from making any sudden moves, acting like a neer exploring his surroundings, then eventually settling down on the bed to rest.


    "I have to be careful; they might have cameras or some kind of surveince that can see through walls," he thought to himself. "There''s definitely something unusual here. With so many Awakened, they must have unconventional methods for awakening."


    "And about their leader, Matthew, he''s likely on a floor above the fifth, but I''ll need Wendy to lead me to the exact floor," Elijah pondered.


    As for the test, Elijah had no idea what to expect and decided to take things one step at a time. If worse came to worst, he could abandon this infiltration game altogether, but that would risk upsetting Matthew.


    Meanwhile, outside, Wendy''s expression faded as soon as she left the room.


    "He''s not bad looking. I hope he passes the test," she murmured, licking her lips involuntarily. "Otherwise, it would be a shame."


    A chilling smile appeared on Wendy''s face as she headed towards the cafeteria.


    Back in the room, Elijahy on the bed for a while, contemting his next move, when suddenly he heard a knock at the door.


    Opening it, he found a middle-aged chubby man he didn''t recognize, with a slick, oily grin on his face. "Hey buddy, new here? Want a smoke?"


    Gavin offered Elijah a cigarette, but Elijah declined. Explore more at m,v l''e-NovelBin


    "You are..." Elijah started.


    "Hey, sorry about that! I forgot to introduce myself," Gavin interrupted with a wide grin. "I''m Gavin, also new here, but I''ve been around a day longer than you. What should I call you, buddy?"


    "I''m Quentin. Nice to meet you. So, do you know about the test?" Elijah continued, maintaining his act.


    "I''ve heard of it, but haven''t participated yet. They say they gather a group of people to take it together, and it should be today because I saw a bunch more people arriving this morning," Gavin replied, gesturing towards a few rooms nearby.


    Leaning closer to Elijah, Gavin''s expression turned mysterious. "Although I''m not sure what the test entails, I''ve heard that if you pass, they can help unlock our potential and turn us into Awakened individuals. You know about Awakened, Quentin? Once you be Awakened, your strength and treatment are on a whole different level! Outside, you can handle zombies like it''s nothing.


    Inside the group, the treatment is top-notch. They say you can go to the third floor, have wine, eat steak¡ªit''s all just a bonus. Have you met Wendy? She''s something else! Once you''re Awakened, you can do whatever you want..."


    Gavin''s voice trailed off as he swallowed hard, his expression filled with longing.

 Chapter 208: So where did this meat come from

    "Really?" Elijah couldn''t help but swallow hard, seemingly drawn in by Gavin''s description of the future.


    "Of course it''s true, Quentin. Let me tell you, this ce is freaking amazing. I was in a survivormunity before, just over a dozen of us, and we got wiped out by a mutated zombie. I was the only one lucky enough to survive. Then, you know what happened? Some people from YLK Group passed by and effortlessly took down the mutated zombie!"


    Gavin recounted, a mix of fear, gratitude, and admiration in his voice.


    "So I decided to follow them back here, determined to be an Awakened."


    "These people here are really something. I hope I can be Awakened too!" Elijah chimed in.


    The two continued chatting for a while until Gavin checked his watch and announced, "It''s about time for dinner!"


    Just then, Wendy returned and nodded at Elijah. "Everyone, gather in the lobby. Once we''re all here, we''ll go to the cafeteria for dinner."


    "Got it, Wendy!" Elijah replied promptly.


    "Dinner time, let''s go!" Gavin eagerly dashed towards the hotel lobby.


    Elijah followed closely behind, while Wendy continued knocking on other doors. Soon, people starteding out of their rooms one by one, gathering in the hotel lobby.


    Elijah noticed the group of survivors who had arrived earlier that morning, including the bespectacled man. They all seemed in good spirits, but something struck Elijah as odd.


    "Where''s Finn, the college kid?" Elijah wondered aloud. "I remember he came with this group. He''s the only Awakened among them." Experience new stories on m v|l e''-NovelBin


    Before Elijah could dwell on it further, Wendy stepped forward to address everyone. "Alright, now that everyone''s here, follow me to the cafeteria for dinner!"


    After Wendy finished speaking, she walked ahead with everyone following closely behind. Elijah went along with the crowd and arrived at the cafeteria. At the entrance, Elijah noticed something unusual¡ªfour robust, seemingly Awakened men stood guard there, their eyes casually scanning the crowd.


    Instinctively, Elijah switched to Lillian''s perception ability and immediately sensed that all four men glowed a vivid red.


    "Why are they so hostile towards me, or rather, towards us neers?" Elijah wondered.


    He refrained from probing further, wary that there might be other perception users who could detect his ability usage.


    However, in that brief glimpse, Elijah noticed a multitude of densely packed figures underground, some green, some yellow, and even some so red they bordered on ck.


    "There are many people underground, and even zombies, possibly mutated ones... So, the notion of the underground being just a garage or warehouse is likely a lie," Elijah murmured to himself.


    "There must be many secrets hidden underground. I''ll need to find an opportunity to investigate. But for now, I need to get through this current situation first. There''s probably something fishy even in this cafeteria," Elijah observed discreetly.


    Outside, darkness had fallen, with only a fewmps in the hotel barely illuminating the surroundings enough to avoidplete darkness.


    Inside, people entered the restaurant one by one.


    There wererge round tables that could seat seven or eight people, as well as smaller rectangr tables for four.


    Standing inside were seven individuals, including one Elijah had seen earlier in the mall, the somber andposed man standing beside Dominic.


    These seven clearly weren''t waitstaff; they looked more like security personnel. Elijah grew even more perplexed.


    At that moment, Wendy warmly weed everyone and began assigning seats.


    Elijah chose a small rectangr table nearby, and Gavin, still smiling, sat down next to him.


    Across from them were two individuals from the group with bespectacled men.


    Once everyone was seated, Wendy pped her hands. Immediately, several young women emerged from what appeared to be the kitchen area, each pushing a cartden with food. Even before the carts reached them, the diners became restless, catching a whiff of the grilled meats, ribs, andrge bones piled high on the carts.


    The aroma filled the air, making everyone salivate.


    Most of these survivors hadn''t eaten much, if anything substantial, since the virus outbreak nearly a month ago.


    Now, faced with not just any food, but sulent meat, they couldn''t resist. They rushed to the carts, grabbing handfuls of meat and bones.


    "Except for a few, this is the first meal for most of you here at YLK Group. So, we''ve prepared avish dinner for you all! As long as everyone works diligently here at YLK, such feasts won''t be umon!" Wendy announced warmly, then stepped aside.


    The new arrivals eagerly rushed to the carts, some grabbing meat and bones by the handful. Elijah''s tablemates joined the frenzy.


    However, Elijah didn''t move. He stared at the meat on the cart, his expression one of disbelief and suspicion.


    "What the hell kind of meat is this?" he thought to himself.


    "It''s been nearly a month since the apocalypse. Without electricity for refrigeration, where did all this meate from, and why are they giving suchrge quantities to a group of neers?" Elijah couldn''t fathom it.


    "Unless they found a continuously powered cold storage or some livestock farm nearby. But that''s unlikely," Elijah reasoned internally.


    "Firstly, for a cold storage, I doubt any backup power couldst a month after the main supply went out. Secondly, there aren''t anyrge livestock farms near Neoville City. It''s unrealistic to transport such quantities from neighboring counties," Elijah reasoned further.


    "So where did this meate from, and what kind of meat is it?" Elijah''s suspicion deepened.


    Just then, Gavin returned to the table with two trays, each holding several pieces of meat and bones. He enthusiastically pushed one tray towards Elijah.


    "Why aren''t you digging in, Quentin? Luckily, I brought some over for you. Dig in!" Gavin encouraged, grabbing a piece of meat and biting into it, the juices running down his chin.


    "Mmm, tastes amazing!" Gavin eximed.


    At the same time, the other two at their table returned with meat and bones. They wasted no time in devouring their portions.


    Elijah nced at his te and the bones and meat on it, growing increasingly uneasy.


    "These bones... why do they look so odd?"

 Chapter 209: Matthew must be among them

    Elijah was taken aback by Gavin''s question about why he wasn''t eating. Gavin had already finished gnawing on a bone and looked at Elijah with curiosity as he seemed lost in thought.


    "Well... do you know what kind of meat this is?" Elijah hoped Gavin, who had tasted it, could shed some light on the mystery.


    "What meat? I couldn''t tell, but it tastes darn good! Why, do you have some dietary restrictions?" Gavin replied, picking up another piece of meat and enjoying it thoroughly.


    "It''s not that, but I''m a vegetarian, actually. I never eat meat," Elijah quickly came up with an excuse.


    "Oh, I see. That''s a shame then, because this meat is delicious! Since you''re not eating, I''ll have yours too!" Gavin said cheerfully, transferring the meat from Elijah''s te to his own.


    "Go ahead, enjoy it," Elijah said with a nod, ncing around the cafeteria. Everyone seemed engrossed in their meal, and the supposed security guards were watchful, eyes fixed on the diners.


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    At that moment, Wendy noticed Elijah hadn''t touched his food and approached him.


    "Elijah, is everything alright? You haven''t eaten anything," Wendy asked with concern.


    Elijah repeated the excuse he gave Gavin.


    "I see... we overlooked that. Just a moment," Wendy said, heading back to the kitchen. Soon, she returned with a te of vegetables and bread.


    "These vegetables are usually reserved for the Awakened... but giving them to you shouldn''t be against the rules," Wendy exined, implying Elijah was considered an Awakened as well, so it was permissible.


    Elijah understood Wendy''s implication. He looked at the te¡ªtwo cucumbers and a few lettuce leaves. The bread was vacuum-sealed.


    "These should be fine," Elijah thought, thanking Wendy and starting on the bread.


    Satisfied that Elijah had something to eat, Wendy moved away. Meanwhile, Gavin eyed the cucumbers and lettuce with great interest.


    "Bro, mind if I have some of those? All this meat is getting a bit heavy," Gavin asked eagerly.


    "Go ahead, help yourself," Elijah replied casually.


    Gavin wasted no time grabbing a cucumber and crunching into it, the sound remarkably crisp.


    "Quentin, why did that woman say it wasn''t against the rules for you to eat?" Gavin asked between bites.


    "Maybe... she took a liking to me?" Elijah rubbed his chin, not entirely convinced.


    "Damn!" Gavin cursed, ncing at Elijah''s rather handsome face and then at his own.


    "Anyway, damn olddy!" Gavin muttered, then took another bite of the cucumber.


    Just then, at the table next to Elijah''s, someone stood up abruptly. Their body began to contort strangely, and their throat emitted peculiar noises, almost like...


    A zombie!


    In the restaurant, Elijah nced over at the table next to him where three other individuals stared in horror at a person who had suddenly stood up.


    It was clear they suspected this person was about to undergo zombie transformation.


    At that moment, several seemingly security personnel who had been observing them closely swiftly approached.


    Drawing knives, they decisively stabbed the person in the back, disrupting the spinal nerves. The suspected zombie immediately copsed.


    Themotion drew everyone''s attention, some unable to contain their gasps.


    "Don''t panic, everyone! You''ve probably experienced it yourselves¡ªpeople turning into zombies for no apparent reason! That''s what happened just now, but our group''s awakened individuals took care of it beforehand!"


    Upon hearing this, recalling their own experiences, the crowd quieted down.


    Those unfamiliar with the transformed person continued eating heartily.


    In the apocalypse, nothing mattered more than a full meal.


    As the awakened individuals dragged away the incapacitated zombie, the restaurant regained its lively atmosphere.


    Elijah, however, couldn''t shake the feeling that the security personnel had known someone would transform and had acted with practiced efficiency, suggesting it wasn''t their first time dealing with such incidents.


    Even as they dealt with the transformed individuals, the awakened ones remained vignt, observing everyone closely.


    Just as people were finishing their meals, two more individuals showed signs of transformation, promptly controlled by the vignt security.


    Given their previous experience, the crowd remainedposed despite three transformations during a single meal seeming unusually high.


    Reflecting on therger poption herepared to their previous gathering ces, it seemed less surprising.


    Instead, due to the timely actions of the awakened individuals, they felt a sense of unprecedented security. After everyone had eaten their fill, Wendy led them back to their respective rooms.


    Once most people had gone in, Elijah seized the opportunity to approach Wendy.


    "Thank you for looking out for me. I want to contribute more to our group. Is there anything you need my help with?"


    "There will be, but not right now... Rest up for today!" Wendy appraised Elijah briefly before smiling. "Alright..."


    Elijah smiled awkwardly and then hesitated. "Wendy, earlier you mentioned arranging for me to meet the boss. Do you know when that might happen?"


    Wendy''s expression flickered strangely at his question, but she quickly replied, "Don''t worry, I haven''t forgotten. Tomorrow, I''ll make the arrangements! For now, I need to get back to work. The people on the second floor haven''t eaten yet!"


    "Oh, okay. Take care, Wendy!"


    Watching her disappear down the hallway, Elijah returned to his room.


    "The people on the second floor... if what she said is true, they must be the ones who passed some kind of test?"


    Elijah contemted going to see them, but fearing discovery, he decided to rest in bed for a while. He nned to venture out quietlyter, when the night was still.


    ...


    At 3 AM, when most people were asleep, Elijah quietly got up. Instead of acting impulsively, he activated Lillian''s perception ability.


    At this hour, he wagered there wouldn''t be anyone who could sense his use of this power. He needed to observe carefully.


    As his ability activated, numerous clusters of light orbs filled his vision. "So many people?"


    Elijah was astonished to see not just neers on the first and second floors, but also a significant number of figures on the third and fourth floors¡ªroughly around thirty individuals.


    "ording to Wendy, the third floor houses awakened individuals, and the fourth is management, likely also awakened. That means there are over thirty awakened individuals here!"


    It seemed unbelievable to Elijah. He continued scanning upward.


    Fortunately, the upper floors had fewer people, just four figures, all distinctly crimson. "Matthew must be among them!"


    Elijah felt an urge to confront him immediately but reconsidered given the unusually high number of awakened individuals here.


    He decided his priority was to unravel this mystery.


    And the key to solving ity in...

 Chapter 210: save me

    Elijah turned towards the direction of the kitchen, finding it empty.


    He then lowered his gaze, focusing on the floor.


    Countless clusters of light orbs were more numerous than all the floors abovebined.


    Stay connected via m-v l|e''-NovelBin


    "I should check the underground."


    Elijah muttered to himself.


    He switched to Nora''s shielding ability, hiding himself from all perception abilities.


    Under the cover of darkness, he ventured out.


    Daisy''s passive night vision ability allowed Elijah to navigate the night as easily as day.


    Moving swiftly through the darkness, Elijah made a detour to the kitchen before heading underground.


    Finding the kitchen deserted, Elijah slipped in without difficulty.


    After a grim inspection, he emerged with a dark expression.


    "Damn it, they''re all monsters! No, worse than monsters¡ªthey''re utterly depraved!"


    His voice was cold,ced with teeth-gritting anger.


    The scene he had just witnessed deeply shook his principles.


    However, he couldn''t draw final conclusions yet; he needed to see underground for himself.


    Wendy had shown Elijah the floor ns, and relying on memory, he easily found the stairs leading down. Instead of stopping at the first basement level, Elijah proceeded directly to the second basement level.


    Few guards were present on the first basement level, mainly stationed near the entrance to the underground parking lot.


    Elijah sensed no other presence there.


    All the light orbs he had seen earlier were concentrated on the second basement level.


    Arriving at the staircase leading to the second basement, Elijah found the door locked.


    Simultaneously, he distinctly heard the moans of zombies and the cries of humansing from below.


    "Just as I suspected." Elijah''s heart skipped a beat.


    He then nced at the lock before him. Picking locks was a skill he had mastered, and this one posed no challenge.


    He effortlessly unlocked the door and cautiously pushed it open.


    What greeted Elijah inside was nothing short of shocking.


    The expansive parking lot housed countless cages, each containing humanoid creatures.


    No, to be precise, they were zombies!


    But not just ordinary zombies¡ªElijah could clearly see several that were unusuallyrge and mutated, missing limbs or with grotesque deformities.


    The sight sent a chill down Elijah''s spine, especially recalling what he had seen in the kitchen.


    So, the dinner Wendy had arranged for the neers wasn''t anything else¡ªit was the damn meat missing from these zombies! Moreover, it was the flesh of mutated zombies!


    No wonder three people immediately turned into zombies during dinner. Even if the zombie meat was cooked thoroughly, it didn''t mean the virus residues were eliminated.


    Suddenly, Elijah understood why they had so many awakened individuals.


    Elijah''s realization of Chi''s existence, understanding the essence of spirit nts, spirit fish, and spirit beasts, and knowing that all three can awaken individuals when consumed, led to a disturbing suspicion in his heart.


    Humans, essentially speaking, are also animals and can be ssified under intelligent spirit beasts.


    This implied that every awakened individual fundamentally resembled an active spirit nt...


    This suspicion was too gruesome and terrifying.


    If true, without moral constraints, human society would descend into thew of the jungle.


    Everyone would be both hunter and prey!


    Deep down, Elijah refused to fully acknowledge this suspicion.


    However, when he disposed of the initial sensed female zombie corpse into the sea, witnessing the struggle between Spirit fish and Whitey, it indirectly confirmed his suspicion.


    After all, the sensed female zombie was also considered an awakened individual, even though its "core" corpse had been removed, its body still contained "Chi"!


    Wild mutated zombies were simrly derived from consumingrge quantities of the same species'' corpse core or body, thereby awakening or advancing.


    As for why ordinary zombies didn''t engage inbat and consumption from the outset, Elijah suspected the zombie virus was interfering.


    However, when hunger reached a certain level, some zombies would break through this interference.


    This was also why closed environments were more likely to have mutated zombies.


    Later, Elijah intentionally brought mutated zombie corpses back to Whitey as food.


    Whitey eventually awakened after consuming the mutated zombie corpse, albeit evolving towards physical mutations.


    But thispletely confirmed Elijah''s suspicions!


    To be honest, Elijah was worried at the time, which is why he instructed Hannah and Sophia not to disclose this matter externally.


    However, he gradually eased his worries, recalling that he hadn''t heard of such instances of cannibalistic awakening in his previous life''s apocalypse year.


    After all, everyone had just survived from civilized society, and many would still be bound by morality.


    He felt his suspicions might not be widespread among their generation.


    However, everything Elijah witnessed and heard at the YLK Grouppletely overturned his worldview.


    Elijah recalled therge chunks of meat and ribs on the dinner tes, sending chills down his spine.


    "Help..."


    A faint voice amidst the zombie''s roars faintly reached Elijah''s ears. He immediately walked towards the source of the voice and saw another row of people treated in the same manner as zombies.


    Among them, he recognized one person¡ªFinn, the university student who had disappeared from the gathering ce for eyess men.


    The cry for help hade from him!


    However, Finn looked miserable, utterly despondent. He was not only locked in an iron cage but also securely chained to an iron chair.


    But what caught Elijah''s attention the most were Finn''s two legs, which were reduced to bare white bones, with the flesh and blood mysteriously missing!


    "Damn it!"


    Elijah couldn''t help but exim in shock. Upon hearing his voice, Finn immediately raised his head, his bloodshot eyes staring at Elijah, trembling lips whispering, "Save... me! Save... save... me..."


    Elijah hurried forward.


    Suddenly, a foul stench assaulted his senses. Elijah then noticed that Finn''s iron chair seemed hollow underneath, simr to a toilet seat, with arge bucket ced beneath it, nearly overflowing with filth.


    The stench emanated from there.


    Elijah didn''t need to guess what was inside.


    However, what shocked him even more was another discovery.


    The pale flesh on Finn''s leg bones was slowly regenerating in a bizarre manner. Although the process was slow and iparable to his healing abilities, it was undeniably the slow regeneration of flesh and blood.


    "Damn..."


    Elijah gasped in horror, a terrifying suspicion forming in his mind.


    "Brother, what... what happened to you?"


    As Elijah asked, he observed the adjacent cages, noting that the people inside were in the same state as Finn.


    However, unlike Finn, they had vacant stares, drool slipping from their mouths, indicating they had be mentally incapacitated.


    But among those in simr predicaments, it wasn''t just the two of them¡ªthere were over a dozen cages in this row.


    "Help... me! Save... save... me!"


    Finn didn''t answer Elijah''s question but continued to repeat meaningless phrases.


    Elijah fell silent immediately.

 Chapter 211: Lost Morals

    "What a goddamn atrocity!" Elijah eximed before reaching into the iron cage and pping Finn across the face.


    "Smack!" The sharp sound echoed in the basement, interrupting Finn''s mechanical repetition.


    Finn was stunned for a moment, then his body started to struggle as he eximed excitedly, "No, don''t save me, kill me, kill me! They are all demons, devils! Kill me, give me relief..."


    "..."


    "Brother, don''t waste your effort. This young man is scared out of his wits!"


    "Scared?" Elijah heard the voice without panicking.


    He first punched Finn, knocking him out, and then strolled over to the iron cage from which the voice hade.


    Inside was a man in the same condition as Finn, only he looked more disheveled, with a beard and messy hair.


    His clothes were filthy and torn, his legs scraped clean down to the bone, with the remaining flesh grotesquely growing back.


    "That''s right, everyone here has been suppressed by a Mind Stun ability, and on top of that... you''ve seen our situation. Few can withstand it. Most either go mad or be idiots!"


    "Then why are you okay?"


    "Me? How should I say, maybe I have a stronger will, or perhaps it has something to do with my ability!" The man grinned, revealing uneven teeth, clearly beaten out.


    "So... are all the people here ability users?" Elijah pointed to the cages.


    "Yes, not just us, but even the zombies across from us are mutated! You seem to have guessed it?"


    "I have some suspicions, but I still want to hear you say it."


    "Alright, I can tell you, but first, let me ask you a question. Have you drunk the water or eaten any food here?"


    "I only ate a vacuum-packed piece of bread. I''m very sure it was fine. As for other things, I didn''t touch any of it!" Elijah recalled and answered.


    "You''re quite cautious. I advise you not to dig into this. While you still can, get out of here quickly!"


    "Thanks for the advice, but I still want to hear your story." Elijah remained indifferent.


    "Alright, fine!" The man didn''t mind and continued, "Actually, it''s a simple story! After the zombie virus outbreak, a man got trapped. Zombies were everywhere, he couldn''t get out, and there was no food. When he was desperate and starving, he had an evil thought."


    "Eat zombies?"


    "Yes. Since zombies can eat people, why can''t he eat zombies? If the meat is cooked at high temperatures, it might kill the zombie virus inside. Faced with death, he decided to gamble on it!"


    "He survived, heh, not only did he survive, he even benefited from it, awakening a mysterious ability!" The man sneered in the dimly lit underground garage.


    "Later, he not only ate the meat himself but also recruited neers, secretly feeding them zombie meat, and then selected those who awakened... Those who couldn''t handle the zombie meat and got infected turned into zombies, bing useful tools to continue feeding new recruits. Those who survived the awakening naturally became his own people.


    If anyone disobeyed, they would be killed or locked up like you. During this time, they discovered that the meat of mutated zombies and awakened individuals was even more effective, so they started breeding mutated zombies. When they obtained the ability to regenerate flesh, you dissenters became human mushrooms, harvested bit by bit!" Elijah squinted his eyes andid out his hypothesis.


    "That''s mostly urate, but there''s one thing you got wrong!" The disheveled man looked at Elijah with admiration.


    "What is it?"


    "That manter stopped eating zombie meat. He used his ability to escape and joined a settlement!"


    "And that settlement became the current YLK Group?"


    "Exactly, the leader of this group is a pervert who likes to y with zombies and has the ability to read minds. He read the man''s thoughts about eating zombie meat and secretly experimented with it..."


    "Is the leader of this group named Matthew?" Elijah interrupted.


    "Yes!"


    "Indeed, it''s utterly depraved..." Everything clicked into ce for Elijah. He finally understood the true meaning behind Matthew''s "Lost Morals."


    The zombie prostitution ring was just a cover, hiding an even more grotesque human meat trade!


    Elijah looked at the man before him. Knowing so much and in such detail was unusual, and a suspicion arose in his mind.


    "You know all this... actually, you are that man, right?"


    "Heh! Heh!" The man let out a creepyugh, neither admitting nor denying it.


    "Why are you locked up here?"


    "Back then, I had no choice but to eat the meat myself. But Matthew wanted everyone to eat it, especially those clueless neers... I couldn''t do something so heartless, so I wanted to leave!"


    "I see!" Elijah nodded. It was obvious Matthew wouldn''t let him go.


    If Elijah were Matthew, he wouldn''t let anyone who knew about this leave either!


    It wasn''t a matter of morals; once this secret got out, it would cause trouble.


    Not to mention, someone could imitate his methods and create a second YLK Group, which would be a great loss.


    "Since you understand the danger here, you should leave while you still can, otherwise..." The man tried to persuade Elijah again.


    "Don''t you want to escape from here?"


    Although Elijah didn''t have a good impression of the man for eating zombie meat, he respected him for refusing to join Matthew''s depravity and for twice advising him to escape.


    Elijah was willing to lend him a hand.


    The man stared at Elijah nkly for a moment before replying gloomily, "Matthew... his power is too terrifying. We''re no match for him. If you don''t leave now, you won''t be able to leaveter!"


    "Really? How terrifying? I''d like to see for myself!" Elijah said calmly.


    The man shook his head and looked at the nearby cages. "There are some here who thought like you, but the result... heh! Heh! You can see for yourself!" Stay connected through m-v l|e''-NovelBin


    "I... am a bit different from you all," Elijah said without further exnation. "Let''s wait and see."


    Elijah had unraveled the secrets here.


    The next step was to find an opportunity to contact the higher-ups of the YLK Group and Matthew!


    They were all scum who deserved to die!


    He needed to distinguish clearly; if he acted rashly and let a few henchmen escape, it wouldn''t matter much.


    But if the higher-ups or Matthew escaped, a new YLK Group could emerge at any time.


    Not only would that be a wasted effort, but it could also create a hidden enemy for himself.

 Chapter 212: Not Matthew

    Tomorrow, Wendy promised to arrange a meeting between him and Matthew.


    It was a good opportunity! As for Matthew''s suspected mind-reading ability, Nora''s blocking ability should be able to interfere.


    If it didn''t work, he''d act ording to the situation and, if necessary, fight them head-on!


    Capture the leader first, take Matthew down!


    Elijah chatted with the man a bit more, but seeing he couldn''t get any more useful information and that it was gettingte, he prepared to leave.


    Before leaving, Elijah asked the man, "After talking for so long, I still don''t know your name?"


    The man was silent for a while before slowly saying, "My name is Hayden."


    "Alright then, bear with it for a bit longer, I''ll rescue you soon!" Elijah said, gradually disappearing from Hayden''s sight.


    "Let''s hope so," Hayden murmured to himself.


    Elijah returned smoothly to his room.


    In the morning, he heard noises outside indicating it was time for breakfast.


    He left his room and joined the others, led by Wendy, to the dining hall.


    On his way out of the hallway, Elijah noticed another team led by someone named Dominic.


    After they left, another group rushed into the hallway, opening each door. Soon, Elijah faintly heard zombie growls!


    "Someone turned into a zombie against night!" Gavin, the chubby man, whispered to Elijah.


    "So those people were dealing with the zombies?"


    Elijah scanned the neers who had eaten with them yesterday.


    Out of over twenty people, three or four were missing, leaving only about a dozen.


    "Exactly!" Gavin shrugged, "I noticed a group outside yesterday morning and wondered why. After asking some of the earlier arrivals on the second floor, I found out that every morning, there''s a team that checks the rooms to ensure the group''s safety!"


    Elijah remained silent. For a normal survivor base, this kind of inspection was good, but after learning about YLK Group''s deedsst night, all he felt was a chill!


    Out of these twenty-plus survivors, how many would ultimately survive?


    Elijah pondered quietly while Gavin ate with gusto, even kindly serving Elijah his breakfast.


    Today''s breakfast was hot porridge with pickles and some leftover meat from the previous night.


    "Quentin, hurry up and eat!" Gavin urged enthusiastically.


    "You eat, I have no appetite," Elijah replied calmly.


    "Man cannot live on bread alone; missing a meal makes you hungry!" Gavin was momentarily stunned but then smiled and urged him again.


    Seeing Elijah had no appetite, he shamelessly moved the food in front of himself and started eating.


    Wendy watched everything from a distance but didn''te over to take care of Elijah this time.


    After breakfast, the others were sent back to their rooms, but Wendy called Elijah aside.


    "Quentin, I mentioned you to the bossst night. He has time now, so I''ll take you to meet him."


    "Really?" Elijah feigned a look of surprise.


    "Let''s go then!"


    Wendy led Elijah into the hallway, starting to ascend the stairs. As they walked, Elijah chatted with Wendy, probing for information.


    "Sister Wendy, besides the boss and you, who else in the group should I be cautious around? I''d hate to offend someone by ident!"


    "Hmm... Actually, you''ve met two of them already. Theodore, who handled the zombies in the dining hall yesterday, and Dominic, who dealt with the guest room zombies this morning. As for the others... they''re not in the base at the moment, so you don''t need to worry about them," Wendy mused for a moment, then answered, pointing out two people Elijah had already encountered.


    Theodore... that must be the gloomy man!


    And Dominic was the one leading the team handling the zombie outbreak this morning.


    Elijah had seen both of them in the previous mall and again yesterday and today.


    Including Wendy, that made three high-level members of the YLK Group that he knew of.


    No, if he remembered correctly, Nathan was also a high-level member of the YLK Group and rted to Matthew!


    Nathan was likely one of those not currently at the base.


    They probably still didn''t know Nathan had been dealt with by him!


    "I see... Thanks for the tips!" Elijah expressed gratitude on the surface, his eyes admiring Wendy''s graceful figure, while internally, he was deep in thought.


    He wondered if there were more people outside.


    Excluding the newly recruited neers, there were about 40 people in the YLK Group, as he had observed with his sensory abilities the previous day.


    With 40 people, having 6-8 leaders seemed reasonable; any more would be excessive.


    This count included Matthew. By this logic, there could be two to four leaders he hadn''t met yet, all of whom were outside.


    "I wonder when everyone will gather. Oh well, I''ll y it by ear," Elijah muttered to himself, sending some instructions to Abigail through their mental link, asking her to be ready.


    Soon, Wendy led Elijah to the sixth floor!


    Elijah noticed a few security guards at the stairwells on the second to fourth floors, but from the fifth floor onward, the stairwells were empty.


    "It seems Matthew is quite confident," Elijah thought, looking around.


    Wendy stopped at a door and knocked. "Chairman, I''ve brought the new recruit who has awakened an ability!"


    "Come in!" A cold female voice replied.


    Elijah was stunned. "A woman? Not Matthew?"


    "Okay!" Wendy pushed open the door and turned, noticing Elijah standing there in a daze. "Quentin, why are you just standing there? Come in!"


    "Oh! Oh!" Elijah, still dazed, followed Wendy inside.


    The room was an extremely luxurious suite.


    Therge reception area featured plush,fortable sofas, a coffee table, an office desk, and a chair.


    Elijah''s attention was immediately drawn to the woman sitting on the sofa.


    She was wearing a ck and white professional outfit, her hair neatly styled in an updo.


    Her severe expression and the powerful aura she exuded made it clear she was amanding presence.


    Elijah instinctively judged her to be a very formidable woman.


    But the next moment, he found her oddly familiar.


    Shaking off the effect of her presence, Elijah closely examined her.


    She had a refined, attractive face, a great figure with a notably full chest, and her ck stockings-d legs under the skirt were particrly alluring.


    While Elijah couldn''t pinpoint her exact age, she exuded a mature charm simr to Lillian''s.


    "Chairman, this is Quentin. He joined us yesterday and has already awakened an ability!" Wendy introduced.

 Chapter 213: What is your real ability

    The woman on the sofa looked at Elijah, noticing his unrestrained gaze upon her.


    Her brows furrowed, and a cold glint shed in her eyes.


    It was at this moment that Elijah finally realized why she seemed so familiar.


    This woman bore a striking resemnce to Olivia, though not identical, at least six or seven parts simr.


    The reason Elijah hadn''t recognized her immediately was because this woman embodied an extreme maturity, a natural aura of elegance and nobility, quite the opposite of Olivia''s youthful, girlish charm.


    "Are you... Kylie?" Elijah blurted out, astonished.


    "You know me?" Kylie responded icily, showing no hint of a friendly demeanor despite the possibility that Elijah might know her.


    "You... you know the chairman?" Wendy was equally surprised.


    "I''m Quentin... Actually, I should call you cousin. You have a daughter named Olivia, right? I met her a few years ago," Elijah lied smoothly, keeping a straight face.


    Upon recognizing Kylie, Elijah quickly deduced that Wendy calling her "chairman" rather than "boss" implied that the boss was someone else.


    That person was naturally his target, Matthew.


    Taking a risk, Elijah had switched his sensory ability and noticed a human-shaped light shadow in the adjacent room.


    However, he couldn''t yet confirm if it was Matthew.


    Since they put Kylie at the forefront, Elijah decided to go along with it, fabricating a story and deliberately mentioning Olivia.


    He wanted to see how they would react.


    If he could use information about Olivia to make Kylie think he was one of them, all the better.


    Sure enough, Kylie''s expression froze upon hearing Olivia''s name.


    "Oh, so we''re family!" Wendy immediately pulled Elijah to sit down, pouring him a drink. "Come on, don''t just stand there. If we''re family, no need to be shy!"


    Elijah nced at Kylie, who stood there in a daze without objecting, so he took the opportunity to sit down.


    "Quentin, if you had mentioned this rtionship earlier, there''d be no need for any tests. You could have been living on the fourth floor already!"


    "The fourth floor is for the management, right? That wouldn''t be appropriate..." Elijah replied with a naive smile.


    "What''s inappropriate? The YLK Group was founded by the chairman herself, and she has led us to carve out a living space in this apocalypse. Her family is our family! Here, have a drink. It''s chilled, a luxury only avable here thanks to the chairman. I''m benefiting from your presence!" Wendy pushed the drink toward Elijah and poured herself a ss, downing it in one go.


    "Ah, that''s refreshing!"


    "If you like it, have more. I''m not a fan of carbonated drinks," Elijah said.


    "Is that so? The chairman also has fruit juice here. I''ll get you a bottle. No need to be shy among family!" Wendy got up, smiling.


    "Thanks, Sister Wendy," Elijah said as he watched her enter the adjacent room. She quickly returned with a bottle of chilled fruit juice, handing it to him.


    Elijah took it but didn''t drink, cing it beside him instead. Wendy''s expression suddenly became serious.


    "Since we''re all family, Quentin, there''s one thing you shouldn''t hide from us, right?"


    At the same time, Kylie seemed toe to her senses, staring intently at Elijah.


    "What is it?" Elijah feigned ignorance.


    "What is your real ability?" Wendy asked, staring him down.


    "The real ability?"


    Elijah was genuinely astonished, not faking it! He really had no idea how the other party determined that his ability was off.


    His current defense power was indeed genuinelyparable to a first-level defense ability!


    "Since we are family, there should be no more concealment on this point, right?" Wendy said calmly.


    "Uh... I''m not hiding anything. I really have a defensive ability. If you don''t believe me, try it yourself!" Elijah extended his arm.


    Wendy looked at Elijah, who didn''t seem to be lying, and couldn''t help but feel puzzled. Could he really not be lying?


    No, something''s off! He must be hiding something, otherwise, why can''t my mind-reading ability sense his inner thoughts?


    "Quentin, I have my reasons for saying this. To be honest with you, my ability is a special perceptive ability, but it fails when ites to you!"


    "A special perceptive ability?"


    Elijah immediately thought of the mind-reading ability Hayden mentioned in the underground garage!


    Could it be that the one who possesses mind-reading is not Matthew, but Wendy?


    This is very likely! Or Wendy might possess a simr ability to Olivia and Lillian''s good and evil emotion sensing.


    Their abilities indeed have moments of failure.


    After Charlotte advanced to the second level, in Olivia''s perceptive vision, Charlotte was like a ck hole, blocking surrounding probes, and Olivia could no longer sense Charlotte''s good or evil emotions.


    The reason was that when Charlotte reached the second level, she not only had insight into herself but also began to control and influence the surrounding Chi.


    This enabled her to block Olivia''s ability!


    But the key is that Elijah had long since left Charlotte''s range of ability, and he couldn''t and didn''t use Charlotte''s ability.


    Besides, the only thing that could block perceptive abilities now was Nora''s blocking ability.


    Could it be that Nora''s blocking ability brought a passive enhancement, causing their perceptive abilities to fail on me?


    Elijah''s thoughts raced, and he instantly thought of a countermeasure.


    "Ah... I get it!" Elijah made a face of sudden realization.


    "Get what?" Wendy asked.


    "My defensive ability is to cover the surface of my body with an invisible protectiveyer, which I call a barrier. I originally thought it could only defend against physical harm, but now with your reminder, could it also defend against intangible perception or attacks?" Elijah touched his chin, bing more and more excited as he spoke!


    "Barrier?" Wendy murmured. Although she didn''t know if Elijah was telling the truth, it seemed reasonable.


    After all, she had seen more bizarre awakened abilities!


    "Well, then it was my fault for wrongly using you. Let me apologize!"


    Wendy didn''t dwell on it much, instead taking a drink, pouring a ss, and handing it to Elijah.


    "Sis, you don''t need to do this. I don''t mean to me you!" Elijah btedly understood what Wendy''s so-called test was about!


    This Wendy was probably indeed a mind-reader, which is why she was the receptionist and led everyone to dinner.


    She must have been using her ability throughout the process, eavesdropping on everyone''s thoughts!


    That must be the so-called test!

 Chapter 214: Elijahs mind suddenly cleared up

    Only by passing her test could one truly join the YLK Group!


    And after joining, one would probably be under her surveince all the time, and at the slightest sign of trouble, she would immediately take them down.


    Like the people imprisoned on the second basement level!


    Because she couldn''t read Elijah''s mind, she paid special attention to him, until now, when she finallyid her cards on the table!


    "No way, you have to drink it, otherwise, how will I know you''ve really forgiven me?"


    Wendy said in a slightly coquettish tone.


    "Uh... alright!"


    Unable to refuse her enthusiasm, Elijah took the drink and gulped it down, then looked at Wendy, showing an expression as if to say,


    "Satisfied now?"


    But at that moment, Wendy had a very strange smile on her face.


    "??"


    Elijah sensed something was wrong, and just then, the drink he had consumed began to spread a peculiar energy throughout his body, attempting to reach his brain.


    However, in the next moment, this energy was detected by Elijah''s own energy, which immediately surrounded it.


    The energy seemed to shiver in fear, staying still in Elijah''s meridians, not daring to move!


    When Elijah recognized the nature of this energy, he was so shocked that he couldn''t control his expression.


    Because that energy was none other than the "Seed of Consciousness"!


    The same ability he possessed, the "Seed of Consciousness"!


    "No wonder! No wonder!"


    Elijah''s mind suddenly cleared up!


    Many gaps in his previous spections about the YLK Group now made sense!


    For instance, he had always wondered how the YLK Group ensured that its members remained calm and continued to follow Matthew even after learning they were consuming zombie meat, human flesh.


    Were so many people really willing to abandon the moral boundaries of civilized society?


    He had initially guessed that they were monitored through mind-reading!


    But now it seemed clear, Matthew was using the Seed of Consciousness to imnt hypnosis and control!


    No wonder Hayden asked him if he had eaten or drunk anything in the hotel when they first met!


    No wonder Hayden said Matthew possessed mind-reading abilities!


    No wonder Hayden said Matthew was too terrifyingly powerful for him to stand a chance!


    No wonder Hayden warned that if he didn''t leave soon, he would have no more opportunities...


    And why did Wendy repeatedly offer him drinks, even apologizing in a coquettish manner to make him drink?


    All this was because Matthew had the same ability as him.


    They wanted to imnt the Seed of Consciousness in him!


    Unfortunately for them, they never expected Elijah to have the same ability, and at a much higher level than Matthew''s.


    Elijah carefully observed Matthew''s Seed of Consciousness, noting it was much weaker than his own.


    Elijah confirmed that Matthew was not yet at the third level, but from his ability to seemingly mimic others'' abilities, he should be a second-level ability user.


    "What do you mean ''no wonder''?"


    Wendy asked with a strange smile.


    "Oh, I suddenly remembered that the mutated zombie I encountered before, the reason I escaped death might be due to this ability I discovered today, thanks to you!"


    Elijah said, multitasking.


    The energy within him firmly controlled the external Seed of Consciousness but did not destroy it.


    Because if he destroyed it, Matthew, the original owner of the Seed of Consciousness, would immediately notice.


    Not only did Elijah not destroy it, but he also controlled it, allowing its power to extend outside his body, and soon, a familiar "consciousness thread" connected to the room Wendy had just visited!


    Immediately, a stream of information flowed from there.


    Elijah used his ability to block and trante the information, realizing that Matthew was attempting to hypnotize him.


    Meanwhile, the door finally opened, and a greasy, plump middle-aged man walked out.


    Elijah was shocked to recognize him!


    It was none other than the man who had been eating at the same table with him these past few days.


    "Gavin?!"


    Elijah eximed in surprise, his mouth agape!


    "Gavin, what are you doing here?"


    Elijah was stunned, then quickly realized.


    This guy was Matthew!


    This insidious person had been pretending to be a neer to deceive him all along! Discover hidden stories at m,v l''e-NovelBin


    No wonder he was so eager to help him with meat and porridge. If Elijah had eaten or drunk it, he would have been imnted with the Seed of Consciousness long ago.


    "This is the boss of our YLK Group!"


    Wendy, thinking Elijah had been imnted with the Seed of Consciousness and was now controlled by Matthew, let down her guard and introduced him.


    "Brother, sorry for keeping it from you these past few days. This was part of your test. Now that you''ve passed, you''re one of us. Let me reintroduce myself, I''m Matthew, currently the head of the YLK Group!"


    Matthew said with a cheerful smile.


    "The head of YLK Group?"


    Elijah yed his role perfectly, showing his shock, then nced at Kylie.


    "Isn''t YLK Group run by Kylie?"


    Matthew walked over to Kylie with a smug look, putting his arm around her slender waist.


    "Now Kylie is my woman, so it doesn''t matter which of us is the boss!"


    Kylie remained expressionless, neither resisting nor objecting.


    "I see..."


    Elijah couldn''t shake the feeling that something was off with Kylie.


    She seemed like a wooden puppet,cking the vibrancy of a normal person.


    Elijah remembered Olivia''s description of Kylie''s feelings toward Matthew, suggesting Kylie shouldn''t be so submissive to Matthew.


    Additionally, the way Kylie looked at him felt wrong, like a predator ready to pounce, constantly preparing to hunt him.


    But outwardly, she didn''t appear threatening. The only notable difference was her striking beauty and aura,bined with a constant sense of pressure she exuded.


    Kylie''s state was definitely not right!


    But Elijah had no time to delve into it now.


    Although he controlled Matthew''s Seed of Consciousness, making its outward behavior seem normal, it wouldn''t withstand scrutiny.


    If Matthew tried to mimic his ability, it would immediately give him away.


    So, the urgent task was to lure Matthew out and either knock him out or kill him.


    Now that Matthew had rxed his guard ande out, thinking Elijah was under his control, it was a golden opportunity!


    "Since you and Cousin Kylie are in that kind of rtionship, calling you the boss makes sense!"


    Elijah said, extending his hand.


    "From now on, we''re truly one family!"


    Matthew, without a trace of suspicion and full of confidence in his ability, grasped Elijah''s hand without any caution.


    "Yes, one family! Elijah, your ability is very rare. You must work hard for the group in the future!"


    "Of course!"


    Elijah responded with a big smile.

 Chapter 215: Matthew

    Upon sessfully capturing Matthew, Elijah''s smile remained unchanged, but he secretly switched to the abilities of a strength-type zombie.


    With lightning speed, his other hand struck toward Matthew''s head.


    Matthew, who had been feeling triumphant, waspletely unprepared for Elijah''s sudden attack.


    However, his reaction was incredibly quick, either due to mimicking some speed-enhancing ability or sheer instinct.


    He swiftly ducked, narrowly avoiding Elijah''s punch!


    Yet Elijah, having undergonebat training with Charlotte, had a wealth of experience in close-quartersbat.


    The moment Matthew ducked, Elijah''s knee shot upward.


    Matthew''s chin collided intimately with Elijah''s knee, making it seem as if Matthew had delivered himself to Elijah.


    A dull thud resounded as a coppery sheen spread over Matthew''s skin. Elijah felt as if he had struck a solid wall of copper.


    "Defense-type second-tier ability, copper skin! This cunning scoundrel is so afraid of death that he always has his defense ability activated!" This thought shed through Elijah''s mind.


    But Elijah''s knee wasn''t something that could be blocked by a mere second-tier defense ability.


    Knowing that Matthew might have his defense ability constantly active, Elijah chose the second-tier strength ability for a surprise attack.


    If the outer defense couldn''t be broken easily, then he would use internal force to strike!


    Receiving a knee strike from Elijah, Matthew''s chubby face rippled like waves, and his entire body was propelled upward.


    Elijah''s fist followed suit, swinging downward.


    Another dull thud rang out as Elijah''s punch connected with the top of Matthew''s head. Matthew''s eyes bulged, blood oozing from his eyes, ears, mouth, and nose.


    He was immediately knocked senseless, devoid of any resistance, copsing to the ground like a heap of mud.


    All of this happened in a sh. It was only after the fight ended that Wendy and Kylie reacted.


    Wendy immediately drew a knife but did not act rashly.


    Instead, Kylie, eyes shing with a chilling light, rushed forward with a roar.


    Under Kylie''s influence, Wendy instantly became dazed, her face filled with terror.


    "Mind stun! And it''s a second-tier ability!"


    Elijah''s head felt heavy for a moment, but he quickly regained his rity.


    As a third-tier ability user, his mental strength had been passively enhanced multiple times, thanks to the abilities of Sophia, Olivia, and Fiona, which had all boosted his mental power.


    This made him highly resistant to Mind stun.


    Seeing Kylie, with a beast-like expression, closing in on him, Elijah understood what was happening.


    She was simr to Abigail, a zombie who had regained some of her memories. No wonder Kylie had always felt off!


    If this was the case, everything made sense, including the rumors about Matthew''s fondness for ying with zombies.


    Elijah''s thoughts raced, but only a moment had passed.


    Despite Kylie being Olivia''s mother, when it came to his safety, Elijah showed no mercy.


    His long leg whipped out like ash, sending Kylie flying into a wall, where she finally stopped.


    In the next second, Kylie''s Mind stun was lifted, and Wendy, no longer affected, copsed to the ground, gasping for breath, her face filled with fear as she shakily asked, "Who... who are you?"


    Elijah ignored her, focusing instead on Matthew, who was still in his grip.


    Whether his earlier blows had damaged Matthew''s brain or not, Matthew now drooled blood-mixed saliva, lying limp on the ground like an idiot.


    To be safe, Elijah delivered another karate chop, controlling his strength to merely knock Matthew out, then broke his limbs, rendering him aplete cripple.


    Only then did Elijah turn to the struggling Kylie, pressing her down and feeding her his "Seed of Consciousness."


    As Elijah''s Seed of Consciousness entered Kylie''s body, it quickly moved to the back of her head, where a cluster of Matthew''s Seed of Consciousness resided.


    It instinctively tried to fight back but was instantly crushed by Elijah''s Seed of Consciousness, which then absorbed it,pleting the control over Kylie in an instant.


    "There''s no resistance or hesitation at all, just like with a zombie I raised myself!" Elijah felt a surge of excitement.


    Meanwhile, Wendy stood beside them, utterly stunned by what she had witnessed.


    Matthew joined YLK Corporation right after graduating from college, starting his career as a junior salesperson.


    The first time he saw Kylie, he was captivated by her beauty and sharp, capable demeanor, making her the object of his admiration.


    Unfortunately, Kylie was already married with a daughter at that time, and Matthew,ing from a humble background, knew he had no chance.


    He could only bury his admiration deep in his heart, meeting Kylie only in his dreams on countless nights.


    Over the years, the once sharp young man grew into a slick and rotund middle-aged man.


    YLK Corporation became YLK Group, and he climbed from a small salesperson to a regional manager overseeing several provinces.


    Although Matthew got married and had children, Kylie remained his unattainable ideal.


    Especially after Kylie''s husband died and she remained unmarried, Kylie''s beauty seemed to bloom even more with age.


    Her mature charm,bined with a noble and elegant aura, made Matthew''s heart itch, leading him to disy certain sycophantic behaviors.


    When the zombie virus outbreak urred, Matthew received a call from Kylie, summoning him to her office.


    Matthew thought his ttery had finally paid off, but to his surprise, he found thepany''s top executives present upon his arrival.


    What followed was an expos¨¦ and a criticism session, using him of coercing distributors, demanding money and favors from clients for years, and cing his rtives inpany positions.


    They intended to hand him over to the authorities right away.


    In the end, considering their years of working together and his contributions to thepany''s development, Kylie decided to let him off the hook as long as he repaid the embezzled funds.


    Most of the money Matthew had embezzled over the years had been squandered on revelry and women, leaving him incapable of repaying the deficit.


    Just as he was consumed by despair and resentment, the zombie virus outbreak threw thepany into chaos.


    Despite his corpulent appearance, Matthew was brave, meticulous, and surprisingly agile.


    Fueled by despair and rage, he fought his way out with a fire axe, miraculously surviving the chaos.


    Unable to let go of his goddess, he fought his way back to the CEO''s office.


    The ce was in shambles, with those who had once judged him turned into zombies, tearing each other apart, giving him a bitter sense of satisfaction.


    Not finding Kylie among them, Matthew suspected she was hiding in the inner office rest area.


    When he opened the rest area door, Wendy, who had been hiding in a cab, tried to warn him not to open it.


    It was toote; Matthew was ambushed and bitten by the already zombified Kylie. As the saying goes, "the good die young, while the wicked live on."


    Instead of turning into a zombie, Matthew found himself blessed with a peculiar ability after being bitten by Kylie.


    Using this newfound power, he controlled Kylie and finally achieved his long-held desire, albeit with a lifeless shell.


    Leveraging his ability, he controlled other zombies and, along with Wendy, fought their way out of thepany, eventually settling in a luxurious hotel near a water source, where they began to gather survivors.


    Some of the survivors who joined them noticed Matthew''s ability to control zombies and his obsession with ying with Kylie, the zombie.


    Though they said nothing, they secretly despised him.


    Matthew, perhaps influenced by the virus or his inner obsession, couldn''t tolerate anyone looking down on Kylie.


    He decided to control everyone using his ability, imnting in them the notion that ying with zombies was enjoyable.


    By leading them to take pleasure in ying with zombies, he ensured that if everyone did it, he wouldn''t be seen as an outcast.

 Chapter 216: Im going to kill you

    During this time, Wendy awakened her mind-reading superpower, inadvertently learning many details about Matthew''s past, his abilities, and some of his nefarious thoughts.


    She wanted to leave but didn''t dare, fearing she couldn''t survive alone in the apocalyptic world.


    One day, while Matthew was out scavenging for supplies, he stumbled upon a nt that caused a reaction in Kylie.


    He brought the nt back and gave it to Kylie.


    To his astonishment, after eating the nt, Kylie awakened an ability and gained a certain level of consciousness, especially showing a strong reaction towards her daughter Olivia.


    This excited Matthew immensely.


    While ying with the submissive Kylie was enjoyable, what Matthew truly desired was the real, living Kylie, with her noble and elegant aura, capable of normal interaction.


    The discovery of this nt gave Matthew hope that continued feeding might restore Kylie''s memory.


    He also suspected that this nt might be beneficial for humans, possibly even awakening abilities in them.


    Thus, he began searching for more of these nts.


    Not long after, Matthew found another nt. He secretly hypnotized Nathan and had him eat the nt as an experiment.


    Nathan awakened the ability to turn invisible, which delighted Matthew, prompting him to search even harder for these nts.


    After obtaining another one, he decided to consume it himself, which enhanced his abilities, advancing him to a second-tier ability user with the power to mimic others'' abilities.


    It was during this time that Matthew discovered Wendy also had an ability¡ªmind reading.


    He didn''t know when she had awakened it, but he knew she must have read his thoughts.


    This revtion shocked and angered him.


    Though he had always looked out for Wendy, seeing her as arade from the samepany who had once warned him during a crisis, he now felt betrayed and vited.


    Matthew''s anger was tempered by the fact that Wendy, influenced by his hypnosis, had not acted against him.


    However, he couldn''t tolerate having someone so close knowing all his secrets.


    Using Kylie''s Mind stun ability, Matthew kept Wendy in a state of fear and confusion, repeatedly hypnotizing and conditioning her until she became apliant and promiscuous puppet who obeyed his everymand.


    Matthew then used Wendy''s mind-reading ability to monitor those who joined him, discovering a secret in one of their minds: eating zombie flesh could also awaken abilities.


    This revtion led Matthew to secretly experiment with this new method.


    The results were promising, with some participants indeed awakening abilities.


    As these people''s abilities emerged, Matthew''s repertoire of abilities to mimic expanded, and his own power grew stronger.


    The most significant breakthrough was with Kylie, who advanced to a second-tier ability user and regained some of her memories, enabling simplemunication and cooperation.


    No longer a lifeless corpse, she could now interact with Matthew, especially after being carefully groomed to resemble her former self.


    Matthew''s excitement grew as he began to nurture more awakened individuals on arger scale, realizing that their flesh provided better results without the risk of zombification.


    Everything seemed to be progressing smoothly, and Matthew felt on the brink of another advancement.


    But then, someone appeared...


    Wendy knew all too well how formidable Matthew was, especially after he had deliberately nurtured a defensive ability user to the second tier.


    By mimicking this ability, Matthew had achieved an almost invulnerable state.


    Coupled with passive boosts from mimicking other abilities, his body had no apparent weaknesses.


    Most importantly, Matthew was extremely cautious, always keeping his defensive ability active to protect himself.


    In Wendy''s subconscious, she firmly believed that no one could defeat Matthew.


    But the scene before her shattered her entire worldview.


    Matthew had been effortlessly defeated by the man standing before her, without even having a chance to fight back.


    This realization caused cracks to form in the deep-rooted hypnotic suggestions imnted in her mind.


    For someone to defeat the seemingly invincible Matthew, how powerful must this man be?


    Wendy thought instinctively.


    It wasn''t until she saw Elijah controlling Kylie as easily as Matthew once did, that she understood.


    This man had the same ability as Matthew, but was evidently much stronger.


    Matthew was on the brink of advancing to the third tier, so did that mean this man was already a third-tier powerhouse?


    Matthew had spent over half a month consuming the flesh of awakened individuals just to barely reach the peak of the second tier, yet he still hadn''t found the opportunity to break through to the third tier.


    How had this man achieved it? Did he also consume human flesh?


    Human flesh? Why would anyone eat human flesh?


    How could anyone eat human flesh? Wendy was stunned.


    The next moment, the hypnotic suggestions Matthew had imnted in her mind crumbled.


    Scenes from the past half month shed rapidly in Wendy''s mind: Wendy voraciously eating zombie flesh, guiding neers to eat zombie flesh, eavesdropping on people''s thoughts and reporting them to Matthew, and shamelessly seducing others, indulging in debauchery.


    Back then, Wendy hadn''t found anything wrong with these actions.


    But now, she found them utterly repulsive, to the point where she wanted to strangle her former self. "Ugh..." Wendy couldn''t help but crouch down and retch, as if trying to expel her past memories and her former self.


    Elijah, who was about to nt his Seed of Consciousness in Wendy, was utterly baffled.


    But then, something even more confusing happened.


    After retching for a while, Wendy lifted her head, her eyes filled with blood¡ªnot the crimson of a zombie, but the kind of bloodshot look humans get when they are extremely angry.


    Wendy then let out a low growl, "Matthew, I''m going to kill you!"


    With that, Wendy exploded with a speed that even impressed Elijah, darting over to the limp, broken-limbed, unconscious Matthew.


    She opened her mouth and bit down hard on Matthew''s neck.


    A spurt of blood shot out, sttering all over Wendy''s face, transforming her once alluring face into a terrifying visage.


    Combined with her current expression, she looked like a devil incarnate.


    "Damn, what''s going on?" Elijah was startled.


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    Logically, Matthew should have hypnotized Wendy to prevent her from ever harming him.


    But now, Wendy''s actionspletely overturned Elijah''s understanding.


    For this to happen, there was only one possibility: Matthew''s hypnotic suggestions had failed.


    "What the hell kind of hypnotic suggestions did Matthew imnt? Such deep hatred, such immense resentment!"

 Chapter 217: Just a brave and righteous person

    Actually, Elijah could roughly guess that it was probably about subconsciously making people think that eating zombie flesh was normal...


    To be honest, this kind of suggestion goes against human intuition and generally wouldn''t seed.


    But Elijah nced at Kylie. If it wasbined with Mind stun, it wouldn''t be impossible!


    However, this kind of suggestion needs continuous reinforcement.


    Otherwise, one day, the other party will break through this hypnotic suggestion, and what''s happening now will appear before their eyes!


    That''s also why Elijah initially chose to gradually deepen the hypnotic suggestion, step by step, and the content of the suggestion shouldn''t trigger instinctive resistance.


    Matthew''s throat was torn apart by Wendy, blood gushing out continuously, and he was about to die.


    Elijah quickly stepped forward, pulled Wendy away, and used his healing ability to treat Matthew''s wounds, preventing him from dying immediately!


    "I''m going to kill him, I''m going to kill him!"


    Wendy, covered in blood, struggled fiercely to continue gnawing on Matthew, but she couldn''t break free from Elijah''s restraint.


    Wendy bit Elijah''s arm, and with a crack, almost broke her canine teeth!


    The intense pain brought Wendy back to her senses. She stared nkly at Elijah''s arm gleaming with a metallic sheen, sitting motionless.


    "We can''t kill him now. He''s still useful. If we kill him now, those controlled and hypnotized by him or the zombies will immediately riot. Wait until I sessfully take over here, then you can deal with him as you please!"


    Upon hearing this, Wendy looked up at Elijah in astonishment.


    "Who... who are you exactly?"


    "Me? Just a brave and righteous person!"


    Elijah chuckled.


    "Just kidding. I''m here on behalf of Olivia to find her mother, Kylie! Didn''t expect this ce to be so eye-opening!"


    "Olivia? So, Nathan''s death is rted to you?"


    "That''s right!"


    Elijah didn''t deny it. As for how Wendy knew about Nathan''s death? It must have been Matthew figuring out that his Seed of Consciousness had an extra spot.


    "Now, I want to peacefully take over here. Will you cooperate?"


    "Let you control us, hypnotize us, and continue to eat people?"


    A mocking smile appeared on Wendy''s lips, indicating she had already guessed Elijah''s abilities!


    "I''m not that disgusting. I don''t do such disgusting things!"


    Elijah sneered.


    "Then how did you be so powerful?"


    Wendy didn''t believe it!


    "You consume zombie flesh, eat the flesh of awakened beings. Essentially, you absorb the mutated flesh and blood energy of the other person, causing yourself to mutate or grow awakened! But in this world, it''s not just humans who have awakened mutations¡ªanimals, nts, seafood, all have awakened mutations, as long as one masters the breeding and cultivation methods...


    Unfortunately, we happen to have mastered them!"


    After listening to Elijah''s words, Wendy was half-believing!


    At this moment, she desperately hoped she could read Elijah''s mind, which would help her confirm the truth.


    Unfortunately, her second-tier telepathy could only help her detect the hypnotic suggestions set by Matthew just now, but still couldn''t read Elijah''s mind.


    With just this point, Wendy understood that she was helpless against the man in front of her!


    She could only cooperate with this man!


    Unless she wasn''t afraid of death and resisted to the end!


    And she had no hope that if she didn''t cooperate, Elijah would spare her!


    Did she want to die?


    Naturally, she didn''t. Otherwise, she wouldn''t have been hypnotized by Matthew!


    After venting, her reason returned, and she had to consider how to choose next!


    And the answer was obvious¡ªshe could only take a gamble!


    Could it be worse than the past half month?


    "I will cooperate with you..."


    "Very good!"


    Elijah nodded approvingly.


    "It''s good that you''re willing to cooperate. When I realized Matthew''s capabilities were simr to mine, I thought of a better way to handle this ce. The premise of this method is to subdue Matthew without killing him."


    Elijah paused, considering Wendy as the optimal candidate for cooperation within YLK Group, someone trusted and unlikely to be questioned.


    "If Wendy didn''t cooperate, Elijah would have to resort to some special means. For example, using Kylie''s Mind stunbined with his abilities for hypnotic suggestions would be quite effective! Now that Wendy is willing to cooperate, it saves a lot of trouble! However, necessary precautions are still required."


    Elijah pricked his finger, extracting a drop of blood containing Seed of Consciousness, and said to Wendy, "I won''t impose excessive hypnotic suggestions on you, but I need your abilities and an added insurance."


    "I understand," Wendy replied, not resisting, and obediently ingested Elijah''s Seed of Consciousness.


    In an instant, Matthew''s Seed of Consciousness within Wendy was crushed and dissolved by Elijah''s, bing nutrients to sustain himself.


    "All right, now let''s reintroduce ourselves. I''m Elijah, your future leader. Next, I need you to cooperate with me in taking over the entire YLK Group."


    Elijah proceeded to hypnotically suggest to Wendy, reinforcing her trust in him and preventing any thoughts of betrayal.


    Elijah''s third-tier hypnotic abilities were more dominant and powerfulpared to Matthew''s second-tier,pleting the process silently and seamlessly.


    Though Elijah couldmand Wendy forcibly if he chose, he refrained and only applied suggestions that wouldn''t arouse suspicion or resistance.


    "Elijah... sure," Wendy nodded. The more she observed Elijah, the more trustworthy he seemed. She eagerly asked, "What do I do next?"


    "First, introduce me to the management of YLK Group¡ª who they are, how many awakened individuals there are, their abilities, who Matthew controls, who resists the idea of eating human flesh, who doesn''t mind, or even enjoys it..."


    "Understood." Continue your adventure with m|v-l''e -NovelBin


    Wendy began detailing the YLK Group''s management structure to Elijah, including Nathan, Dominic, Theodore, herself, and another manager named Ian, who Elijah hadn''t met because Ian was currently leading a team to a storage base on the western outskirts, bordering the neighboring county.


    They were killing zombies along the way, collecting supplies, and clearing roads for easier vehicle movement.


    "But Dominic will lead a group today to rece Ian''s team and bring back the first batch of supplies, allowing them to rest for two days," Wendy exined.


    "That''s quite humane of you, having substitutes," Elijah chuckled upon hearing this.


    "Being constantly outdoors can strain everyone''s spirits. And Matthew needs to reinforce his hypnotic suggestions, hence the three-day rotation. Except for me, as I only need to focus on training new recruits and monitoring everyone''s psychological state without going outside."


    Elijah nodded, indicating his understanding, and continued to inquire about the abilities of the mentioned individuals.

 Chapter 218: Cannibalism among the same kind

    "Excluding the deceased Nathan and Wendy, the other members of the management team are also second-tier adepts! Dominic has second-tier power-type abilities, Theodore specializes in second-tier defensive capabilities, and Ian possesses the rare second-tier healing abilities."


    "How does this healing ability work?" Elijah couldn¡¯t help but ask.


    "ording to Ian himself, as long as he doesn¡¯t die instantly, he can slowly heal from any severe injury," Wendy exined.


    "Slow healing?" Elijah thought about Be¡¯s passive healing ability, which seemed somewhat simr.


    At the same time, he recalled the bizarre slow healing of the awakened on the second underground level, whose flesh wounds seemed to regenerate mysteriously.


    "Is Ian somehow connected to the strange healing of those underground level-two awakened?"


    "Yes! When Ian advanced to the second tier, he gained this additional ability. While at the first tier, he could only heal himself, at the second tier, anyone who consumes his blood or flesh enters a temporary healing state. However, this state doesn¡¯tst long, and its effectiveness is limited," Wendy rified.


    "The awakened on the second underground level, treated as ¡¯flesh mushrooms¡¯, consume ¡¯healing pills¡¯ made from Ian¡¯s flesh and blood in advance!"


    Thinking of those ¡¯flesh mushrooms¡¯ on the second underground level, Wendy involuntarily recalled another strange discovery.


    Because the flesh and blood of those awakened are not like zombie flesh, with risks of mutation, they are prioritized for the management team and Matthew!


    At that time, Theodore, who was not yet a second-tier awakened, found that his abilities greatly improved after consuming the flesh and blood of another defensive awakened.


    Matthew, upon learning this, conducted numerous tests confirming that consuming the flesh and blood of another with the same ability indeed rapidly enhances one¡¯s strength.


    So he simply allowed Theodore, a defensive adept prisoner, to consume the flesh and blood of the other, and Theodore broke through to the second tier in a very short time!


    Wendy then thought of Elijah, who shares the same abilities as Matthew.


    She hesitated: should she tell Elijah about this?


    All these thoughts of Wendy¡¯s were heard by Elijah, who had been using his mind-reading ability all along.


    Elijah suddenly realized!


    The final puzzle was finally solved!


    He finally understood why in his previous life, Matthew insisted that Nathan invite him to join his team, threatening to kill him if he refused!


    It turns out Matthew had this n all along!


    Based on these discoveries, it seems Matthew has already reached the peak of the second tier.


    As for when he advanced to the third tier in his previous life, Elijah doesn¡¯t know, but it shouldn¡¯t have been too long.


    This suggests that in Elijah¡¯s previous life, when he died, Matthew had been third tier for a long time.


    As for how to break through to the fourth tier, there may be no clues, so he wanted to find someone with simr abilities to consume...


    Cannibalism among the same kind!


    It seems I haven¡¯t mistaken my enemy!


    If I don¡¯t take action, sooner orter, Matthew wille looking for me after discovering my abilities!


    Although I¡¯m not afraid of him in this world, someone is always lurking in the shadows, plotting against me, which sends shivers down my spine just thinking about it!


    Indeed, strike first in everything!


    Elijah sighed in his heart and then said to Wendy, "You don¡¯t need to test me. I¡¯ve said I won¡¯t resort to such low methods, and I absolutely won¡¯t!"


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    Wendy nodded, feelingpletely relieved. She had anticipated that Elijah would be using her mind-reading ability, so she took the opportunity earlier to test him intentionally.


    With Elijah¡¯s reassurance once again, Wendy began to take things seriously.


    Except for these few managers, Wendy continued to introduce other awakened individuals.


    Just as Elijah had spected, although Matthew had gained arge number of awakened by continuously absorbing neers and feeding them zombie flesh, the number of people he could contractually control was limited.


    He could only contract a portion of them, and they were all individuals whose abilities were unique and particrly special to him.


    For instance, as a life-saving defensive measure, he contracted two people¡ªone of whom is Theodore, a member of the management.


    However, since Theodore sometimes leads teams outside to gather supplies, Matthew also contracted another defensive ability user.


    Theodore and the other defensive user must always operate within Matthew¡¯s ability to mimic their powers.


    Additionally, most of the abilities Matthew contracted were non-repetitive, expanding his ability boundaries to appear omnipotent and easily deceive neers!


    As for those not contracted, Matthew used propaganda and hypnotic suggestion to spread the belief that it was the apocalypse and zombies were no longer human.


    If zombies can eat humans, why can¡¯t humans eat zombies?


    Ancient experience tells us that cannibalism ismon in times of food scarcity. Why feel immoral?


    When survival is difficult, why care about such things?


    Zombie meat tastes surprisingly good! And so on. This made some people ept or at least not oppose eating zombie flesh!


    Of course, those strongly opposed were locked in the underground, bing flesh mushrooms that could regenerate endlessly!


    Some chose to pragmatically keep quiet, even if they disagreed inwardly.


    Others, more straightforward, said they wouldn¡¯t eat but also wouldn¡¯t oppose or stop others!


    Wendy gleaned these insights from monitoring their psychological states.


    Matthew reluctantly epted this group but prioritized Wendy¡¯s surveince.


    At the first sign of resistance or escape, he would immediately capture them.


    Since Ian ascended to the second tier and gained the ability to heal others, the situation escted.


    After all, awakened flesh and blood were more effective and had no side effects.


    Once they tasted it, they didn¡¯t want to go back to eating zombie flesh.


    Ian¡¯s healing ability took three days at the shortest and up to a week at the longest, making awakened flesh seem insufficient.


    So, it was easier to capture those "suspicious" individuals and use them as flesh mushrooms.


    This not only reduced internal pressure but also eased the urgency for flesh consumption.


    "Can you identify those who haven¡¯t been hypnotized and genuinely ept eating zombie flesh as nothing wrong?" Elijah asked after Wendy¡¯sprehensive introduction to the base.


    "It¡¯s possible... But with so many people, how do you n to handle them?" he queried.


    "Naturally, they¡¯ll be killed to prevent further escapes and harm to others!" Elijah stated impassively.


    "Of course, we can¡¯t solve everything at once. It has to be gradual, or chaos will ensue. That¡¯s why I keep Matthew around," Wendy added, looking at Matthew, whose limbs were broken and lying like a puddle of mud, unconscious in a pool of blood.


    She then reflected on Elijah¡¯s decisive handling of over a dozen lives, realizing his truly ruthless side.

 Chapter 219: No wonder Matthew couldnt forget her

    But Wendy enjoyed this kind of ruthlessness, which meant Elijah truly didn¡¯t allow cannibalism within his influence.


    "So, what¡¯s next?" Elijah asked.


    "Before dealing with those small fry, we need to take care of the other managers," Wendy replied.


    "Dominic and Theodore? Dominic is a fervent supporter of Matthew, but maybe we can sway Theodore to our side!" Elijah suggested.


    "Oh?" Wendy raised an eyebrow at Elijah¡¯s confusion and exined further.


    Initially, Theodore strongly opposed Matthew¡¯s controversial actions.


    However, as Matthew¡¯s earliest defensive ability user, he earned Matthew¡¯s favor.


    After Matthew contracted Theodore, he subjected him to both Mind Stun and hypnotic suggestions,pletely subjugating him.


    "If we can release Theodore from Matthew¡¯s hypnotic influence, he might stand with us," Wendy concluded.


    "Alright, but I¡¯ll need to contract them first to remove Matthew¡¯s influence," Elijah stated.


    "Contract... them?" Wendy hesitated briefly but quickly regainedposure. "No problem. They both have a strong affinity for alcohol, and Matthew often uses it as a reward. I can leverage that!"


    "Perfect. Here are two drops of my Contract Medium," Elijah said, squeezing drops containing the Seed of Consciousness into two cups and handing them to Wendy.


    Taking them, Wendy nced at Elijah with aplex expression. "Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll handle it."


    With that, Wendy left the room with the two cups. Elijah checked on Matthew, confirming he wouldn¡¯t die, then turned his attention to Kylie.


    This was Elijah¡¯s second encounter with an awakened self-conscious zombie. No, actually the third. The third-tier zombie he had killed in Lillian¡¯s district also seemed to have awakened consciousness. Nevertheless, both she and Abigail were extraordinarily rare cases.


    Bringing Kylie back like this, Elijah wondered if Olivia would ept her. He felt a headacheing on as he couldn¡¯t help but examine Kylie closely. Explore more at m,v l¡¯e-m|p| y r


    "What an exceptional beauty!" Elijah thought.


    Kylie surpassed many young girls in figure, appearance, and skin. Moreover, she possessed a mature woman¡¯s unique charm, enhanced by either natural grace or abilities, making her seem regal and untouchable yet strangelypelling.


    "No wonder Matthew couldn¡¯t forget her," Elijah murmured. Wendy had casually mentioned some of Matthew¡¯s personal history, gleaned from his thoughts.


    However, Elijah¡¯s brow furrowed. Kylie¡¯s posture seemed off, her waist and abdomen awkwardly bent. He remembered the force of his kick when she attacked him earlier¡ªit wasn¡¯t light.


    "It looks like Kylie¡¯s quite injured too. She¡¯s a zombie though, so her pain tolerance must be incredibly high for her not to react until now," Elijah noted.


    "You should take off your clothes so I can check," Elijah told Kylie.


    Kylieplied without resistance, unbuttoning her coat and then her blouse, revealing a light purple bra and smooth, undting pale skin underneath. As shepletely removed her blouse, Elijah saw extensive bruising on her otherwise fair skin.


    Just as Elijah was about to approach to administer treatment, Kylie continued, unzipping her professional skirt and slipping it off.


    "Well, um..." Elijah blinked in slight embarrassment. "Perhaps there are injuries there too. I¡¯ll reluctantly check."


    "What¡¯s the boss doing? Why did he call us here? I need to leave soon to fetch Ian back; don¡¯t dy me!" Dominic, drinking boisterously, asked Wendy while scanning her in her new, refreshing attire.


    Theodore remained silent as usual, his face inscrutable.


    Wendy looked at both of them after they had drunk the wine containing Elijah¡¯s "contract medium," smiling warmly. "The boss is currently testing the new recruit. He called you here because there¡¯s something important to announce!"


    "How long will we have to wait?" Dominic belched.


    "I¡¯ll go check! Just wait a moment longer!" Wendy said, swaying her alluring figure as she left the room and headed straight towards Elijah.


    "Boss, Dominic and Theodore are waiting. When will you let them..." Wendy began as she pushed open the door to Elijah¡¯s room.


    The next second, she stopped abruptly.


    Inside the room, Kylie stoodpletely naked, her beautiful figure fully exposed. Her fair, smooth skin and well-proportioned body made Wendy feel a tinge of jealousy.


    "Not bad for her age. How does she still have such a good figure and skin?" Wendy thought subconsciously. She then saw Elijah crouching in front of Kylie, his head perfectly blocking her waist down, hands on Kylie¡¯s waist!


    From Wendy¡¯s perspective, it looked like they were engaged in some indescribable activity.


    "Um... Sorry to disturb. You... carry on, carry on..." Wendy stuttered.


    Just as Elijah turned his head at that moment, he replied impatiently, "Carry on with what? Can¡¯t you see I¡¯m treating her injuries? Since you¡¯re here, help her get dressed!"


    Elijah moved his head away, and Wendy realized that Kylie wasn¡¯tpletely naked; she still had her underwear on.


    But those underwear were rather... interesting, almost better off not being worn...


    "Do injuries really require such undressing?" Wendy couldn¡¯t believe it, but she obediently went forward. She wouldn¡¯t refuse to dress either herself or others.


    Only, could Elijah pay attention to time?


    Someone is waiting downstairs to handle this!


    "I am indeed treating her injuries. I kicked her just now to check her injuries. I wanted her to take off her coat, but I didn¡¯t expect her to be so agile..."


    Elijah obviously heard Wendy¡¯s inner utterance and weakly defended.


    As for what he thought in his heart, no one can read it anyway.


    Wendy now noticed Elijah¡¯s hands on Kylie¡¯s waist, emitting a bright white light.


    And the purplish skin on Kylie¡¯s waist and abdomen was visibly recovering.


    Thinking of the wound she had bitten Matthew with being healed instantly, indicating that he really had healing abilities.


    Have I misunderstood him?


    "It¡¯s all Matthew¡¯s fault, making Kylie like this!" Wendy echoed, then helped Kylie put on her clothes, muttering to herself.


    I have to say, Matthew¡¯s taste is really good, and I¡¯m a bit moved!


    As each piece of clothing was put on, Elijah was sorry!


    Unfortunately, this beautiful scenery can¡¯t be carefully studied anymore...


    Cough, no!


    It¡¯s a pity that Kylie looks like a normal person on the outside, but in essence, she is still somewhat foolish, unlike Abigail¡¯s agility!


    Perhaps promoting her to the third tier will be better?

 Chapter 220: His eyes filled with hatred as he stared at Matthew

    "Dominic and Theodore have already drunk the wineced with the covenant medium, you see..." At this moment, Wendy''s voice snapped Elijah''s thoughts back.


    "Yeah, I''ve noticed. Bring them in now," Elijah replied.


    Wendy nced at the copsed Matthew. "Shouldn''t we tidy him up?"


    "No need. I want to see their reactions," Elijah said calmly.


    "Alright then, I''ll bring them in," Wendy said as she walked out of the room.


    Shortly after, footsteps approached outside the room, apanied by Dominic''s voice. "Wendy, what does the boss want with us? He''s summoned us up here! Normally, only youe here. What''s going on..."


    "You''ll find out when you go in," Wendy replied indifferently.


    The door opened, and three figures entered the room.


    As soon as Dominic and Theodore stepped inside, their attention was drawn to the vivid red on the floor.


    Upon realizing it was Matthew, Dominic eximed in disbelief, "Boss? What''s going on here?"


    Theodore, expressionless, nced at Wendy, then turned his gaze to the two strangers in the room.


    No, one stranger!


    Kylie had been treated by Matthew as a sex ve, usually not allowing outsiders to see her, but the management had seen her a few times.


    "Is this your doing?"


    Theodore stared at Elijah, while Dominic also noticed Elijah.


    "Impossible. How could he defeat the boss?"


    Dominic looked at Wendy, then at Elijah. Enjoy new adventures from m-v l''e|-NovelBin


    Despite his disbelief in words, he understood that Wendy didn''t have the power to defeat the boss, even with a surprise attack. It could only be the unknown guy in front of him.


    "Whatever tricks you''re ying, I''ll kill you first, then take care of the boss!"


    Dominic realized Matthew wasn''t dead. As long as Ian returned, Matthew would recover from Ian''s self-healing ability.


    "Theodore, you should guard the two women, I''ll kill this man!"


    Dominic gave a fierce smile and then stepped toward Elijah!


    "Drink!"


    Dominic''s right fist struck out with full force, smashing directly toward Elijah''s head!


    His second-tier strength power erupted. He believed no one could take this blow.


    However, Elijah, on the opposite side, only smiled faintly. Then, he swung his own fist, whichpared to Dominic''s, was much lighter!


    The two fists collided heavily, and a wave of invisible ripples swept through them, causing both their clothes to flutter.


    "Impossible!"


    Dominic''s face turned red. He used all his strength, but didn''t move Elijah at all.


    "Without body tempering training, your second-tier strength power reaching this level ismendable. But it also shows that you''ve eaten quite a lot of human flesh, right?"


    Elijah smiled coldly and then exerted force with his fist again. There was only a crisp sound, and Dominic was immediately knocked out.


    "Bang!"


    Behind them, Theodore caught Dominic, but the tremendous force still knocked them back together until they hit the wall.


    "Whew! Damn!"


    Dominic looked gratefully at Theodore, then at his arm, which was already so limp that he couldn''t exert any strength.


    In thest struggle, his arm waspletely shattered!


    "Let''s attack together!"


    Dominic said to Theodore.


    "Okay!"


    As Theodore spoke, there was a "pu-chi" sound!


    Dominic felt a pain in his heart, then saw a sword tip through his heart!


    "Why...?"


    Dominic turned his head incredulously to look at Theodore.


    But Theodore, no longer the gloomy figure of the past, had a face that was now pale, smiling coldly.


    "Heh! Heh! Why? I was just about to ask you guys..."


    "When Dominic and Theodore entered the room and saw Matthew copsed on the ground, Elijah immediately lifted the hypnotic suggestion Matthew had ced on them.


    In that instant, Theodore''s face turned pale, his eyes filled with hatred as he stared at Matthew.


    On the other hand, Dominic showed no change whatsoever, as if Matthew hadn''t hypnotized him at all, and he attacked Elijah directly.


    Elijah kept his telepathic ability active, confirming that Dominic genuinely epted Matthew and intended to save him.


    Theodore''s internal transformation, however, was much more intriguing.


    He started with self-disgust, whichter turned into intense hatred towards Matthew and the entire YLK group.


    Elijah learned from his thoughts that Theodore''s initial disgust stemmed from the fact that Matthew had fed him his own brother.


    It was no wonder Theodore despised Matthew so deeply.


    If Theodore''s abilities were simr to Wendy''s, involving mental maniption, he would have likely broken free from Kylie''s mental influence and Matthew''s hypnotic suggestions long ago, driven purely by his hatred and enhanced mental strength.


    Currently, Theodore''s heart was set on destruction, particrly towards the group. Dominic was merely his first target in this destruction.


    Being stabbed through the heart meant destruction for a power-user; Dominic soon fell lifeless to the ground, denied even the chance to reanimate, as Theodore promptly destroyed his brainstem.


    Theodore''s movements were fluid and practiced, indicating he had experience in such matters.


    "Though I don''t know who you are, your motives, or methods, I''m grateful for you awakening me and giving me the chance for revenge," Theodore thanked Elijah, then walked towards the copsed Matthew, intent on killing him to vent his rage.


    "You can''t kill him yet; he''s still useful to me," Elijah intervened.


    "Oh..."


    Narrowing his eyes dangerously, Theodore stared at Elijah. At this point, Elijah hadn''t subjected him to any hypnotic suggestions, so Theodore posed a potential threat.


    However, Elijah remained unfazed and continued, "Killing Matthew now might awaken others in the base who are also under hypnotic control. They might rampage like you, indiscriminately killing, allowing those who truly support Matthew to escape in the chaos. Your hatred for Matthew and the group, fundamentally, is hatred for those people, isn''t it?


    You wouldn''t want them to escape so easily, would you?"


    Theodore fell silent for a moment upon hearing this.


    "What do you propose?" he finally asked.


    Elijah snapped his fingers and addressed Theodore and Wendy, "I need your cooperation. Deceive the people downstairs in batches, bring them up. I''ll lift the hypnotic suggestions, distinguish friend from foe, and together we''ll eliminate the stubborn elements. Once we''ve dealt with everyone problematic, you can do as you wish with Matthew. How does that sound?"


    Theodore quickly recalled a simr process involving himself and Dominic.


    Although he didn''t know Elijah''s specific abilities, judging by his ability to overpower Matthew and match Dominic in strength without faltering, Elijah was undoubtedly formidable.


    Thinking this through, Theodore nodded. "I agree."


    "Good. Let''s take action then. Start with... five people at a time. Make sure to include persuadable ones and stubborn ones. Wendy, can you handle this?"

 Chapter 221: Who says I failed

    "Sure thing, boss!" Wendy nodded.


    Elijah then handed Wendy five drops of blood containing the Seed of Consciousness.


    Actually, he didn''t have many slots left. Every time he condensed a Seed of Consciousness, he would have Abigail kill one of the zombies he controlled to free up space.


    Once he had subdued a group of people, Elijah nned to revoke the contracts with them, keeping only key figures like Wendy, Theodore, and individuals with special abilities like Kylie.


    After all, he needed to return to Azure Isle and couldn''t kill all the zombies!


    Soon, Wendy and Theodore followed the n and brought up the first batch of five people.


    They initially used Matthew''s reward as an excuse to offer these people drinks.


    Wendy effectively used her mind-reading ability to ensure that everyone drank Elijah''s Seed of Consciousness, then took them upstairs.


    The moment they saw Matthew and Dominic''s miserable state, Elijah removed Matthew''s hypnosis over them.


    Instantly, some of them broke down, vomiting and crying uncontrobly, some rushed at Matthew in hatred, and some attacked Elijah in an attempt to rescue Matthew, while many others fled.


    These fleeing individuals understood that those who could subdue Matthew and Dominic were not people they could handle.


    Unfortunately, their psychological activities were all detected by Elijah, and they were eventually captured and dealt with by Elijah and Theodore.


    Additionally, there were some who pretended to remain calm and feigned hatred towards Matthew.


    Elijah used abination of mind-reading and Lillian''s sense of good and evil to distinguish them. He aimed to ensure that no good person was wronged, but no bad person was let go.


    After clearing out all the awakened individuals in the group, fewer than half remained from the original 30-plus.


    The room where Elijah was was also stained with blood and filled with corpses.


    Elijah stood in the pool of blood, standing on Matthew''s body, and addressed the remaining dozen or so people:


    "I know you are all very frightened and confused right now! You hate yourselves and you hate the person beneath your feet! But this is the apocalypse, a cruel apocalypse! Morality has decayed, and humanity has withered! This will be the norm, and simr things may still happen in the future!


    I am d that you still have a bit of humanity left, feeling ashamed of the actions you were forced to take in the past! What makes a person human is precisely our morality and humanity. So I hope you can maintain this humanity and not degenerate into beasts worse than animals! The past is past; I hope you forget it and look forward to a better tomorrow.


    And I promise that as the new leader of the YLK group, there will be no more instances of cannibalism within the group. Remember this well, or you will end up like these people!"


    Elijah''s cold gaze swept over everyone, and instead of showing fear, the people seemed relieved.


    "Of course, giving up on cannibalism doesn''t mean giving up on increasing your strength! I have better training methods and potions for awakening and leveling up! Just look at my own strength! Matthew should have had you collect some unique nts before; those are materials for awakening and leveling up potions.


    I have mastered the cultivation and reproduction methods for these nts, so you can rest assured!"


    After hearing this, the crowd immediately began to discuss excitedly, their faces showing joy.


    Elijah monitored their attitudes with his mind-reading ability and, finding no abnormalities, dered the meeting over.


    He had the corpses removed and then called Theodore over.


    "Bring back the people who were out scavenging and collecting resources¡­ Then Matthew can be dealt with by you."


    "Got it!"


    Theodore nced at Matthew and then went out to make arrangements.


    Meanwhile, Elijah, along with a few others, headed down to the second basement level.


    He wondered if the dozen or so human mushrooms still had a chance to be saved.


    In the vast underground second level, footsteps echoed.


    Hayden sat in his cage, sighing inwardly.


    It seemed that the person who came today had failed again. He shouldn''t have had any expectations.


    "Who says I failed?"


    As the voice spoke, Elijah and a group of people appeared before Hayden. Hayden looked at Elijah and then at Wendy beside him, shocked.


    "You¡­ weren''t you captured by them?"


    "Of course not. The boss is now the leader of the YLK group, and Matthew has been captured by him¡­"


    A chubby man beside Elijah quickly spoke up.


    This chubby man had previously been with Dominic and Theodore to move supplies from a mall.


    Elijah had seen him before; he was a perception-type ability user who was adept at ttering and shifting allegiances.


    Elijah had tested him with mind-reading and good-and-evil perception and found that he genuinely despised Matthew and hated eating zombie flesh, so he decided to keep him. Discover hidden stories at m,v l''e-NovelBin


    Hayden, incredulous, asked, "How¡­ did you manage to do that?"


    "I told you, I''m very strong!" Elijah smiledµ­µ­ly.


    "Now, all of Matthew''s loyal subordinates within the group have been cleared out. Only you all remain¡­"


    Elijah nced at the nearly lifeless row of cages.


    After long-term torture, most of the people here had copsed into a state ofplete apathy, showing no reaction to the outside world.


    Not even a hint of psychological introspection!


    "I wonder if they can live normally once they are released!"


    Elijah sighed, then asked Wendy to open the cage.


    "Well, I have an exceptionally strong will due to my abilities, so I am not defeated regardless of the environment I face. As for others¡­"


    Hayden shook his head. "Probably only thest neer is still a bit better!"


    "That university student? Just in time, my abilities can barely heal two people. I''ll treat you two today!"


    As the cage was opened, Elijah stepped inside, undeterred by the foul stench, and carefully examined Hayden''s legs.


    After a small half-day, the legs had healed to the point where bones were no longer visible, but the crimson muscles looked even more terrifying.


    Elijah ced his hands over Hayden''s legs, activating his healing ability. As his internal energy flowed out, the flesh on Hayden''s legs visibly began to regenerate!


    Elijah''s actions stunned not only Hayden but also the people who hade with Elijah.


    They had seen Elijah''sbat prowess before; he was not only impervious to des and bullets but also possessed immense strength, with none of Matthew''s followers being his match.


    Now, he was showing a healing ability even more formidable than Ian''s. No wonder he could subdue Matthew!


    "Wendy, does the boss have the same abilities as Matthew?" the chubby man whispered to Wendy.


    "No, the boss''s abilities are much stronger than Matthew''s!"


    "I see¡­"


    The chubby man gave a sheepish smile and continued to watch Elijah''s abilities.


    In just a short time, Hayden''s legs had recovered to nearly normal function!


    "Alright, try moving now and see if you can walk normally!" Elijah stood up and said.


    Hayden looked at Elijah with deep gratitude.


    Though he understood that Elijah had endured the foul stench beneath the seat to heal him, which seemed more like a show, he was still grateful and willing to follow him.


    After all, Elijah had managed to defeat Matthew and save him!


    Filled with emotion, Hayden held onto the cage and gradually stood up.

 Chapter 222: To the point of cannibalism for the sake of power

    After being inactive for a long time and having his legs subjected to repeated bloodletting and cutting, Hayden''s legs were almost unusable.


    However, walking is an instinctive human action, and after almost stumbling during his first attempts, he managed to steady himself. Stay connected through m-v l|e''-NovelBin


    Supporting himself with the cage, he began to take small steps, gradually finding his bnce, and was able to walk slowly without support.


    "Hmm, it looks like the recovery is going well. I''ll arrange a room for you to wash upter. You''re back in action!" Elijah said.


    "Thank you very much. I, Hayden, have no way to repay you, but I''m willing to work like a mule and a horse, ready to serve you!" Hayden said seriously, looking at Elijah.


    "No need to work like a mule or a horse. What''s important is that we work together to manage this ce well, make sure everyone is fed and has enough to drink, and avoid hunger," Elijah patted Hayden''s shoulder, then continued, "Alright, you can go rest for now. I''ll go treat the neer!"


    "Let''s go together. I''ve talked quite a bit with that kid and we''ve be somewhat acquainted!" Hayden sighed.


    Whenever new people arrived, he would talk to them, but unfortunately, few of themsted long before bing either mad or foolish.


    "That Finn is also unlucky. His ability is X-ray vision. Yesterday, when he arrived at the hotel, he inadvertently saw what was going on in the basement. I found out and, after an unproductive exchange, threw him down here," Wendy exined as she opened Finn''s cage.


    "Indeed, he''s quite unfortunate," Elijah nodded. He peered into the cage and noticed that Finn, who had been sleeping heavily, was still undisturbed by the noise of the door opening.


    It seemed that the recovery of his legs might have made him feel less difort.


    "Finn, wake up!" Wendy tapped his face.


    Finn moaned in pain and then opened his groggy eyes. When he saw Wendy, he was immediately startled into full alertness!


    "Ugh¡­ What¡­ what are you going to do now?"


    Finn, while speaking, involuntarily recalled his experiences from yesterday.


    After seeing the horrifying state of the people in the basement, it was this woman who, with a smile, had questioned him.


    Then, a chubby man who always looked kind and smiling appeared, using some unknown ability on him, which caused panic and fear, leaving him nk-headed.


    By the time he came to, he found himself in the basement, receiving the same treatment as the people he had seen.


    The subsequent cruel act of cutting the flesh from his legs had caused him excruciating pain, which still made him break into a cold sweat just thinking about it.


    "Devils, you''re all devils!"


    "Finn, calm down!" Hayden spoke up.


    Finn looked towards the voice and saw a disheveled man with tattered clothes. He hesitated, "You''re¡­ Hayden?"


    "Yes, that''s right! I''m Hayden. Look, I''m out now. These people are here to rescue us!" Hayden said.


    "Really? That''s great!" Finn could hardly hold back his tears upon hearing this.


    "That''s right. The cannibalistic devil has been subdued by me. He''s still alive, so once you''ve recovered, you can take revenge yourself!"


    "Thank you! Thank you!" Finn held back his tears.


    Although he had seen his share of life and death since the outbreak of the zombie virus and had killed many zombies, his experience from yesterday still gave him a significant shock.


    Especially after Hayden''s exnation, he hadn''t imagined that people could fall to such depths. To the point of cannibalism for the sake of power!


    Finn had thought he might end up like those who had been driven insane by torture. Yet, today he found an opportunity for salvation.


    Seeing Elijah, who ignored the stench of excrement and urine, miraculously healing his legs, he felt even more grateful.


    "Big brother, what''s your name?"


    "I''m Elijah. Now, you can try standing up and walking a few steps!" Elijah said.


    "Okay, thank you, Elijah!" Finn cautiously stood up and found that his legs were almost as good as new. He was soon able to walk easily.


    "Hmm, very good! You''re both unlucky and lucky. Next, get cleaned up and rest well. If there''s anything, we''ll deal with it after you''re rested!" Elijah said.


    Finn, overwhelmed with gratitude, left to clean up.


    Elijah then had Wendy free the remaining dozen or so people and arrange for their care.


    He would gradually treat them. Physical injuries were easier to heal, but psychological wounds were harder to address.


    However, he would help as many as possible, and for those who couldn''t be restored, Elijah would still provide them with a "merciful" end.


    As for the zombies that had been used as food, Elijah killed them all and collected their cores.


    The corpse cores, or "corpse cores," had been discovered by Matthew and his group long ago.


    After learning that consuming zombie flesh could potentially awaken people, Matthew had crazily fed a batch of people corpse cores, but all of them turned into zombies, bing food for others.


    Eventually, Matthew discovered that zombies could be stronger from consuming these cores.


    Kylie also liked eating corpse cores, so they consciously began to collect them.


    However, Matthew was wary of feeding too many to the zombies, fearing they would be too strong to control.


    So, although they had collected a lot, they had used very little. Now, these cores had be Elijah''s gain.


    After a quick inventory, there were over 1,000 first-tier corpse cores and about 20 second-tier cores, most of which came from zombies Matthew had fed and then had their flesh eaten by others, leaving behind only the cores.


    Seeing Kylie''s eager expression, Elijah picked up a second-tier corpse core and asked, "Do you want to eat this one?"


    "Yes, I want to!" Kylie responded.


    "Does Matthew usually let you eat these?"


    "He gives me the white ones but not the orange ones. I want to eat the orange ones!"


    The white ones are first-tier corpse cores, while the orange ones are second-tier.


    It seems Matthew knew that letting Kylie consume second-tier corpse cores could potentially advance her to the third tier, making her uncontroble.


    In fact, Kylie already possesses the ability to defy a second-tier Matthew, but for some unknown reason, she hasn''t resisted his control.

 Chapter 223: Then what was the meat we ate before

    "I''ll give you an orange one, but can you tell me why, even though you have the ability to break free from Matthew''s control, you haven''t done so?"


    Kylie stared at the corpse core and said, "Because he has news about Olivia! Olivia is a very important person to me!"


    "I see¡­"


    Elijah nodded understandingly. It seemed that during the process of a zombie regaining memories, there was always a person who left a deep impression or was important to them.


    For example, Abigail remembered Daisy. Of course, it could also be that Daisy had been helping Abigail recall her memories, so Abigail remembered Daisy.


    Kylie clearly remembered the most important person in her life, her daughter Olivia.


    "Matthew only knows about Olivia, but I know where Olivia is!"


    "Really?"


    Kylie''s voice was unusually emotional, no longer cold.


    "Actually, Olivia asked me toe here to find you. Once things are settled here, I''ll take you to find her!"


    "Okay!"


    Kylie nodded, then quickly began to undress.


    "Uh¡­ what are you doing?"


    Elijah looked stunned and quickly stopped her. If he didn''t stop her, she would probably end up undressingpletely, just like before.


    "Thank you!"


    Kylie said.


    "Thank¡­ me?"


    "Yes, this is how he used to be thanked. He liked it very much!"


    Elijah understood that Kylie was referring to Matthew and couldn''t help but curse in his heart. Damn it, what kind of beastly creature was he, teaching people like this¡­


    "I''m not Matthew. Since you''re with me now, you don''t have to do this anymore¡­"


    "Oh!"


    Kylie dressed quickly, said nothing more, and after eating a second-tier corpse core, quietly stayed behind Elijah like a shadow.


    The morning passed quickly. Theodore returned Ian and the team that went to the mall.


    With the help of a dozen subordinates, Elijah easily eliminated Matthew''s loyalists and brought Ian under hismand.


    Ian was an interesting person. He didn''t care who the leader was or whether they ate human flesh. He only wanted to survive, even in this damn apocalypse!


    This was probably rted to his personal experiences.


    Elijah heard from Wendy that before the zombie virus outbreak, Ian had struggled withte-stage cancer and painful chemotherapy for over a year, but it was of no use, and he was going to die young because of it!


    But then the virus outbreak gave him a chance at rebirth, awakening self-healing abilities.


    Not only did he recover from his illness, but his physical condition also greatly improved.


    So he was grateful for every day he was alive.


    As for the rest, he didn''t care much, whether Matthew lived or died.


    To be safe, Elijah contracted him and hypnotized him to ensure loyalty.


    With this, the entire YLK group was thoroughly cleansed and fully under Elijah''s control.


    "Boss, there are manyints among the neers about the food quality. They''re saying the food is not as good as it used to be."


    Elijah was having the bodies of the deceased cleaned up when Wendy suddenly approached him.


    Elijah frowned slightly.


    Since Elijah no longer allowed human flesh to be eaten here, the meals had naturally be normal, which meant packaged foods.


    The awakened ones got better food, while the neers only received some biscuits, bread, and pickles.


    The neers had endured a tough time and finally started enjoying good meat, only to have it reced with biscuits and bread the next day, which was understandable.


    Bullshit!


    Did they really think that things were like before the apocalypse, with plenty of good food?


    Just having something to eat was already good enough!


    But soon Elijah smiled and said, "Perfect timing. Let''s gather everyone in the group, including the neers, and deal with Matthew together!"


    "I''ll gather the personnel and ensure everything is done properly!"


    Theodore volunteered eagerly. He had been waiting for this moment for a long time and was impatient to get started.


    "Alright!"


    Elijah nodded and then said to Wendy, "You''ll monitor everyone''s psychological changes!"


    "Got it!"


    After giving the instructions, Elijah waited a while. Once he learned that the personnel had gathered in the hotel lobby, he brought Matthew over.


    When the neers saw Elijah dragging the severely tortured Matthew into view, there was an immediate uproar.


    Many people recognized both Matthew and Elijah as neers from their own batch.


    Especially this chubby guy, who usually smiled and appeared harmless, easily engaging in conversation with anyone and giving a warm, approachable impression.


    But now, this chubby guy''s limbs were clearly broken and dragging in a bizarre, unnatural way.


    His neck was stained withrge patches of dried blood, indicating he had bled heavily before.


    His usually cheerful face was now hanging limply, looking exhausted and unconscious!


    It was such a tragic sight!


    How could someone be beaten so badly?


    The neers whispered among themselves.


    Some astute observers noticed that the awakened ones around them had solemn expressions and quickly sensed that something was serious.


    Elijah ignored themotion and positioned himself at the front of the crowd.


    "Some of you might have seen me and this person I''m holding. I''ve also heard some of you whispering, wondering why I''ve treated this person this way. Before answering that question, let me address another matter! I''ve heard some of you are dissatisfied with the food at noon?"


    The crowd fell silent.


    Elijah did not mind and continued, "I don''t know if you''ve ever thought about why, as neers who haven''t yet integrated into the group, the group provided you with unlimited meat?"


    He paused for a moment to let them think, then continued, "Let me remind you, this is the apocalypse! Without electricity, where can we store so much meat? Without farms, where can we supply so much meat? Furthermore, every resource is incredibly precious now. Even if we had it, why should we provide it to you, who have not yet contributed or even been acquainted with us?"


    The reasoning was simple, and these people had previously only focused on the immediate situation without delving deeper.


    After Elijah''s reminder, some people''s expressions immediately darkened. Some even vomited, leaving other neers confused but uneasy.


    Someone, mustering courage, asked, "Then what was the meat we ate before?"


    "I''m curious too! So I did a simple investigation and found one person. Some of you might recognize this person!"


    As Elijah finished speaking, Finn, who had recovered somewhat but still looked pale, stepped forward.

 Chapter 224: Matthew is dead

    "Finn?!"


    "Kid, where were you hiding yesterday?"


    "Yeah, you were nowhere to be found. We thought you..."


    People from the same settlement as Finn immediately asked with concern.


    "Everyone!"


    Finn waved his hand to quiet everyone down, then said, "I arrived here with everyone yesterday, but due to my awakened ability, I identally discovered a secret here. Because of that, I was locked up until just now when Elijah rescued me!"


    "What secret could be so serious that it required imprisoning someone?"


    "Yeah, what gives them the right to imprison people? We could just not join them!"


    Faced with the neers'' questions, Finn took a deep breath.


    "Some of you may have already guessed the secret. Elijah just described it, and it involves the meat you''ve been eating!"


    "The meat we''ve been eating?"


    "Could it be spoiled meat?"


    "Or zombie meat that''s been frozen for years?"


    "None of those. What you''ve been eating is actually human flesh, and it''s from zombified humans!"


    Finn''s words struck like a bolt from the blue, leaving everyone stunned and dizzy.


    "Impossible!"


    "There''s no way we could have been eating...ugh..."


    Although they couldn''t believe it, the facts were undeniable. They couldn''t refute it.


    For a moment, the sounds of vomiting filled the hall, and the smell quickly became unsettling.


    "Cough! Cough! I know this is hard to ept and very distressing, but there''s no need to keep vomiting. After all, what you''ve eaten has mostly been digested. What you''re vomiting now is the normal food from lunch, which is a waste!"


    Elijah''s words brought a momentary silence.


    Seeing this, Elijah nodded in satisfaction and continued, "The person responsible for all of this is the man at my feet, the true leader of this group, Matthew!"


    "Damn it, I''m going to kill him!"


    An enraged neer immediately rushed forward to kill Matthew.


    "Don''t move!"


    The awakened ones guarding Matthew quickly stopped him.


    "You people are allplicit and deserve to die too!"


    Seeing he was blocked, the man shifted his anger towards the surrounding awakened ones.


    "Silence!"


    Elijah shouted, using Kylie''s Mind Stun ability, instantly causing everyone''s minds to go nk and quieting them down.


    "I know you are all full of hatred right now, but let me tell you, everyone here is a victim. Those who willingly aided Matthew have already been killed by me and these people present. Only the main culprit, Matthew, is left for you to vent your anger on!"


    Hearing this, the surrounding awakened ones looked at Elijah gratefully.


    Though it was a simple statement, it immediately absolved them of guilt and ced them on the side of justice, eradicating evil.


    These people felt much better instantly!


    Elijah said this to win their hearts, knowing he could only contract a limited number of people. He needed his subordinates to manage and monitor the rest.


    Seizing the opportunity to enhance his prestige and win support, Elijah continued to list Matthew''s evil deeds, such as experimenting on normal humans, killing or imprisoning dissenters, and eating their flesh.


    Of course, he didn''t reveal the underlying motives behind these actions.


    Hearing this, the crowd''s blood boiled. They imagined they could have ended up the same way, and with an example right beside them, they all red at Matthew with hatred.


    When someone asked if eating zombie meat increased the chance of zombification, the hatred reached its peak.


    After all, they had seen several people inexplicably turn into zombies in just one day and night at the base.


    Some of these might have been their close rtives, friends, or even lovers.


    If they hadn''t eaten zombie meat, these people might have been fine!


    More importantly, they themselves almost turned into zombies and ended up as someone else''s meal!


    The crowd seethed with anger, and Elijah took the opportunity to describe how Matthew would be executed.


    Matthew is dead! After being stabbed once by everyone, he was handed over to Theodore.


    As for how Theodore finished him off, Elijah didn''t interfere, but it''s likely that Matthew didn''t die peacefully.


    The stabbing from everyone avenged the countless zombies that had torn Elijah apart in his previous life.


    To keep Matthew from dying prematurely, Elijah had to continuously use his healing ability on him.


    Thest thing Elijah saw of Matthew was just his head, which confirmed his true death, and then he left him alone.


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    After ensuring the hotel was safe, Elijah brought Lillian and the others over.


    Although Lillian was surprised that Elijah managed to take over such arge settlement without bloodshed, she wasn''t too shocked.


    She had witnessed Elijah''s battle with a third-tier zombie and was aware of hisbat prowess and abilities.


    If he could handle a zombie capable of wiping out an entire settlement, it made sense that he could subdue arger one.


    Nora was thrilled to be in the hotel, as it was the first time since the apocalypse that she had seen so many people.


    Abigail had hidden the mutated zombies Elijah controlled nearby and didn''t bring them to the hotel, apanying Elijah instead.


    Now, Elijah had fewer than ten zombies left under hismand, all with crucial and unique abilities such as invisibility, strength, speed, etc.


    These were hisst cards and necessary for the journey back to Azure Isle.


    Currently, there was strong aversion towards zombies within the YLK group, with even Kylie being subtly ostracized.


    If not for Elijah''s presence, Kylie''s situation would likely be dire.


    This was also why Elijah didn''t allow Abigail to bring the zombies over.


    Wendy wasn''t surprised to learn that Elijah had more people nearby.


    After discovering that Elijah had the same abilities as Matthew, she had already figured it out.


    After all, Elijah had used several different abilities, which implied that there were several people he had contracted with nearby whose abilities he could mimic¡ªor zombies!


    What surprised Wendy was that she couldn''t read the minds of the three neers.


    At that moment, she realized that one of these people must have the ability to counter her powers.


    This person was the reason she could never read Elijah''s mind.


    "You''re... Kylie?" Lillian was surprised when she first saw Kylie after being brought to the top floor of the hotel by Elijah.


    "You know her?" Elijah asked curiously.


    "Of course, Kylie''s YLKpany is one of our partners. Many of our cosmetic productse from herpany, and Kylie is also a VIP client of ours!" Lillian exined.


    "Oh? That''s why you look familiar!" Wendy immediately recognized her after Lillian''s exnation.


    "I used to go to your shop for beauty treatments, but I didn''t see you very often!" Wendy began to chat casually.


    However, Kylie didn''t react much to Lillian''s recognition.


    Lillian found this strange, so Elijah exined the situation, and she understood.


    Trusting Elijah, she hadn''t used her ability initially, so she hadn''t noticed Kylie''s condition right away.


    When she activated her good and evil perception ability, she found that Kylie emitted the same ring red aura as Abigail.


    No matter how harmless Abigail and Kylie appeared, they were zombies and had a natural hunting instinct towards humans.


    This was the reason for their red aura.

 Chapter 225: Today marks a new beginning

    If Elijah weren''t restraining them, letting the two women unleash their true nature, few here would survive.


    Since everyone knew each other, it made interactions much easier.


    Abigail was quite pleased with her new little sister, the intelligent Kylie, who was much more interesting than the mindless zombies.


    Wendy stayed for a while before heading out to arrange dinner.


    Seeing this, Nora quickly took out the spirit nts she was tasked to look after and ran to Elijah.


    Despite her young age, she had a keen eye and knew the spirit nts were important to Elijah.


    She waited until Wendy left to proudly show how well she had cared for them. Elijah praised her thoroughly before taking the spirit nts.


    After two days of growth, the spirit nts, which Elijah didn''t recognize, had changed slightly.


    The remaining leaves had grown a bitrger, but no new sprouts had appeared.


    "It seems that first-tier corpse cores have limited effect. It makes sense; to attract the attention of a third-tier zombie, it must be at least at the level of Crystal Grass!"


    Recently, he had acquired quite a few corpse cores.


    Elijah took out several second-tier corpse cores and buried them at the roots of the spirit nts before putting them away.


    Wendy soon returned with dinner.


    Since everyone was somewhat resistant to cooked food, the dinner consisted of pre-packaged meals.


    Elijah and his group''s meal was rtively abundant, including some canned sausages, fresh lettuce, and cucumbers.


    In the early days of the apocalypse, fresh leafy vegetables were scarce. Elijah had found this curious yesterday and couldn''t help but ask, "Do we have vegetable cultivation here?"


    Wendy, who had stayed to eat with them, exined, "Originally, we didn''t, but then someone awakened with nt-rted abilities that promote nt growth. Matthew had people start cultivating vegetables. These were initially reserved only for the management."


    "Wait, I remember you saying only the awakened could enjoy them?"


    "That was to reassure you. Those were originally my share, but you didn''t eat any of it!"


    Wendy gave Elijah a resentful look.


    "I was just being cautious, haha..."


    Elijahughed it off but thought that the ability sounded simr to Katherine''s. If that were the case, they could cultivate some Red Fruit No. 2 to stabilize the group''s morale.


    Although YLK had undergone a purge, if Elijah couldn''t deliver on his promises and provide a way for everyone to continue strengthening, those who awakened and advanced through cannibalism might develop other ideas over time.


    The focus would now be on body training techniques and spirit nts.


    Acquiring spirit nts depended on luck, but Red Fruit No. 2 was different.


    Though less effective, it still worked.


    Plus, with corpse cores, they could be cultivated. With Katherine''s ability, they could even quickly grow a batch.


    Elijah had brought some Red Fruit No. 2 seeds from Azure Isle just in case.


    "Tomorrow morning, arrange for everyone to gather. I''ll teach them a method to continue enhancing their strength. Then have the person with nt abilitiese see me."


    "Alright!" Wendy nodded.


    With business done, they chatted about lighter topics. Continue reading on m|v-l''e -NovelBin


    Wendy threw several flirtatious nces at Elijah, which became so obvious even Lillian noticed.


    Elijah, however, remained unmoved.


    Wendy eventually returned to her room with mixed feelings.


    Elijah had noticed, of course.


    Wendy was attractive, well-built, and though older, she had her own charm.


    It wasn''t because she had been with many people in the group over the past month due to Matthew''s hypnosis.


    Okay, that did bother him a bit.


    Although it wasn''t Wendy''s intention and was a result of Matthew''s hypnosis, Elijah had no shortage of beautiful women around him.


    Why bother? Especially when Lillian, who surpassed Wendy in every way, was right there...


    Thinking of Lillian''s passionate initiative the night beforest, Elijah felt a stirring in his heart. Now that it was safe, maybe tonight...


    In the morning, Elijah sat contentedly, meditating and practicing the Hun Yuan Technique.


    The previous night, he had intended to spend some quality time with Lillian, but unfortunately, she was on her period and needed to stay with Nora.


    Elijah had to leave regretfully.


    Fortunately, he still had Abigail, who had be increasingly intelligent.


    She seemed to have discovered, much like Jasmine, that certain substances Elijah excreted had the effect of enhancing her strength.


    She was particrly fond of it and didn''t waste a drop.


    In the end, she became quite inventive, always trying to get more of it.


    Who knew where she learned all those tricks from!


    Elijah fully experienced the subtle differences between zombies and humans, thinking, "No wonder that bastard Matthew started having zombies entertain guests... once the safety issue is resolved, the experience is quite something...!"


    Elijah muttered a few words, then gradually calmed his mind and focused on his training.


    After finishing his practice and having breakfast, Elijah asked Wendy to gather the remaining members of the YLK group.


    After a whole afternoon and evening of adjustments, everyone seemed much more spirited.


    Hayden, especially, had shaved and cleaned up, transforming into a handsome young man.


    Elijah stood in front of the group, looking at the thirty-plus people who were either eagerly orplexly looking at him.


    Clearing his throat, he said, "Yesterday is gone. Today marks a new beginning. To help you gain more strength in this dangerous apocalypse, I will teach you a set of body training techniques today.


    I won''t borate on the effects of these techniques. Those who have already awakened will feel the benefits after practicing it twice. For those who haven''t awakened, the effects won''t be as obvious, but if you persist, your bodies will grow stronger day by day. When you do get the chance to awaken, it will be much easier for you."


    After speaking, he didn''t care whether they believed him or not and appointed Theodore, Ian, Hayden, and Finn as team leaders.


    With so many people, even if Elijah wanted to take care of everyone, he couldn''t. Initially, he would focus on guiding these team leaders, along with Wendy, Lillian, Nora, and Kylie.


    Yes, little Nora eagerly joined in upon hearing it was about training the body, saying she wanted to grow up quickly!


    As for Kylie, Abigail insisted on it.


    Ever since advancing to the third tier, Abigail had also started practicing the body training technique, finding it somewhat effective.


    Otherwise, she wouldn''t have asked Kylie to practice it too.


    Why didn''t she teach it herself? Abigail had mostly observed Daisy and the others practice and was somewhat of an amateur.


    This time, she wanted to learn properly from Elijah again.


    Once the team leaders organized the people and lined them up, Elijah began demonstrating the moves one by one.


    Those who could see and keep up followed along. Those who couldn''t see clearly or keep up just tried to mimic as best as they could.


    After finishing a set of movements, Elijah focused on guiding the team leaders.


    By the end of the morning, Elijah had taught the entire set of body training techniques.


    Those who had been serious and perceptive found that their physical condition had indeed improved significantly.


    Other awakened individuals also made some progress.


    When Elijah announced the lunch break, everyone was reluctant to stop and started enthusiastically discussing the techniques.


    The shadow that had once loomed over them had beenpletely dispelled!

 Chapter 226: Elijah announced the future plans

    Several squad leaders, along with Wendy, Lillian, and a few others, gained more from Elijah¡¯s hands-on teaching.


    Feeling the changes in themselves and the others, they all respected Elijah even more.


    Even Ian, who was previously indifferent to everything, now looked at Elijah with a hint of approval.


    The people Elijah paid special attention to were actually those he had contracted.


    Elijah knew that after the Matthew incident, they were currently more sensitive and resistant to hypnotic suggestions, so he only applied a certain level of hypnotic suggestion to Wendy.


    He wanted to dispel these people¡¯s doubts through practical benefits.


    Seeing the changes in everyone now, he felt that he could perhaps gradually hypnotize them to increase their loyalty.


    Elijah went to such lengths because he believed that since he had taken control of the YLK group, he should maintain a firm grip on it.


    Moreover, the group¡¯s location was not far from thergest logistics warehouse in Neoville City.


    He could have these people clear the road to the warehouse and upy the storage base.


    This way, whether it was the YLK group or Azure Isle, they wouldn¡¯tck food and many important supplies for the next five or even ten years.


    So, he didn¡¯t care what these people had done in the past; as long as they weren¡¯t a threat to him or showed remorse, he kept them around.


    He was now making every effort to stabilize people¡¯s hearts and teach them body-strengthening techniques.


    He even nned to start nting one of Azure Isle¡¯s most important resources, Red Fruit, here.


    During lunchtime, Wendy called over the person with nt-based abilities.


    To Elijah¡¯s surprise, it was a woman!


    He remembered her, not because she was particrly attractive¡ªon the contrary, she was quite ordinary-looking with amon face.


    There were only a few female awakeners in the YLK group, so it was hard not to remember them.


    She probably had a rtively better fate because of her ordinary looks and her critical ability to provide fruits and vegetables for everyone.


    Elijah had heard that the other female awakeners had also been subjected to hypnotic suggestions simr to Wendy¡¯s by Matthew.


    The purpose was to ensure the men in the group had entertainment.


    Matthew had even prepared female zombies for them to y with, and it was mandatory.


    After Elijah lifted the hypnosis, these women actively and aggressively participated in suppressing the stubborn supporters of Matthew.


    When they attacked Matthew, they were the most active and ruthless, even castrating him¡ªnot in one go, but with one woman cutting the left side and another the right.


    Yvonne was both lucky and unlucky.


    As a girl from a small ce who came to work in the big city of Neoville, she managed to establish herself despite not being pretty, thanks to her hard work.


    Unfortunately, the zombie virus outbreak threw the world into chaos.


    She was lucky not to be infected andter encountered Matthew¡¯s group while they were collecting supplies.


    They brought her back, providing her with good food and drink, though she didn¡¯t know at the time that she was eating zombie meat.


    Heaven smiled on her again when she awakened her ability, gaining importance and only needing to tend to a vegetable garden to provide fresh produce for the higher-ups.


    Initially, under the influence of hypnosis, she didn¡¯t find eating zombie meat odd.


    When the hypnosis was lifted, she felt disgusted but was d she had mostly eaten her own ripened fruits and vegetables after awakening her ability.


    Now, with a new leader and no more zombie meat, Yvonne felt good and had a premonition that she would be important.


    Sure enough, after learning body-strengthening techniques in the morning, she was called over at lunch!


    Elijah sensed her lively mental activity and smiled. Well, it¡¯s pretty good!


    Red Fruit, being a strategic resource, had to be controlled by trusted individuals.


    Elijah contracted Yvonne and then performed some hypnotic suggestions on her before she led him to her cultivated vegetable garden.


    This garden was actually a green belt by the river that Yvonne had converted into a vegetable patch with the help of some ability users, nting various seasonal fruits and vegetables.


    There were also some off-season crops that Yvonne¡¯s abilities had ripened.


    Elijah selected a plot of soil that had been loosened, buried a corpse core at a certain distance, then sowed the seeds of Red Fruit No. 2.


    After watering, he used his ability to elerate the growth of Red Fruit No. 2, mimicking Yvonne¡¯s power.


    In no time, lush seedlings sprouted.


    The first-tier nt-based growth ability could only mature nts to this extent.


    Unlike spirit nts that could only be elerated once, Red Fruit No. 2 could be ripened again every one or two days, depending on the nt¡¯s subsequent growth and absorption of the corpse core.


    Elijah exined the details of cultivating Red Fruit No. 2 to Yvonne and instructed her to keep it a secret, especially the part about needing corpse cores as nutrients.


    Upon seeing the effect of the corpse core, Yvonne immediately recalled the past practice of people eating zombie meat.


    How simr this new method was!


    Only now, it was nts instead of people, and corpse cores instead of zombie meat.


    But the principle was the same!


    So, if people ate these nts, would they have the same effect as eating zombie meat?


    Well, with the nts processing it, eating them wouldn¡¯t be as disgusting, she thought.


    Yvonne also remembered a time when Matthew had her try to cultivate a magical nt, which she didn¡¯t know where he had obtained it.


    That nt had even stronger effects than zombie meat; a single nt could awaken or even advance a person without any side effects or turning them into a zombie.


    Unfortunately, she never seeded in cultivating or propagating it.


    Could the nt the boss was cultivating now be that one?


    Yvonne became excited at the thought and looked at Elijah with admiration, nodding to his instructions.


    Elijah saw her thoughts but did not exin.


    After giving his instructions, he took her back to continue practicing body-strengthening techniques with the others.


    In the afternoon, everyone¡¯s enthusiasm increased significantly.


    Many even approached Elijah on their own, addressing him as "boss" and asking for guidance. Elijah, of course, obliged.


    After another afternoon of training, some had fully mastered the techniques, while others were nearly proficient.


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    Before dinner, Elijah announced the future ns.


    He divided the group into several teams ording to the designated squad leaders from earlier.


    Theodore¡¯s team would continue transporting supplies from therge supermarket they had previously upied. Ian¡¯s team would continue clearing the road to the warehouse storage base.


    Hayden¡¯s team would be responsible for the safety of the YLK group¡¯s hotel and its surroundings.


    Finn¡¯s team, mostly neers, would handle basic cleaning and transport tasks within the group.


    Wendy was temporarily appointed by Elijah as the head of finance for the entire group, responsible for managing and distributing all group supplies, as well as monitoring everyone.


    Being given such an important position signified Elijah¡¯s trust in Wendy.

 Chapter 227: Our boss isnt leaving us for good

    Wendy was extremely excited; if it weren¡¯t for Abigail and Kylie being around Elijah, she would have clung to him and dragged him to her room.


    After arranging the tasks for the next day and reminding them to collect spirit nts and corpse cores, they ended their training and began dinner.


    After dinner, Elijah didn¡¯t forget those who had been imprisoned and tortured.


    Thanks to Ian¡¯s passive healing ability, most of them had nearly recovered the flesh in their legs.


    Elijah still went around healing each one personally.


    During his treatment, two individuals regained some stability and sanity.


    Elijah assigned Hayden to help them with their emotional recovery, as they had shared experiences and could empathize with each other.


    Over the next two days, the entire group began to function smoothly.


    Besides thoroughly enjoying his time with Abigail, Elijah gained a few loyal followers among the mentally scarred individuals who had gradually recovered.


    When they learned that Elijah had defeated and killed Matthew, they were immensely grateful.


    Elijah specifically selected the first person to recover, a strength-type ability user, and contracted him.


    He then tasked him with leading the other recovered individuals to gradually take over the hotel¡¯s security and to continue caring for those who hadn¡¯t fully recovered.


    That day, Elijah received good news.


    A regr person who had gone out with Theodore had luckily found a zombie grass nt in a location Elijah had suggested might contain spirit nts.


    Theodore¡¯s team cleared the zombies in the area and brought back the zombie grass.


    Elijah then had Ian¡¯s team return and used the zombie grass to create an awakening potion, rewarding the person who had found the spirit nt.


    This individual, under the watchful eyes of the entire group, drank the potion and sessfully awakened a defensive ability, bing an awakener.


    Seeing this, the eyes of other regr people in the group lit up with hope.


    Elijah took this opportunity to announce an internal rewards and punishment system for the group.


    Those who collected spirit nts would receive at least one awakening potion.


    Others could earn points by collecting supplies andpleting tasks assigned by the group, which could be exchanged for awakening potions or even advancement potions.


    Points could also be exchanged for other valuable resources, including a fruit called Red Fruit.


    To ensure everyone understood the value of Red Fruit, Elijah gave each awakener one fruit.


    These fruits had been ripened over the past two days by Elijah and Yvonne.


    When the awakeners consumed the fruit, they noticed a slight increase in their energy, realizing Elijah¡¯s intention.


    It became clear that Elijah indeed had the means to cultivate spirit nts that could enhance their abilities.


    This revtion dispelled any lingering doubts and ensured their loyalty.


    Over the next three days, Theodore¡¯s team finished transporting all the supplies from therge supermarket and asked Elijah for their next task.


    Elijah gathered the squad leaders to discuss the future ns.


    "As you know, I came here from elsewhere specifically to find Kylie. Now, I can tell you that my forces havepletely taken over the coastal district of Neoville City. I have far more people there than in the YLK group!"


    Hearing this, the squad leaders were taken aback.


    They had known Elijah wasn¡¯t ordinary and hade here with a purpose, but they hadn¡¯t expected him to control such arge territory.


    "Boss, does this mean you¡¯ll be leaving us?" Finn couldn¡¯t help but ask.


    "Of course, I¡¯ve been away from the coastal district for some time now. Since I¡¯ve found who I was looking for, I¡¯ll be leaving in a couple of days," Elijah responded.


    "What about us here?" Finn asked anxiously. The YLK group had just started to stabilize, and they didn¡¯t want chaos to return due to Elijah¡¯s departure.


    "Our boss isn¡¯t leaving us for good..." Wendy said with confidence, casting a sidelong nce at Finn, which made him blush.


    "Exactly. The western mall storage base is crucial. It contains supplies that canst us for years, even decades," Elijah said, casually mentioning the task he had previously assigned to Ian.


    The group quickly understood. With such an important storage facility, no one could remain indifferent.


    Elijah, who had upied a significant territory, naturally needed these resources, and the YLK group, being close by, was in an advantageous position. Finn was immediately reassured.


    "So the next tasks are, first, to continue clearing the road to the mall storage base. Second, to send a team southward. Once I return to the coastal district, I will have my people on that side expand southward as well. Eventually, we¡¯ll meet up in the southern district, establishing a route for easiermunication and exchange in the future," Elijah exined.


    Although traveling through the city center would be the shortest route, it was filled with too many zombies to ensure safety.


    "Understood!" the squad leaders responded in unison.


    Elijah continued with other arrangements, such as having Hayden participate in external missions, alternating with Ian and Theodore, allowing team members to rest.


    The hotel¡¯s security was entrusted to the new squad leader, Logan, the first among the formerly imprisoned individuals to recover.


    Finn¡¯s team would assist with defense, along with those rotating back for rest, ensuring ample security for the base.


    If any spirit nts were found after Elijah¡¯s departure, they were to be handed to Yvonne for cultivation, with the awakening potions to be distributed upon his return.


    After finalizing the group¡¯s future ns, everyone dispersed.


    Lillian, who had been observing the meeting, seemed hesitant to speak. "Lillian, do you have something to say?" Elijah asked curiously.


    "Are you really leaving in a couple of days?" Lillian asked. Discover exclusive tales at mvl


    "Yes, but don¡¯t worry, Lillian. You cane with me," Elijah reassured her.


    "I want to... but the journey is too dangerous, and I¡¯m worried about Nora," Lillian replied.


    "I see..." Elijah pondered for a moment. "If you¡¯re concerned about the dangers, you can stay with the YLK group. I¡¯ll visit periodically, and once the routes are established, my visits will be more frequent."


    "I¡¯ll think about it," Lillian nodded and returned to her room.


    Elijah sensed that something was off with Lillian¡¯s recent behavior but couldn¡¯t pinpoint the issue.


    He had tried using his mind-reading ability but discovered that Lillian¡¯s sense of good and evil seemed to shield her from Wendy¡¯s mind-reading.


    He couldn¡¯t understand why, ultimately attributing it to a possible mutual counteraction of their mentally-aligned abilities.


    Elijah returned to his suite, where Abigail and Kylie were ying cards out of boredom.


    They had found it to be an entertaining pastime, with Abigail using the games to sharpen Kylie¡¯s wits.


    Daisy had once used simr methods to enhance Abigail¡¯s mental acuity and memory.


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    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 228: someone finally recognized Elijah

    In reality, Kylie has undergone these changes because Elijah has been continuously feeding her second-tier corpse cores recently. She might advance to the third tier soon!


    "How did Abigail lose so many times?"


    Elijah stepped forward, his eyes scanning the two women. They were each wearing a set of light pajamas, their attractive figuresrgely exposed, making Elijah''s heart race.


    "Oh, Kylie looks a bit clueless, but I didn''t expect her to be so good at cards. I''m done ying!"


    Seeing Elijah approach, Abigail immediately put down her cards, tore off the losing slip from her face, and threw herself into Elijah''s arms.


    "Let''s y something more interesting!"


    Abigail''s eyes sparkled; her once blood-red eyes, following Kylie''s example, were now wearing ck contact lenses, making her look like a normal person.


    "Kylie is still here!"


    Elijah grabbed her fidgeting little hands.


    Kylie, standing by, had a calm expression, showing no reaction to Abigail''s card-rted antics. She seemed indifferent to the little actions of Abigail and Elijah.


    "It doesn''t matter, it''s not an outsider!"


    Elijah was teased!


    What an outsider; you two really do have a sense of camaraderie!


    But speaking of which, with Abigail and Kylie having intelligence, they should really be considered another species altogether. The question remains whether there is reproductive istion between them and humans.


    Hmm, worth studying!


    With that thought, Elijah stopped dawdling and immersed himself in this new research!


    Two dayster!


    After confirming that Lillian and Nora wouldn''t be returning with him to Azure Isle, Elijah bid them farewell with Nora''s reluctant goodbyes.


    He set off with Kylie, Abigail, and the remaining eight high-quality zombies, retracing their path towards Azure Isle.


    Compared to the journey here, although the number of zombies Elijah carried had decreased significantly, their quality had improved considerably.


    Especially with Abigail, the third-tier big zombie, the others dared not approach.


    However, Elijah still used his invisibility ability and proceeded stealthily.


    They reached the coastal area in just two days, a shorter time than before. During the journey, Kylie finally consumed enough second-tier corpse cores to sessfully advance to the third tier.


    The third-tier Kylie not only had more terrifying abilities, but also, under Mind Stun, caused the surrounding zombies to avoid her.


    Her appearance was more refined, her speech more lively, and she was almost indistinguishable from normal humans.


    But how much of her former self remained, Elijah did not know!


    As they got closer to Azure Isle, Elijah could clearly feel Kylie''s emotions fluctuating significantly.


    Unfortunately, due to the distance, Elijah could no longer use his mind-reading ability and didn''t know what she was thinking.


    By the afternoon of the second day, they finally reached therge shopping mall where Quentin and the others had transported supplies.


    Elijah noticed people here who were clearly not from Azure Isle or Quentin''s group. These people did not recognize Elijah upon seeing him.


    If they were from Quentin''s group, even if Elijah didn''t recognize them, they should have recognized him.


    Since they didn''t recognize him, Elijah did not stop and continued straight towards Azure Isle.


    The rest of the journey was much easier, with clear and unobstructed roads. Elijah even saw quite a few people traveling along this route.


    To avoid causing amotion, Elijah disguised the eight mutated zombies and walked to the intersection of the coastal highway. Here, someone finally recognized Elijah.


    "Big Boss? You... are back?!"


    A person who seemed to be leading a patrol team in the area, evidently a squad leader, rubbed his eyes in disbelief upon seeing Elijah, and then looked at him with great surprise.


    "Big Boss? What a strange title."


    Elijah looked puzzled at first, then he realized.


    "You''re one of Quentin''s subordinates?"


    "Yes, Big Boss. I followed Quentin back then. Do you remember me?"


    "Yes, I remember. You''re a squad leader now? Well done, keep it up!"


    Elijah smiled slightly, though he had no actual recollection.


    "Alright, Big Boss!"


    The squad leader turned to his team and said, "This is the boss of Azure Isle, and also our boss . Greet him!"


    The team, who had been looking at Elijah with curiosity, immediately shouted in unison, "Hello, Big Boss!"


    "Good! Good! Good! You all continue working, I''m heading back to Azure Isle now!"


    Elijah had a ck line on his face and quickly turned to leave.


    After Elijah left, the group immediately gathered and started discussing excitedly.


    "So that''s the boss of Azure Isle. I''ve heard the ind is full of beautiful women! They''re all Elijah''s people!"


    "I don''t know about the rest, but just looking at these two women next to Elijah, they are really beautiful. I envy them so much..."


    "Pfft, if you had the boss''s strength, we women would naturally be eager to get close to you!"


    A female team member scorned the men who were obviously impressed.


    "Yeah, but I didn''t expect Elijah to look quite handsome too!"


    "Don''t be infatuated!"


    "Be careful, or the Big Boss might hear and send you away!"


    The squad leader warned, and the others immediately fell silent. However, their gazes at Elijah remained unchanged, filled with envy, jealousy, and admiration.


    "If you make some effort and find a spirit nt, or gather enough points, you can exchange them for awakening potions at Azure Isle. We insiders get discounts¡­ Alright, continue with your patrol!"


    The squad leader gave a few more instructions before organizing the team and continuing with their patrol.


    Elijah didn''t hear their discussions, or else his face would have been even darker!


    As they got closer to Azure Isle, Elijah''s own anticipation grew. He wondered how everyone had been during his absence. Did they miss him at all?


    While Elijah was lost in thought, he suddenly sensed someone approaching him at high speed.


    Through his mental link, he quickly figured out who it was.


    Soon, the person was right beside him, but Abigail and Kylie seemed oblivious to the approach.


    Suddenly, someone leaped out from the shadows behind Elijah, aiming a punch directly at his head.


    Elijah seemed prepared for this, smiling slightly as he sidestepped, grabbed the fierce little fist, and pulled the person into his embrace.


    "Using so much force, trying to murder your husband?"


    Elijah eximed.


    At this moment, Abigail and Kylie finally saw the figure and Abigail eximed in surprise, "Oh! It''s Daisy!"


    Daisy, caught by Elijah, did not struggle. She wrapped her long legs around Elijah''s waist, her hands around his neck, and coyly said, "I was aiming at you, you unfaithful man. You''ve been gone so long and didn''t send any news back!"


    "But I''m back now. How did you find me?"


    Elijah held her slender waist, marveling at Daisy''s charming appearance, unable to get enough of her.


    "We haven''t been idle while you were gone. We''ve recently taken in some new people, and we happen to have someone with the Eye of the Sky ability!"


    Daisy pouted, proudly saying.


    "Eye of the Sky? I''d say it''s more like an eagle eye; the thousand-mile thing sounds exaggerated!"


    Elijah quickly cleared his thoughts!

 Chapter 229: it’s what I should do

    They were not far from the Azure Isle''s coastal service area, and it was around the time when people usually returned from outings.


    If they waited any longer, it would be dark!


    Daisy and the others had likely just returned from exploration, and it was just at that moment that the person with the Eye of the Sky ability saw Elijah and his group.


    After briefly describing Elijah''s appearance, Daisy used her ability toe running over!


    "This older sister, who is she?"


    Daisy didn''t contest Elijah''sment but shifted her attention to Kylie. At the moment she leaped out of the shadows, the woman had given her a strong sense of danger!


    "This is Kylie, Olivia''s mother¡­"


    Elijah introduced.


    "Ah, it''s Aunt Kylie! Hello!"


    Hearing Elijah''s introduction, Daisy had some recollection.


    Although she had been away for studies, she had asionally seen Kylie when she returned home since they lived in the samemunity.


    She jumped down from Elijah and greeted Kylie properly.


    "Hello, Daisy, nice to meet you!"


    Kylie greeted her with a faint smile, neither rejecting nor overly warm.


    "I''m also very d to see that Aunt is fine, but Olivia should be the happiest!"


    Daisy sensed a slight discord from Kylie but still responded cheerfully.


    "I''m looking forward to seeing Olivia too!"


    As Kylie spoke, her expression became noticeably more natural, with a hint of strong nostalgia.


    "Hmph! Hmph! The one who forgot friends for beauty!"


    At this moment, Abigail, with her hands on her hips, huffed discontentedly.


    "Oh, my dear sister, who made you unhappy?"


    Daisy quickly stepped forward and wrapped her arm around Abigail''s.


    "Who else? Only seeing me now!"


    "I saw you ages ago, but Abigail is the most important, so I saved her forst!"


    Daisy said as she shook Abigail''s arm.


    Elijah watched the sisters'' close interaction and smiled, saying, "Alright, let''s head back to the ind. We''ll have plenty of time to catch upter!"


    "Right, Lily and the others are still waiting for me!"


    Daisy suddenly remembered that there were people waiting for her!


    The group continued on their way. When they reached the entrance to the coastal service area, they indeed saw a convoy parked there.


    "Elijah!"


    "Elijah!"


    The people in the vehicles saw Elijah and excitedly jumped out, running towards him.


    Among them, Lily was especially eye-catching, her exaggerated curves bouncing as she ran, captivating everyone.


    Behind Lily were the poised Grace and the astonished Olivia!


    Lily ran up to Elijah and managed to stop just in time, avoiding a collision with her chest.


    Olivia immediately threw herself into Kylie''s arms.


    "Mom¡­ You''re safe, that''s so great!"


    Kylie held Olivia, gently patting her back.


    "It''s you who are safe, that''s really wonderful!"


    Kylie''s voice was soft and filled with unprecedented warmth.


    At this moment, Elijah felt that Kylie, like Abigail, hadpletely taken on a human-like quality.


    "Ah, it''s so nice, little Olivia has found her mother, and Elijah is back too!"


    Lily''s eyes were slightly red with emotion!


    "Yes, did you miss Elijah? Come here for a hug!"


    "Of course I missed him!"


    Lily didn''t care about Daisy and Grace being nearby and threw herself into Elijah''s embrace!


    If Elijah hadn''t quickly caught her, she might have bounced off with her own momentum!


    "You''ve grown quite a bit!"


    Elijah whispered in her ear.


    Lily''s face turned slightly red.


    "So, Elijah, do you want to check?"


    "Of course, a check is necessary, and after recent exposure to the elements, your facial skin needs some cleanser care, but not now. We''ll do it when we get back¡­"


    Lily felt a warm flush in her chest upon hearing this.


    Elijah didn''t hold her for long; he soon released Lily, winked at her, and then hugged Grace!


    "What are you two whispering about?"


    Grace, being more rational than Lily, noticed the reunion between Olivia and her mother and, while happy, observed Lily and Elijah whispering to each other.


    "I was just saying Lily has grown quite a bit and needs a check-up when we have time! Hmm, and you''ve changed too; do you need a check?"


    Elijah gave her a firm hug, pressing her chest against him.


    "Pervert!"


    Grace spat at him upon hearing this!


    She then released him.


    After her excitement, Olivia saw Elijah smiling at her, released her mother, and threw herself into Elijah''s arms!


    "Thank you, Elijah!"


    "No need for thanks; it''s what I should do!"


    Elijah replied, hesitated for a moment, and then quietly spoke a few words into her ear.


    Olivia''s body stiffened briefly, then she nced at her mother, who was looking at her with a loving expression.


    She smiled at her mother and then turned back to Elijah, saying, "No matter what changes Mom goes through, she''s still my mother, and¡­ she still remembers me! Elijah, you can ensure Mom is safe, right?"


    "Hmm, don''t worry. You''ve spent time with Abigail. After they gain human-like qualities, they''re actually no different from normal people!"


    Elijah finally told Olivia about Kylie''s transformation into a zombie.


    "In that case, I have nothing to worry about. Thank you again, Elijah!"


    Olivia said, giving him a kiss on the cheek, then released him and ran back to Kylie, linking her arm with Kylie''s and chatting with her cheerfully about the time they had been apart.


    "That girl¡­"


    Elijah watched the harmonious interaction between mother and daughter and decided not to dwell on it further. He shifted his attention to the other unfamiliar women.


    "These are the new people we''ve recruited recently!" Daisy exined, "They''ve all settled in the coastal service area. One of them awakened her ability when she arrived, that''s the one with the eagle eye ability. The other two had their abilities awaken on credit, and I''ve been training them and collecting resources with them over the past few days!"


    "Awakened on credit¡­"


    Elijah immediately guessed it was Fiona''s doing!


    The three women looked at Elijah with curiosity. Seeing how Lily and the others were affectionately weing Elijah, they quickly understood that Elijah was indeed the true leader of Azure Isle.


    When they saw Elijah looking their way, they immediately greeted him in unison, "Hello, Boss!"


    Although it was pleasant to be greeted by beautiful women, Elijah wondered why they were all calling him "Boss," simr to the YLK group''s practice.


    "Hello!"


    Elijah nodded.


    The three women, though decent-looking, were not up to the standard of the women on the ind, so Elijah didn''t pay them much more attention.


    "Let''s head into the service area first!"


    "Mm!"


    Daisy nodded, then directed everyone to drive into the service area.


    Olivia and Daisy stayed behind, walking with Elijah, Abigail, Kylie, and the nine zombies into the service area.

 Chapter 230: Returning here felt like coming home

    "The service area has be quite lively recently. If you hade back at noon, you would have seen many peopleing here to exchange supplies!" Daisy said as they walked, sharing the recent changes.


    "Really? It seems there are more active survivorstely, and our reputation is spreading!" Elijah replied.


    "Indeed. I heard that there are awakening potions here, and many survivors have gone crazy trying to get them. At first, there were some disturbances, but we managed to handle them, and everyone settled down!" Daisy exined.


    "In the apocalypse, strength is the most important thing!" Elijah remarked.


    Soon, they arrived at the coastal service area, which had undergone significant changes.


    The open parking lot from before was now surrounded by newly constructed walls that enclosed arge green space.


    Elijah even noticed some areas were still under construction.


    "Gabriel''s done a good job!" Elijah praised.


    "Thank you for thepliment, brother-inw!" Gabriel, who had used his speed ability to dash over, enthusiastically threw himself at Elijah.


    Elijah quickly dodged.


    He wasn''t into hugging men.


    Gabriel, unfazed by not getting a hug, cheerfully approached Elijah and began introducing the changes in the coastal service area.


    Apart from the expanded perimeter, the interior of the coastal service area had also undergone tremendous changes.


    For example, the electrical facilities were no longer reliant on the ind; instead, arge number of sr panels had been installed on the coast and rooftops, making them self-sufficient.


    With sufficient electricity, Vincent had set up variousputer and surveince equipment.


    "By the way, brother-inw, after Vincent awakened, he recently managed to repair the walkie-talkies!" Gabriel proudly presented a walkie-talkie, then spoke into it, "02, 02, this is 01, please respond!"


    After Gabriel spoke, a man''s voice crackled through the walkie-talkie.


    "02 received, 01, please instruct!"


    "The boss is back and testing the walkie-talkies, over!"


    "How did Vincent manage to do that?" Elijah asked, astonished.


    Since the apocalypse began, walkie-talkies, radios, and other wireless signals had all ceased to function. Even before Elijah''s rebirth, he had not found the cause or heard of anyone repairing such devices.


    With these devices,munication would be much easier for collecting supplies or within the gathering ces.


    "I don''t know exactly. That kid awakened some sort of electronic information flow ability, which I don''t really understand. Anyway, he can manipte electronic information to some extent. Later, he recruited twomunication experts, and somehow they managed to fix the walkie-talkies," Gabriel exined.


    As Gabriel spoke, Vincent arrived, jogging over!


    "Boss, how do you like my work?" Vincent eagerly handed over the walkie-talkie.


    "Very impressive! You''ve awakened, haven''t you? We''ll arrange for you to advance when we get back!" Elijah was genuinely pleased and generous with his praise.


    "Hey, thanks, boss!"


    "By the way, how did you manage to fix it?" Elijah asked out of curiosity.


    "Well¡­ it''s hard to exin in just a few words¡­" Vincent briefly outlined his process. Although Elijah found some parts confusing, he understood the general principle!


    Vincent had learned from Charlotte that a new kind of Chi in the air was the source of people''s awakening abilities.


    He wondered if this Chi was affectingmunication tools.


    With this in mind, Vincent, with his awakened ability, modified the walkie-talkie with the help of two others, and it actually worked.


    "Is themunication range of the walkie-talkie limited? Is it possible to create a tool with a longer range, or even repair phones?" Elijah asked eagerly.


    If that could be achieved, he could be promptly informed of any incidents in the YLK group and significantly enhance his influence over new gathering ces in the future!


    "Phones won''t work because theirmunication relies on widely distributed base stations, but we can use radios instead. We''ll need to look for them. If we can find military-grade self-organizing radios, that would be ideal. If not, civilian-grade self-organizing base stations will do," Vincent suggested, understanding Elijah''s concerns.


    "Radios will work too!" Elijah agreed.


    "As long as it ensures long-distancemunication, that''s fine. You should think of ways to achieve this!" Elijah said, leaving the professional details to the experts.


    "Got it, no problem!" Vincent replied enthusiastically.


    "The radio issue is a long-term task. For now, let''s focus on applying the walkie-talkies internally, especially for the teams going out to collect supplies. Can you manage to produce them in bulk?" Elijah asked.


    "We''re currently modifying existing equipment for small-scale supply, including for Quentin''s team. No problem!" Vincent assured.


    "Great, keep up the good work!" Elijah encouraged.


    As they entered the service area, Elijah noticed a young man, Xavier, busying himself around one of the new recruits Daisy had brought.


    Xavier was paying special attention to the oldest, most mature-looking of the three neers, rather than the youngest and most attractive.


    "Hmm, Xavier''s got quite an eye, hasn''t he? Interesting taste!" Elijah muttered.


    "Right? It''s worth the effort I put into training him!" Gabriel replied smugly.


    Elijah looked at Gabriel and then at Vincent, remembering how Vincent had also shown interest in older women, like Zoey.


    With these two around, it wasn''t surprising that Xavier was getting swayed!


    At this moment, Xavier noticed Elijah and his group and hurried over, happily greeting Elijah, "Brother-inw, you''re finally back!"


    "Yes, how have things beentely? Have you been causing any trouble for your sister?" Elijah asked.


    "I wouldn''t dare! I have Whitey protecting my sister during the sea trips¡­" Xavier quipped, then continued cheerfully, "Brother-inw, I recently caught a Spirit fish and was waiting for you toe back and try it!"


    "Really? Good job! You''ve avenged yourself!" Elijah praised him.


    Zoey and Emily joined the conversation, and they chatted for a while. As night fell, Gabriel and the others tactfully didn''t dy Elijah and his party any longer, arranging a sightseeing vehicle to take them to the ind.


    The sea breeze was gentle, and the waves sparkled under the setting sun.


    As they approached the ind, Elijah felt an unprecedented sense of peace.


    This was the sanctuary he had built from scratch in the apocalypse.


    Returning here felt likeing home, especially seeing the familiar faces waiting at the bridge.


    Be, Charlotte, Fiona, Hannah, Katherine, Sophia, Jasmine¡­ and Yello!


    Seeing Elijah, Yello, like a gust of wind, rushed over eagerly.

 Chapter 231: Let’s wash together

    Now Yello, tall and majestic, with smooth fur and walking like the wind, hardly looks like a dog anymore. Some might even mistake him for a foal.


    Unfortunately, this guy reverts to his true self whenever he''s near Elijah, sticking out his tongue and gazing at him with those foolishly adorable big eyes.


    "You, huh..."


    The vehicle stopped, and Elijah embraced the approaching Yello.


    "Have you been eating well recently?"


    "Ha~ Ha~"


    Yello tilted his head and looked at Elijah as if to say, "I''ve been eating well all along; what''s so surprising about that?"


    Elijah smiled, let go of Yello, and then looked at the women at the bridgehead: "Sorry for making everyone worry. I''m back, and I haven''t failed in my mission!"


    As Elijah finished speaking, Daisy, Abigail, Lily, Olivia, and Kylie all stood up from the back seat of the vehicle.


    "Good to have you back. This must be Aunt Kylie, right? We did meet briefly before!"


    Fiona took the initiative to greet Kylie.


    "Hello!"


    Kylie gave a reserved smile without much movement.


    Experience more tales on mvl


    This surprised Fiona. In her impression, Kylie was a shrewd, capable woman with social finesse, known for her excellent manners.


    They had met before, so it seemed unusual for her to be so indifferent.


    "Uh¡­ Kylie''s situation is simr to Abigail''s. She only remembers Olivia right now!" Elijah exined.


    Fiona understood immediately.


    "Well, it''s good that she remembers something at least!" Fiona said, brushing off the matter. The women then surrounded Elijah, fussing over him with various concerns.


    Elijah found it overwhelming for a moment!


    "Alright, everyone, don''t just stand here. Let''s head back to the vi and chat there!" Charlotte announced, and the women began to escort Elijah towards the vi.


    As they walked, Elijah talked about some of the situations he encountered on the road, eliciting gasps from everyone, especially when he mentioned a mysterious zombie that had been stalking and trying to assassinate them.


    Once inside the vi, Be stopped the casual chatter.


    "Alright, Elijah, go freshen up first. If you don''t, Daisy and the others will end up staying here all day. If you keep chatting, they won''t want to leave!"


    "Be, let Elijah talk a bit more. He just mentioned tier-three zombies, like the tier-three zombies with abilities simr to mine. I want to hear how he dealt with them!" Daisy said eagerly.


    Charlotte nodded in agreement.


    "Do we still need to eat? The food is almost ready, and there''s Spirit fish, made by Sophia herself!"


    Be knew Daisy''s weakness very well. Mentioning food, Daisy hesitated, recalling how delicious the Spirit fish wasst time, and finally nodded seriously.


    "Elijah, you should still go freshen up first. Hmm, I''ll go too!"


    Such a foodie!


    Elijah smiled, remembering how he had started dating Daisy out of fear of being hungry.


    "Alright, once we''re done washing up, we can eat and continue chatting!"


    "Great! Let''s hurry up and freshen up!" Daisy said, pulling Abigail with her as she eagerly ran upstairs.


    Lily also went back to her room.


    Olivia took Kylie to another vi.


    Because Elijah''s return was sudden, Be and Hannah had some dishes still to prepare, and Sophia and Jasmine were helping out. Fiona and Charlotte were setting the dining table.


    Seeing the women working together harmoniously and efficiently, Elijah felt quite content and went upstairs to freshen up.


    As he reached his room, he heard Daisy and Abigailughing and ying while undressing from the next room.


    It turned out the door wasn''tpletely closed.


    Elijah had a thought.


    How about¡­ a joint wash?


    Well, water resources are precious now, so it wouldn''t waste any!


    Decided, Elijah pushed open Daisy''s room door and closed it behind him.


    Inside, the two women were already undressed. Seeing Elijah enter, Daisy quickly spread her arms to shield Abigail.


    "Elijah, why did youe in?" Daisy asked with a yful reproach.


    "Let''s wash together; there''s no one else around, and it saves water!" Elijah said confidently, his eyes fixed on Daisy''s beautiful figure.


    Hmm, still as captivating as ever!


    "Who says there''s no one else? Abigail is still here!"


    "Master must want to y with us!" Abigail''s head peeked out from behind Daisy.


    "We''ve already yed on the way here, so it''s okay!" Daisy said, shocked and dumbfounded.


    "I¡­ I¡­ You¡­ You¡­ You two¡­" Daisy pointed at Abigail and then at Elijah.


    "I didn''t expect you to be like this, Elijah, not even sparing zombies!" Daisy said and, without caring about being naked, lunged at Elijah.


    "Hey, let me exin, this wasn''t my idea¡­" Elijah said, trying to reason.


    Abigail, watching the yful interaction from behind, couldn''t stop herself fromughing.


    But soon, she was caught up in the fun too!


    ...


    Elijah and the others took quite some time to wash up. By the time Lily, Olivia, and Kylie finished and returned to the living room, the others still hadn''te down.


    Olivia, using her sensing ability discreetly, turned red immediately.


    The other women also had an idea of what might be happening.


    Everyone chatted andughed, setting the table and arranging the dishes, pretending not to care.


    However, Jasmine had somehow changed into a new outfit without anyone noticing.


    The new clothes showcased her curvaceous figure and highlighted her mature and charming aura.


    Fiona, seeing this, couldn''t help but mutter, "Seductress!"


    She herself had also secretly changed into a low-cut, high-slit evening gown when no one was looking!


    When she returned to the living room, she was surprised to see that the other women had also changed into new outfits.


    Only Charlotte remained calm, dressed in simple T-shirt and shorts. However, Fiona noticed Charlotte''s little trick. The shapely long legs beneath the shorts made Fiona, as a woman, want to touch them.


    When Elijah and the others came downstairs, they were astonished by the sight.


    Each woman in the living room had changed into stunning outfits, perfectly showcasing their unique charm.


    Some looked delicate and lovely, some elegant and striking, some cool and refined, others graceful and noble, and some exuded a mature and alluring charm...


    The room was a vibrant disy of beauty, each with its own merits!


    At this moment, Elijah felt as if he was attending a grand banquet!


    "Hmph, it''s all your fault!" Daisy clearly noticed and gave Elijah a sharp pinch.


    Elijah remembered the fun he had earlier with the two women in the bathroom¡ªit was both painful and pleasurable!


    Well, time was too rushed; he hadn''t had enough fun!


    However¡­


    Elijah looked at the women eagerly awaiting at the dining table and couldn''t help but smile.


    It was going to be a long night!


    ...


    When Elijah and the others sat down, they were immediately drawn to thergest dish on the table.

 Chapter 232: Red Fruit No. 4

    That was a huge fish, ced on arge tray, prepared in a way simr to roasted fish, with plenty of side dishes.


    "This must be the Spirit fish, right? It smells really good!" Daisy eagerly picked up her chopsticks.


    "Since everyone is here, let''s dig in!" Elijah said, and Daisy stood up first.


    "Everyone, start with the fish!"


    The group smiled and each picked up their chopsticks, quickly devouring the fish. Even Yello got a share!


    "This is fantastic!" someone eximed.


    "Yes, indeed, but the most important thing is that it enhances our strength!"


    Elijah said, feeling the warmth radiating from the fish meat as it entered his body.


    He nodded in satisfaction.


    For a tier-three individual like him, the Spirit fish provided a significant amount of energy.


    For the others, its effects were even better.


    "Elijah, continue with the story of your journey!" Daisy didn''t forget about the tier-three zombie and asked as she ate.


    "Alright!"


    So Elijah recounted his encounters with Lillian and Nora.


    When Daisy heard Lillian''s name, she paused, but her expression softened slightly upon learning that Lillian had a young daughter.


    Soon, however, she became engrossed in the story about the YLK group.


    The other women were simrly affected, their faces turning pale when they heard about the YLK group''s gruesome practices, including eating zombie flesh and cutting up prisoners.


    Thankfully, everyone had almost finished eating by then. Otherwise, few would have had the appetite to continue!


    Only Yello was happily munching on the leftover fish bones.


    When they learned that Matthew''s abilities were simr to Elijah''s and that he used his powers to hypnotize and control others, the women''s expressions changed again.


    Some were unaware of Elijah''s hypnotic abilities. Experience tales at mvl


    But instead of resenting the fact that Elijah had hidden this before, they felt relieved.


    Especially when they thought about what their fate might have been if they had encountered someone like Matthew instead of Elijah.


    Now, they only had to asionally serve Elijah, which wasn''t too difficult given their own asional needs.


    But they could not ept the situation like Wendy''s.


    At this moment, they felt that Elijah''s lecherous nature didn''t seem so problematic.


    After all, Elijah didn''t have other peculiarities.


    His character, morals, and looks were decent. Most importantly, he was very good to them! He was strong and helped them grow together.


    So what if he was a bit lecherous? With so many women, couldn''t he be satisfied?


    As long as they performed well...


    Hmph!


    They thought to themselves, letting him have his fun every night, and not wanting to get out of bed!


    The women couldn''t help but entertain these thoughts. They only hoped that Elijah wouldn''t go down other wrong paths.


    Soon, the group sighed in relief when they heard that Elijah had taken down Matthew, cleaned up the YLK group, and restored order.


    "So, you''re now the decision-maker of the YLK group?" Fiona''s eyes sparkled with joy as she looked at Elijah.


    "Yes, not just the YLK group. Actually, most of the western suburbs have been cleaned up by the YLK group. Unfortunately, most of the survivors were killed by Matthew," Elijah said.


    "It''s only their misfortune that they didn''t meet you!" Fiona indirectlyplimented Elijah, then continued, "It seems we''re on the same page. I''ve recently had Quentin lead people to develop southward and have already contacted several settlements!"


    "Really? That''s great! That means it won''t be too long before we can connect from the outer ring to the western suburbs!" Elijah said excitedly.


    "Alright, enough talking. Let''s have some fruit!" At this moment, Katherine brought out a basket of freshly washed fruit.


    Elijah looked at the red, juicy fruits and Katherine''s proudly concealed expression and asked, "What is this¡­"


    "Red Fruit No. 4?" Elijah guessed.


    Elijah believed that if it were only Red Fruit No. 3, Katherine wouldn''t have made such a fuss.


    "Hehe, Elijah, you''re so smart!" Katherine proudly handed over several red fruits and said, "This is the second batch of Red Fruit No. 4. It''s not easy to mature, and it takes much longer to growpared to No. 3. My enhancement abilities have less effect on it."


    Elijah took a red fruit and immediately put one in his mouth. As he chewed, a burst of sweet and tangy juice exploded in his mouth.


    The fruit seemed to dissolve instantly, flowing down his throat and into his stomach, where it filled him with a warm, invigorating energy.


    "This is much better than Red Fruit No. 2, almost catching up with the three-leaf zombie grass! Katherine, you''ve done an excellent job!" Elijah''s eyes lit up.


    When he left, Katherine had only cultivated Red Fruit No. 2.


    He hadn''t expected No. 4 to be this effective.


    Zombie grass above three leaves can awaken people. Although Red Fruit No. 4 still falls a bit short, its effects can be offset by quantity¡ªif one isn''t enough, then two! They could always grow more.


    This means they would have ample awakening agents in the future, and it could be used regrly by everyone. Just like those cultivators who take medicine, everyone will eventually advance. As long as they can continuously cultivate, tier-three will be the baseline, tier-four won''t be a dream, and even tier-five or higher¡­


    Elijah was so excited that, if not for the presence of the other women, he would have hugged and kissed Katherine!


    "Everyone should try it too!" Good things should be shared. Elijah had Katherine distribute the fruits to everyone.


    Since Red Fruit No. 4 was not very abundant, each person got just two. Kylie also received hers, but she ate only one and gave the rest to Olivia.


    Olivia epted her mother''s gift with pleasure and ate it. Then, to Elijah''s astonishment, she suddenly advanced to tier-two.


    "I¡­ advanced?!" Olivia found it somewhat unbelievable. She closed her eyes, harnessed her abilities, and could clearly feel the increase in her power.


    Her tier-two abilities not only expanded her sensing range but also added a new capability.


    In addition to sensing others'' good or evil intentions towards her, she could now perceive everyone''s current emotional state.


    For example, Jasmine, upon hearing about Olivia''s advancement, showed a hint of envy.


    After all, among the women on the ind, Sophia had already been advanced to tier-two for capturing the Spirit fish.


    The only remaining tier-one ability users were Jasmine and Olivia. Now that Olivia had advanced to tier-two, Jasmine was the only one left¡­


    Hmm? Why does Aunt Jasmine''s emotion seem¡­ a bit heated?


    Olivia opened her eyes and noticed Jasmine staring intently at Elijah, her emotion shifting from envy to something indescribable.


    "Olivia just ate some Spirit fish along with three Red Fruit No. 4. It''s reasonable for her to advance to tier-two¡­" Elijah nodded, understanding the reason for her advancement.

 Chapter 233: you can do whatever you want

    As soon as he finished speaking, Elijah immediately felt a hot gaze fixed on him.


    He turned to see Jasmine, her eyes sparkling with a hint of flirtation, staring at his Red Fruit.


    Elijah then remembered that Jasmine was likely still a first-tier ability user.


    "How about I give this to you?" Elijah offered, handing over his Red Fruit.


    Jasmine eagerly took it and ate it without hesitation. Just like Olivia, Jasmine sessfully advanced to the second tier.


    This further confirmed for Elijah the effectiveness of Red Fruit No. 4.


    Jasmine, excited, couldn''t wait to showcase her new abilities.


    She casually picked up a knife and fork from the table, and in front of everyone''s curious eyes, demonstrated her temperature control power, visibly heating the utensils to a red glow.


    "Wow, how high is that temperature?" Olivia eximed in surprise.


    "It matches my abilities quite well!" Grace added, unable to hide her excitement.


    Her second-tier lightning abilities could produce simr high temperatures when applied to metal, though it took a bit longer to heat up.


    However, it was highly effective for killing zombies!


    "Maintaining such high temperatures for a long time is quite draining for me!" Jasmine exined with a beaming smile.


    Everyone was pleased to see them advance to the second tier and spected whetherrge-scale production of Red Fruit No. 4 could lead to further advancements for them as well.


    Taking advantage of the distraction, Jasmine approached Elijah and whispered, "Tonight, same ce, you can do whatever you want..."


    With that, she wiggled her curvaceous figure and left.


    Same ce...


    Elijah recalled their previous reckless escapades in the small woods, feeling a fiery sensation rising within him.


    "Hmph! Hmph! Are you expecting a lot of dates tonight?" Fiona teased, sitting down next to Elijah with a half-smile.


    "I could meet you first," Elijah replied, his hand sliding around her waist. Fiona''s silky evening dress made her appear both elegant and sensual.


    "I''m not interested..." Fiona said dismissively, but as Elijah''s hand slid up her slit, she let out a soft moan.


    "I need to talk to you about something serious..." Fiona said, grabbing his misbehaving hand.


    "You talk, I y," Elijah said with a grin, suggesting he would continue his yful behavior.


    Fiona gave him a disapproving look.


    "The ten Seeds of Consciousness you left have been used up. Six were used, including one for Ivy when she advanced to the second tier at Quentin''s ce. After that, I didn''t waste any more Seeds of Consciousness even though more people in their team awakened."


    "Well, controlling the four top leaders at Quentin''s ce is sufficient since it''s nearby, and issues can be resolved more easily!" Elijah nodded approvingly.


    "After news of our awakening agents spread, many people came to trade in the past few days. I selected five of them based on their distribution. These five are leaders from smaller settlements."


    "Did none of them want to join us?" Elijah asked curiously.


    "Some did, but I didn''t agree. I can''t guarantee the character of these individuals! Those without organizations were sent to Quentin, and those with organizations are temporarily kept as friendly allies to observe their future actions!"


    Fiona didn''t mention that those greedy for Azure Isle''s environment or the awakening agent form were dealt with, either sent away or eliminated.


    The show of strength from Azure Isle had made potential troublemakersply with Fiona''s alliance strategy.


    Elijah could guess this even without Fiona saying it. In this world, power is everything!


    That''s why he continued to pursue power and work hard to help the women around him be stronger. Experience new stories on mvl


    In the early days of the apocalypse, things were indeed chaotic.


    But after a couple of months, as everyone adapted to the new world, became familiar with the ways of the apocalypse, and established some unwritten rules, things would improve.


    In his past life, Elijah was in a simr phase, moving between various settlements, trading supplies, and exchanging information.


    As the day drew to a close, everyone was tired from the engaging conversation and gradually returned to their rooms. However, each person stole a nce at Elijah before leaving.


    Elijah noticed, feeling a mix of warmth and concern.


    Hmm¡­ where to go tonight?


    As Elijah hesitated privately, Be grabbed his arm and said, "Elijah, recently someone exchanged for an unfamiliar spirit nt. Come take a look!"


    "Unfamiliar?" Elijah followed Be into the spirit nt cultivation room.


    Once the door was closed, Be turned around, wrapped her arms around his neck, and gave him a passionate kiss.


    Elijah was momentarily taken aback but quickly began to reciprocate with equal fervor.


    As time passed, their clothes started to scatter on the floor. With no ce to lie down, they continued to stand,peting with each other.


    At times, Be would take a break, lifting her legs off the ground to be held by Elijah. Despite the effort, Elijah didn''t mind, carrying her around.


    After a long while, as their emotions calmed, Elijah looked at Be''s flushed, delicate face and affectionately said, "This reminds me of when Daisy and I came to Azure Isle to scout, and when we returned, you were just as enthusiastic¡­"


    "Hmph, back then it was just me and Daisy. Things are different now!" Be replied with a yful snort.


    "But your ce in my heart has never changed!" Elijah gazed at her with deep affection.


    Be couldn''t help butugh at his words, then gave him a yful eye-roll. "Only Daisy would fall for your sweet talk!"


    With that, Be jumped down from Elijah and began picking up the scattered clothes. "I''m done here. I need to train now, so go find your other lovers."


    Elijah understood Be''s good intentions¡ªshe didn''t want him to monopolize her time on his first day back¡ªbut he couldn''t shake the feeling of being a mere constion.


    "I''ll stay with you today," Elijah said, wrapping his arms around Be.


    "I don''t want to deal with a bunch of jealous women tomorrow! If you want to stay, let''s talk about it in a few days¡­" Be said.


    Elijah decided not to press the issue, recalling his previous arrangement with Jasmine.


    As they both tidied up, Be also took the opportunity to update Elijah on the situation with the spirit nts in the cultivation room.


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and


    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 234: Who wants to see me

    Before Elijah left, the inventory included three zombie grasses, one Blood Spirit Grass, and one Crystal Grass.


    Now, the zombie grass count had increased to six, thanks to exchanges with the leaders from the five new contract settlements Fiona mentioned.


    Additionally, they had acquired an unfamiliar spirit nt, contributed by one of those leaders.


    Elijah carefully examined the new spirit nt and identified it as Orbifolia Grass, which was known from his past life.


    It featured round, blue-green leaves simr to Hydrocotyle. Stay tuned for updates on mvl


    Like zombie grass, it could facilitate awakening and advancement but was lessmon.


    Elijah informed Be that the Orbifolia Grass was fully matured and could be used by Vincent the next day.


    Upon reviewing the Orbifolia Grass, Elijah looked at the Blood Spirit Grass and Crystal Grass.


    The Blood Spirit Grass was nearing maturity, and the Crystal Grass had reached five apertures.


    Elijah was pleased with the progress, knowing that soon they could have one or even two third-tier experts from these nts.


    The six zombie grasses were at various stages, ensuring a daily supply of awakening potions and advancement potions every two days.


    Recently, many people had beening to trade for these valuable items.


    While most could not afford them, some made a dramatic show of drinking the awakening potions immediately, causing a stir.


    After reviewing the spirit nts, Elijah escorted Be back to her room.


    She then insisted on training alone, which Elijah epted, understanding her desire not to monopolize her time.


    He intended to visit Daisy and Abigail but was turned away as they wanted a private chat.


    With no other immediate ns, Elijah headed to the usual meeting spot to find Jasmine.


    As he walked outside, the moonlight was exceptionally bright.


    He made his way to the woods between two vis and saw Jasmine waiting there in a sheer white outfit.


    Elijah thought to himself about how bold Jasmine was to appear like this and approached her.


    Over the past two days since his return to Azure Isle, Elijah had been thoroughly enjoying himself¡ªwhether it was the pleasure of "cleansing" with women, sailing, or frolicking on the beach with beauties.


    Having fulfilled his greatest past-life desire for revenge, he had truly rxed, feeling like a ruler who had stopped holding court.


    However, his reprieve was short-lived. On the third day, Fiona brought a news sh that jolted him back to reality.


    "What? You''re saying Vincent''s modified radio received a message iming to know the truth about the apocalypse?" Fiona''s expression was unusually serious.


    "Yes!" Fiona confirmed.


    After receiving an advancement potion from Elijah, Vincent had be more enthusiastic about the radio.


    Despitecking a transmitter, they modified a receiver to block Chi interference.


    During testing, they intercepted a broadcast from a research institute in Neoville City, which imed to know the cause of the apocalypse and requested rescue.


    "Could it be a scam? Are they trying to lure people into saving them?" Elijah, initially shocked, calmed down and analyzed the situation.


    "It''s possible¡­" Fiona agreed. "But if they really know¡­"


    "What if they do? Can they solve it? If they could, they wouldn''t be asking for rescue!" Elijah remained pragmatic, recalling the year of struggle in his past life without anyone solving the virus crisis.


    Instead, he had seen zombiescking food and energy eventually breaking the virus-induced restraint on cannibalism, leading to a surge in mutated zombies.


    The number of these mutated zombies had increased over time, bing more frequent in the areas Elijah and Daisy explored.


    "Hmm, I agree. Should we just ignore the message?" Fiona suggested.


    "No need for that. Whether the message is true or false, it''s worth checking. The institute is in the city center, which is too dangerous for now. We can investigate it when I visit YLK Group next time; it''s on the way. For now, let''s go check out what Vincent and his team have been working on," Elijah decided.


    "Finally, you''re leaving the ind! Just in time¡ªsome people are eager to see you!" Fiona remarked with a teasing smile.


    "I''ve been off the ind before, you know!"


    "Hmph! Were you out cruising with Sophia, Hannah, and the others?"


    "That was for nostalgia¡­ no, actually, it was for sea fishing! Are youining because I didn''t take you along?"


    "Tch, I can drive too. If you all left, I would''ve taken Lily and the others out to sea¡­"


    As the two argued, they drove toward the service area by the shore.


    "Alright, enough of this. Let''s get down to business. Who wants to see me?"


    After a prolonged argument and feeling like he wasn''t getting much out of it, Elijah decided to change the subject, a bit envious of what Fiona had said.


    "Well, Quentin came the day after you returned. Your little nephew is quite considerate of you; he didn''t want to disturb your enjoyment, so he didn''t notify you!" Fiona mocked Elijah, causing him to have a dark expression.


    She then continued, "Today, the other five new contract leaders also came. It just so happens that Vincent made a new discovery, so it interrupted your leisure time!"


    "The five new contract targets? I need to meet them!"


    Not only did he want to meet them, but he also needed to enhance the corresponding hypnosis suggestions to control them and ensure Azure Isle''s interests.


    These past few days, he had indeed been somewhat indulged in beauty and neglecting his duties.


    Although he had avenged his great enemy, the apocalypse was not yet over. Elijah still had to lead the women on the ind to survive in this harsh end-of-days environment.


    Especially with the third month of the apocalypse approaching.


    That would be a watershed!


    From the third month of the apocalypse onward, the mutated zombies, which were rarely seen before, would be increasinglymon. This would also lead to more high-level zombies of second tier and above.


    Exploring outside would be increasingly dangerous.


    In his past life, Elijah had run out of supplies after hiding from two zombies and had to venture out.


    At that time, even if he could control ten zombies, he was walking on thin ice because a single misstep could lead to encountering mutated zombies.


    One zombie was manageable, but if there were many, he could only flee in the face of danger, otherwise, he would inevitably fall into a desperate situation.


    It was during that phase that Elijah tried to contract mutated zombies, but all attempts failed and he nearly got killed by them.


    This made him believe his abilities were useless until he started interacting with people from other settlements and tested his abilities on normal humans.


    Slowly, he realized the true effects of his abilities.


    Especially when a guy he had contracted, while exploring, was identally infected by a zombie. Instead of going on a rampage, the guy was instantly controlled by Elijah.


    This made Elijah ecstatic. From that moment on, he was determined to build his own team.


    In this life, everything has alreadye to fruition. Elijah''s subordinates are all capable, and most of them have advanced to the second tier.


    First-tier mutated zombies are no longer a significant threat to them.


    But while their strength is formidable and the zombies have not yet mutated on arge scale, it is an excellent opportunity to expand their influence and collect more resources!


    Currently, Azure Isle has set two essential targets for upation.


    One is the shopping mall and storage base close to the YLK group.


    It has all kinds of living supplies, from essentials to non-essentials, and retail goods.


    upying it would ensure that Elijah and his team wouldn''t have to worry about food and drink for years, or even decades.


    The other target is thergest port in Neoville City, the Neoville City International Port.


    Not only is it thergest port in Neoville City, but it is also one of thergest container ports in the world.


    It also has a massive amount of resources, though unlike the shopping mall and storage base, it does not guarantee that all resources are essential for daily life.


    Even so, it is worth upying!


    In the port, on the cargo ships, with several million containersbined, even if only ten percent of the containers have items they can use, it would still be immensely beneficial for them.

 Chapter 235: I didn’t realize I was so popular

    The Neoville City International Port is located on an ind in the bay on the southern side of Neoville City.


    This ind is not like the Azure Isle, which is close to the shore, but rather about 30 kilometers away from the maind, surrounded by deep water that can amodaterge and ultrarge container cargo ships.


    To reach this port, you can only travel by boat or via a specially built cross-sea bridge, with the entrance and exit of the bridge located in the southern suburbs.


    This is why Fiona and Elijah coincidentally thought of clearing the southern suburbs.


    Fiona''s initial objective was to reach the entrance and exit of the cross-sea bridge at the Neoville City International Port.


    In fact, traveling by sea is the fastest method. Fiona had already taken Lily and others on a trip yesterday to simply survey the outer sea area of the ind.


    While the port was not densely popted, there were a considerable number of zombies, including a giant mutated zombie that was nearly 3 meters tall.


    Therefore, they did not act recklessly but returned after their observation, waiting for Elijah''s decision.


    Fiona''s initial n was to upy the Neoville City International Port.


    After all, with so many containers, whether useful or not, they represent a vast amount of resources.


    Transporting all of them back to Azure Isle is impractical and there is no ce to store them.


    upying the port is the best solution.


    The Neoville City International Port, like Azure Isle, is a natural fortress against zombies, as there is only the cross-sea bridge as a route to the outside world.


    The remaining concern is defending against other peopleing to the ind by sea.


    Handling people is straightforward: whether through patrol defense, persuasion and division, or bribery and control, Fiona can ensure the ind''s safety, which are areas she excels in.


    Therefore, Fiona did not rush to clear the zombies on the ind via the sea route but decided to clear the southern suburbs first.


    Moreover, since upation requires guards, but Azure Isle''s poption is too small, she can only rely on trusted subordinates, such as Quentin and his team, who are controlled by Elijah and will not rebel.


    Thus, Fiona actively promoted the awakening potions avable at Azure Isle along the route to attract survivors.


    Disorganized individuals who arrived were generally rmended to go to Quentin.


    Specially capable individuals or awakened ones, after being screened by Olivia, were absorbed into the shore service area.


    As trade expanded, the shore service area needed personnel for service and enhanced security.


    The three new female team members and the two people with Vincent who managed the radio when Elijah returned were recruited this way.


    Organized groups or leaders of small settlements were controlled through the Seed of Consciousness imnted in the awakening or advancement potions they purchased.


    Fiona''s ultimate goal with these methods is to indirectly control the coastal area and southern suburbs, and fully dominate Azure Isle and the Neoville City International Port.


    Therefore, Fiona ced great importance on the uing meeting.


    She analyzed the pros and cons with Elijah and advised him to demonstrate his strength and charisma to intimidate and tame these people.


    Elijah and Fiona quickly arrived at the shore service area.


    From a distance, they could see through the ss that the service hall was quite crowded, with at least thirty or forty people.


    "There are quite a few people. If one of them turns into a zombie, things will get lively!" Elijah joked.


    "This is our territory; you should hope for the best!" Fiona retorted.


    "Although you''ve reminded me, we''ll need to build another trading hall outside the service hall in the future for better security. From now on, only awakened individuals will be allowed into the service hall!"


    "That''s a good idea!" Elijah nodded in appreciation.


    "Humph, we didn''t have this many people before, so it didn''t ur to me. It''s all because of you. Recently, the leaders of some small settlements around here have heard that the real master of Azure Isle has returned, so they all wanted toe and see, which is why so many people have gathered."


    Fiona shot Elijah a look but spoke with an unspoken pride in her tone.


    "Really? I didn''t realize I was so popr!" Elijah responded with a grin, though he was self-aware.


    If it weren''t for the awakening potions and Azure Isle''s formidable strength, these people wouldn''t have bothered toe and see him.


    Enjoy new stories from mvl


    Elijah and Fiona entered the service hall through the back door. As soon as they walked in, everyone turned to look at them.


    Among the crowd, no one recognized Elijah except for Quentin''s group, but Fiona was memorable to everyone.


    It was hard not to remember Fiona, not just because of her stunning beauty and grace, but also because of her formidablebat skills and achievements.


    Many of these people had seen Fiona single-handedly kill several individuals who had tried to forcibly obtain awakening potions andter wipe out an entire troublemaking settlement by herself.


    She spared no one¡ªmen or women alike.


    Despite Fiona''s beautiful appearance, they understood that she was a real tough person.


    And the man who could have such a fierce person on his arm was clearly someone significant.


    The crowd eyed Elijah with curiosity, eager to see what kind of man could subdue someone like Fiona.


    More importantly, they heard that the other women of Azure Isle were also this man''s.


    Those women were said to be equally beautiful as Fiona, each with their unique charm.


    Damn¡­ It really made them envious and want to rece him!


    Thinking about this, everyone in the hall, whether men or women, looked at Elijah with a sense of scrutiny.


    Those further back even stretched their necks and stood on tiptoe to get a better view.


    "Ha ha, Boss, you''re finally back!" Quentin and his group stepped forward to greet him, while the others continued to observe.


    "Quentin, I haven''t been gone for that long, have I?" Elijah replied with a faint smile.


    "As they say, a day apart feels like three years, especially after ten days. You wouldn''t believe it, the coastal area has changed so much in just these ten days, it''s like apletely different world!" Quentin said, casting a subtle nce at the crowd of admirers behind him.

 Chapter 236: They were unaware of Elijahs specific abilities

    To be honest, Quentin was not pleased that the news of the awakening potions had spread far and wide.


    Originally, only they knew about the potions, allowing them to slowly collect corpse cores in exchange for awakening potions to enhance their strength.


    However, this situation onlysted a few days.


    After Fiona decided to expand into the southern suburbs, the information spread rapidly among the survivors venturing outside, leading to significant chaos in the initial days and cing considerable pressure on Quentin and his team, who were responsible for defending the perimeter of the Azure Isle shore service area.


    As for the security of Azure Isle, Quentin had heard that some people wanted to approach the ind by sea, but those attempts had all failed, as if the individuals had vanished into the sea.


    It was only when Quentin came to trade seafood that he learned from Xavier that there was a massive shark patrolling the waters around Azure Isle.


    Anyone who tried to approach the ind without permission ended up as food for the shark.


    Fortunately, the turmoil ended quickly after Fiona''s decisive action.


    This allowed Quentin to witness the ruthless nature and immense strength of the Azure Isle''s acting leader.


    Fiona''s two bone spikes, akin to flying swords, were deadly within a hundred meters, making it nearly impossible to defend against them.


    Despite the widespread knowledge of the awakening potions, which led to their high demand and limited daily avability, Quentin and his team still benefited.


    Fiona promised them unrestricted purchasing rights and rmended some unaffiliated individuals to them.


    As a result, Quentin recruited several talents and strengthened their settlement.


    "Indeed, there have been many changes around here recently. Like today, so many new faces I don''t recognize!" Elijah said to Quentin.


    Then, turning to the crowd, he smiled and introduced himself, "Hello everyone, nice to meet you. My name is Elijah. I am the owner of this ce. I was away for a while, and Ms. Fiona helped manage things. I have heard about some recent events¡­"


    The crowd looked at the man speaking confidently in front of them and felt he was quite ordinary, not seeing anything particrly special about him.


    Some people wondered how such a man couldmand the respect of someone as exceptional as Fiona.


    However, as Elijah continued speaking, they began to feel an increasing sense of pressure, as if an invisible force was pressing down on their shoulders,pelling them to kneel and submit.


    The pressure intensified when Elijah spoke about the recent unrest, making him appear as an ancient, fearsome beast capable of killing with a mere breath.


    Those with weaker nerves even copsed to the ground.


    "¡­Anyone who dares to offend us, even if we have to chase them to the ends of the earth, will find no ce to be buried!" Elijah dered, pausing to nce at those who had fallen under the mental strain.


    He had not even fully exerted one-tenth of his third-tier mental intimidation, yet the crowd''s reaction varied.


    The awakened individuals looked rtively calm, but others, even if they didn''t fall, appeared pale and on the verge of copsing.


    Seeing the effect, Elijah decided to ease the pressure. He was concerned that if he continued, someone might have an ident.


    "Of course, I know that everyone here todayes with the intention of peaceful coexistence. I appreciate your understanding these past few days and hope that you will continue to support Ms. Fiona''s arrangements in the future!"


    As Elijah lifted the mental pressure, the crowd suddenly felt lighter, and his words seemed as refreshing as a spring breeze.


    The man had managed to achieve this level of impact simply through his presence.


    With rumors of his awakening abilities being even more mysterious, it was no wonder he had earned Fiona''s favor.


    After the mental pressure subsided, everyone in the room rxed and sighed inwardly. This man was truly formidable!


    Elijah''s so-called mysterious and unpredictable abilities are actually rumors spread by Quentin''s subordinates.


    Only the core group of subordinates who initially traded with Elijah at the mall knew about his ability to control zombies.


    The others, whoter joined Quentin and helped clear the mall with Elijah and Charlotte, only saw Elijah''s straightforward actions and realized that he had strengthparable to a powerful awakened individual, as well as defenses akin to Quentin''s and speed simr to Gabriel''s.


    They were unaware of Elijah''s specific abilities, and like blind men touching an elephant, they each described only part of what they knew when asking survivors from the southern suburbs.


    As a result, many people perceived Elijah as extremely powerful and his abilities as enigmatic and unpredictable.


    Now, witnessing Elijah''s presence firsthand, the crowd was struck by his sheer aura, which was so overwhelming that it left them immobile and some even on the verge of being scared to the point of losing control.


    For a moment, everyone was terrified of Elijah and dared not entertain any improper thoughts!


    After Elijah finished speaking, he nced at the leaders of other allied settlements who had been imnted with the "Seed of Consciousness" by Fiona.


    He reinforced their hypnotic suggestions and then had a brief chat with Quentin, offering encouragement to a few familiar subordinates behind him before heading to find Vincent, leaving the scene for Fiona to manage.


    Recently, Fiona has managed Azure Isle very well, and the attendees also highly recognized Fiona.


    Therefore, Elijah did not n to intervene in the management.


    As a symbol of deterrence, his presence was enough; maintaining an air of mystery actually made him more intimidating.


    Experience exclusive tales on §Þ??


    On the other hand, Fiona''s strength was evident to everyone, and as a woman, she could both intimidate with her prowess and soothe with her warm demeanor and ttering words.


    This made her capable of bothmanding respect and providingfort to those under her influence.


    Of course, Fiona''s methods for controlling these "allied" settlements extended beyond just Elijah''s "Seed of Consciousness" and the limited sale of awakening potions.


    Various resources and knowledge exchanges were also used as supplementary means, with Fiona excelling in these.


    For example, body refinement andbat skills training!


    These were only avable to the subordinates of allied settlements with Azure Isle.


    Charlotte was the instructor, and Emily was the assistant.


    The first batch of training had already been conducted, including new awakened individuals from Quentin''s team and the five newly allied teams.


    Although the number of trainees was small, the results were significant.


    The awakened individuals experienced the benefits and thus were very obedient. However, this training was not free.


    Since the knowledge from these training sessions could be taught privatelyter, it was impossible to restrict, so a tuition fee was charged.


    Learning body refinement required 50 corpse cores, and learningbat skills required another 50 corpse cores.


    Together, it was equivalent to purchasing an additional awakening potion.


    Even so, Charlotte did not teach just anyone. Currently, only awakened individuals were epted.


    Ordinary people who wanted to learn needed to first buy an awakening potion and be awakened themselves.


    Those who were not from Azure Isle but wanted to learn could also do so, as the second-tier advancement potions were waiting for them, making them potential clients.


    The key was that these wild awakened individuals were mostly leaders of these settlements.


    Fiona was waiting for them to experience the benefits and then buy second-tier awakening potions, at which point she would imnt the Seed of Consciousness in them.


    To facilitate this, Fiona offered installment payments for those who couldn''t gather enough corpse cores immediately.


    The goal was to control these leaders and, through them, fully control the settlements.

 Chapter 237: The broadcast content has changed

    The western suburbs are now under Elijah''s control.


    Once the roads through the coastal area, southern suburbs, and western suburbs are secured, and Neoville City''s international port and mall storage base are taken over, Azure Isle will effectively control thergest territory and the most substantial resources in Neoville City, thereby gaining control of the entire city.


    With the expansion of his influence,munication has be increasingly crucial. This is why Elijah was so thrilled to learn that Vincent could resolve wireless signal interference.


    Elijah quickly found Vincent, who was feeding cows in a special cattle pen.


    "Hmm? Why are there five cows here?" Elijah asked in surprise, looking at the five cows tied up in the pen.


    "It''s Quentin. He saw how well we''re raising the cows and decided to sell them all to us in exchange for awakening potions for his subordinates!" Vincent said with a grin. "Boss, can you tell if there''s anything special about these cows?"


    Seeing Vincent''s smug expression, Elijah recalled that Vincent had mentioned the cow was in heatst time.


    Upon closer inspection, he noticed that the cow raised with Red Fruit branches and leaves indeed had a noticeablyrge belly.


    "The cow is pregnant?"


    "Ah, you really have a keen eye, Boss!" Vincent said, clearly impressed. "Since the cow is pregnant, does that mean we''ll have milk in the future? And considering its condition, it might even have Chi-infused milk?"


    Elijah circled around the cow. The cow, having been fed continuously with Red Fruit branches and leaves, had grown to an unusuallyrge size, almost monstrous.


    "We''ll have to wait until after the cow gives birth to get milk!" Vincent exined, having taught himself about dairy cow prenatal and postnatal care.


    "But since the cow grew so quickly due to the Red Fruit branches, I estimate that its gestation period might be shorter than usual, and we might get fresh milk a few months earlier."


    "That''s where you''ll need to put in extra effort!" Elijah said, looking at the other cows.


    The oldest bull was exceptionally robust, simr to the pregnant cow, while the three new arrivals were less impressive.


    Vincent felt a bit sorry for the bull, noting that in arge cattle farm, it would have been highly sought after for breeding. Now, it was just tied up and wasted.


    After chatting about the cows, the conversation shifted to the message received by the radio.


    "The research institute''s broadcast station sends out a message every half hour. The timing is right now, Boss. I''ll take you to see it."


    They soon arrived at a room behind the service hall, which was part of the staff dormitory and the storage room nned by Gabriel.


    Vincent had specifically requested a room to use as his workshop, where he and two neers, Julian and Kevin, tinkered with things.


    As they entered the workshop, Elijah saw various parts, circuit boards, and instruments scattered around. Regardless of the technical details, it looked quite impressive!


    "No matter how it is, it''s better than my understanding of this stuff!" Elijah thought to himself, as he had no clue about these devices.


    "Vincent, you''re here! We''ve just finished setting up another radio!" one of the young men said excitedly.


    "Ah! Let me introduce you two. This is our Boss. Say hello to the Boss!" Vincent said.


    "Hello, Boss!" the two young men quickly stood up and greeted Elijah.


    "There''s no need for formalities among us! Since I have some free time today, I''m here to see your results!" Elijah said.


    Just as Elijah finished speaking, static crackled from one of the radios next to the two neers. Then, a somewhat distorted female voice came through:


    "This is my final message. If anyone can hear this,e to the research institute. We''ve discovered the truth about the virus outbreak¡­"


    "Hmm? The broadcast content has changed!" Vincent and the two neers disyed expressions of surprise.


    "Changed? What was the broadcast originally about?" Elijah asked quickly. Experience tales with §Þ??


    "It was supposed to be a pre-recorded message that yed on a loop every half hour. It told people that they had the truth about the virus outbreak and urged anyone who heard the message toe to their research institute to save them," Vincent exined.


    "And now it''s be a final message... Does this mean the people at the research institute are running out of time?"


    "It''s possible. The virus outbreak has been going on for over a month. If they haven''t gone out to look for food and water, their supplies might be depleted!"


    "Then¡­"


    Vincent looked at Elijah, waiting for him to make a decision.


    The research institute was located in the city center, an area heavily infested with zombies.


    Vincent''s awakened abilities were not suited forbat, so it depended on whether the boss was willing to go.


    "Give me the address of the research institute!" Elijah said after a moment of thought.


    "Okay!" Vincent responded eagerly.


    Although Elijah hadn''t explicitly said he would go, the fact that he asked for the address was a strong indication of intent.


    Vincent was personally indifferent to whether the people at the research institute lived or died, but he was very interested in the so-called truth about the virus outbreak.


    Elijah was also very curious!


    Whether it was the suddenly emerging virus, the mysterious Chi revival, or even how he had been reincarnated, he was eager to find out.


    With Fiona managing Azure Isle so efficiently and everything falling into ce, he didn''t want to miss this opportunity to resolve his own uncertainties.


    He had originally nned to visit the research institute on his way back to the YLK group in the western suburbs.


    However, given the current situation, he realized that ns could not keep up with changes.


    The people at the research institute were likely nearing the end of their rope, and although the broadcast suggested that even if they were dead, there would be clues left behind, having someone exin it directly would be even more straightforward.


    Elijah stayed with Vincent for a while longer, observing the gadgets they were working on, and learned a bit about them.


    For instance, radiomunication generally falls into three categories: broadcast, blind send, andwork.


    Broadcastmunication is simr to traditional radio stations, like the research institute''s message received this time.


    They use a transmitter to broadcast to the entirework, and theoretically, anyone within the reception range can receive it through a receiver, such as a radio, provided both parties are online simultaneously.


    This is why the research institute broadcasted every half hour to increase the chances of being heard.


    Blind sendmunication is like offline messaging.


    You send a message regardless of whether the recipient is online, and they receive it when theye online.


    However, this method requires knowing the recipient''swork identity.


    Elijah was interested in achievingworkmunication with conversational capabilities.


    This is simr to how phones work, using base stations and underground cables to connect everyone into argework.


    Unfortunately, due to strong Chi interference, Vincent mentioned that he currently couldn''t handle base stations and that the walkie-talkies and radios were made through trial and error.


    They needed more research to try setting up a radio station and see how it performed.

 Chapter 238: This team leader is really talented

    Currently, they have opened a bounty mission to collect radios, whether military or civilian.


    There has already been a response to the mission; someone from a settlement knows where to find one and is nning to go there.


    This bounty mission system was introduced by Fiona to leverage the increasing number of survivors trading awakening potions at Azure Isle.


    The system has proven effective so far; for instance, the task of clearing the southern suburbs has seen a lot of participation.


    Since the tasks involve exploration and resource collection, people are eager toplete them for the additional rewards.


    In the future, Azure Isle will use this bounty system to address shortages of materials or to aplish certain goals.


    Of course, not everyone can take on these tasks; most are assigned to allied forces to strengthenmunication and control.


    Special tasks, like the one Vincent needs for equipment, are open for anyone to im in exchange for goods.


    This bounty system serves as a supplementary measure for theck of manpower at Azure Isle.


    After all, Fiona and Elijah do not n to recruit many more people. More people means greater burden, and they prefer a smaller, elite force.


    With their control over awakening and advancement potions, they are not worried about the allied forces disobeying.


    Elijah observed for a while, encouraged Vincent and his team, then returned to the ind to prepare for the visit to the so-called research institute.


    Abigail and Kylie were essentialpanions; not only because Elijah didn''t want them out of his control, but their third-tier abilities were too useful.


    Abigail''s third-tier defense could withstand all physical damage, and Kylie''s third-tier mental deterrence was a formidable skill that could make enemies submit without a fight.


    With just these three zombies, Elijah could navigate the city center with ease and even handle zombie hordes.


    Of course, there was no need to take such risks; physical strength could wane, and encountering overwhelming situations could be troublesome.


    When Elijah gathered the zombies, Daisy, who was with Abigail, heard about the n and insisted on joining to see the truth about the virus outbreak.


    Elijah didn''t believe her interest was genuine; she was simply eager for adventure.


    However, Daisy''s excitement,bined with Fiona''s return from the shore service area and the general curiosity of the other women on the ind, meant that everyone wanted to join.


    Charlotte, who wasn''t interested in the virus but was keen on the Chi that re-emerged with it, was particrly enthusiastic.


    She thought there might be clues about Chi''s resurgence.


    Elijah was frustrated.


    The women had been frequently fighting zombies and interacting with other survivors during his absence, which had bolstered their confidence.


    They felt there was no ce they couldn''t go now.


    Even Fiona, who had been reprimanded the previous night and was only back to full energy this morning thanks to Hannah, insisted on joining, causing more chaos.


    Elijah gave Fiona a stern look, then reasoned with the women.


    Azure Isle needed their management and operations, and he would certainly inform them of any findings as soon as he returned.


    Eventually, Charlotte made the final decision: the group would wait for news, and she and Daisy would apany Elijah.


    Thus, the final n was set: Elijah, Daisy, and Charlotte, along with Abigail and Kylie (the two third-tier zombies) and the remaining eight second-tier zombies, set out in a grand procession toward the research institute.


    Explore stories on §Þ??


    Elijah and his group set off from Azure Isle in an escort vehicle and drove straight to the mall they had previously cleared with Quentin.


    The escort vehicle, which Elijah had originally acquired, had now be a sort of mascot.


    Normally, people on the ind use box trucks for outings, as they can carry more supplies.


    But in this situation, where they were only transporting people and zombies, the escort vehicle was put to use.


    When they arrived at the mall, Elijah noticed that although there were people inside when hest returned, he didn''t recognize many of them.


    It wasn''t until Charlotte exined during their journey that Elijah realized the situation.


    The important supplies in the mall had already been moved out, leaving behind items of uncertain use and those that were inconvenient to transport.


    Initially, Quentin and his team had nned to abandon the mall and focus on expanding southward.


    However, after clearing the roads and the mall, and given itsrge size, they felt it was a pity to give it up.


    Ultimately, Fiona suggested leaving a team behind to explore the area slowly, gather supplies, and rotate personnel regrly.


    The team leader who stayed behind was quite capable.


    He discovered that there were too many zombies in the area, especially towards the city center where they were more densely packed.


    Collecting supplies was inefficient, so he devised a method to use traffic barriers, cars, roads, buildings, and other obstacles to create a zombie hunting ground.


    They sent people to lure zombies daily and used the barriers and cars to corral them.


    Roads and buildings were used to divert them, guiding the zombies in a queue-like manner to the hunting ground they had set up near the mall.


    The remaining personnel, protected by the obstacles, could then hunt the zombies in a safe and efficient manner.


    Every time they hunted a batch, they concentrated on opening their heads and piled up the corpses in a burial site, hoping to cultivate zombie grass.


    After two days, they collected enough corpse cores to exchange for one awakening potion.


    In addition, others gained confidence and were no longer afraid of zombies.


    Knowing this, Quentin helped exchange for another awakening potion, and the team worked even harder.


    Everyone calcted their points and considered how many more zombies they could kill to achieve awakening.


    Later, Quentin used this ce as a training ground for neers, specifically training people and collecting corpse cores. The three newly awakened individuals from their gathering were all trained here.


    "This team leader is really talented. It''s a pity this method only works for now!" Elijah remarked with admiration, then shook his head.


    "Why''s that?" Daisy asked curiously.


    "Have you noticed that mutated zombies have been increasingtely?"


    "Now that you mention it, there do seem to be more than before!" Charlotte replied after a moment of thought.

 Chapter 239: I have a recollection

    "Mutated zombies will only increase in number. They won''t follow predictable paths; some are very cunning and can unexpectedly turn hunters into prey!"


    Elijah briefly exined.


    Both Daisy and Charlotte, being intelligent and having encountered various mutated zombies, quickly understood.


    "Indeed, this method only works for regr zombies. Who knows what abilities the mutated ones might have..."


    "Should we warn Quentin and the others?"


    "Yes, we should let them know!" Elijah said.


    They parked the vehicle at the mall, and soon, the people inside came out and, seeing Elijah, were visibly surprised and excited.


    "Boss, you''re here! Charlotte, Daisy, you''re here too! Did youe here for something specific?"


    Elijah looked closely and recognized the person. It was Brandon, one of Quentin''s subordinates who had traded with him before.


    "Brandon, are you the one leading the new recruits now?"


    "Yes, boss. Adrian... I''ve been training new recruits here for a few days, and they''ve awakened. Quentin sent me here!"


    Brandon grinned.


    Adrian... Elijah remembered him. His real name was Adrian, and he had previously helped transport supplies with Brandon.


    It was surprising to see that Adrian had also awakened and be a team leader!


    It''s true; one''s status often changes with power. The method of killing zombies in the mall was Brandon''s creation, so it made sense that he called Elijah "boss."


    "Well, then you need to keep up the good work!" Elijah encouraged him, mentioning that he needed to head to the city center and would leave the vehicle here.


    Brandon assured him he would take good care of the vehicle.


    Elijah also warned him to be cautious about mutated zombies while hunting. Brandon quickly agreed to be careful.


    After that, Elijah and his group left the mall and walked towards the city center.


    On the way, Elijah used his ability to mimic invisible zombies.


    The second-tier invisibility ability allowed him to make one person invisible, so he made Charlotte invisible as well.


    Daisy melded into the shadows, and with the deterrence of Abigail and Kylie, who were both third-tier zombies, and protection from eight second-tier zombies, they proceeded towards their target without major incidents.


    "There are so many mutated zombies along the way!" Daisy, who was still shaken, remarked as they found a safe ce to rest around noon.


    Just earlier, a mutated zombie, possibly with awakening perception abilities, had detected them.


    Because Daisy needed to stay hidden in the shadows, she sometimes had to separate from the group, which allowed the mutated zombie to take advantage.


    Luckily, Daisy was sharp and agile, narrowly avoiding the attack.


    Elijah, noticing the danger, immediately used his third-tier Mind Stun ability to immobilize the mutated zombie.


    Abigail swiftly took out her knife and severed the zombie''s head, resolving the crisis.


    "That''s because there are more zombies in the city center and fewer survivors, leading to more cases of mutual devouring, so naturally, there are more mutated zombies here than in the areas you frequent!" Elijah exined.


    "What if there are mutated zombies everywhere in the future? How will we carry out our missions then?" Daisy asked, feeling a bit discouraged.


    Her ability was most vulnerable to perception, and more mutated zombies meant less space for her abilities to be effective.


    "There won''t be mutated zombies everywhere. Higher-tier zombies suppress the expansion of lower-tier mutated zombie groups," Elijah reassured her.


    "How does that work?"


    "I think higher-tier zombies hunt lower-tier mutated zombies to advance," Charlotte analyzed calmly.


    "That''s right. Zombies will ultimately form a pyramid structure, but this may lead to a few extremely powerful zombies!" Elijah added, recalling some suspected fourth-tier zombies he had heard about in his past life.


    One of them had caused trouble in the southern suburbs, preventing the appearance of third-tier strong individuals there.


    "Hearing this makes it even more worrying!" Daisy murmured softly.


    "Don''t worry. When the virus first broke out, the number of humans was limited, which means the number of zombies is also finite. Whether they are killed by humans or devour each other, we will eventually eliminate them all," Elijah said, patting Daisy on the head and smiling.


    After chatting and having lunch, Elijah and his group set out again.


    They spent the entire afternoon navigating various obstacles and finally reached their destination.


    Stay connected via §Þ??


    The Neoville City University Central Campus, the main campus of Neoville City University, was the destination for Elijah and his group.


    The research institute that had sent out the distress signal was located within this campus.


    When they arrived at the university''s entrance, they found the main gate wide open.


    From the outside, they could see numerous zombies standing silently on various roads throughout the campus.


    "Ugh! Universities are troublesome. Not only are there many zombies, but it''s also hard to find specific locations!" Elijah said.


    The broadcast only mentioned a building within the university, but with such arge campus, including numerous academic and dormitory buildings, finding a specific one was no easy task.


    On top of that, the presence of zombies made the search even more challenging.


    "This campus is rtively better. It only retains a few academic departments, and the rest are mostly graduate students, so there aren''t too many people. If you went to the Coastal Campus, you''d see what it''s like to be in a sea of people," Charlottemented calmly.


    "By the way, Lily is from the Coastal Campus, isn''t she?" Daisy added.


    "You seem to know a lot. Have you been here before? Oh, right, Charlotte, you were a teacher¡­" Elijah looked at Charlotte with anticipation.


    "No, we were from an art school, so we never had any reason toe here!" Charlotte said, scrunching her nose.


    Daisy and Abigail nodded in agreement, while Kylie looked thoughtfully at the school buildings.


    "Well, what should we do next? Should we go in and start searching?" With no better options, the group decided to avoid the zombies and search building by building.


    Fortunately, most intersections had signs, so they quickly found the general direction they needed.


    However, not long after they started, they noticed something odd.


    The further they went inside, the fewer zombies there were.


    Yet, on the ground and around the buildings, there were still clear bloodstains, indicating the severity of the initial outbreak.


    "What''s going on? Could there be survivors here who cleared out the surrounding zombies?" Daisy muttered.


    "But where did all the bodies go?" Abigail licked her lips, her red eyes scanning the area.


    "They were probably gathered and dealt with by the survivors. Either way, it''s a good thing¡ªit makes our search easier!" Charlotte said. Just then, Kylie suddenly spoke up.


    "Here¡­ I have a recollection!"


    "Oh? What do you remember?" Elijah''s interest was piqued.


    "I remember there''s ake not far ahead, and the ce we need to go is right next to it!" Kylie pointed in a direction.

 Chapter 240: The White-Clad Female Zombie

    "Kylie, did you use toe here?" Daisy asked curiously.


    "I¡­ I think I stayed here for a few years, with some vague memories!" Kylie replied.


    "Maybe Aunt Kylie studied here before!" Charlotte added.


    "Maybe¡­" Kylie was not entirely sure.


    "Anyway, let''s follow Kylie''s directions for now!" Elijah decided.


    Without zombies in the way, the group moved quickly and soon arrived at the target building''s location.


    "This¡­ doesn''t really look like a research institute, does it?" Daisy said, puzzled, as they entered the building, which resembled an ordinary university ssroom setup.


    "Are we being deceived?"


    "It''s supposed to be here, for sure!" Elijah checked the address Vincent had provided, feeling uneasy. "I hope we''re not being tricked. If we catch those responsible, they better watch out!"


    "Whether it''s a scam or not, let''s check both upstairs and downstairs!" Elijah said, ready to investigate. Just then, Abigail pointed outside the window. "Master, look outside! Someone is dancing on theke!"


    "Huh?" Elijah was confused.


    "Wow! It''s true! Ice ballet!" Daisy eximed, peeking out from the window.


    Curious, Elijah approached the window and was immediately captivated by the stunning scene.


    On the other side of the building was a moderately sizedke, covered by a thickyer of ice.


    The lotus flowers in theke had turned into crystalline ice flowers, and the green lotus leaves had transformed into pearl-like discs with a hint of green peeking through.


    Amid this enchanting scene, a graceful figure in a white dress danced elegantly on the ice.


    Her movements were fluid and graceful, as if she were gliding effortlessly on ice skates, performing a beautiful waltz.


    The white dress fluttered with her movements, making her appear like a snow fairy.


    "An ice user! Judging by the extent of the freezing, she''s at least second tier, possibly even third tier¡­" Elijah noted, not only appreciating the beauty but also recognizing the hidden strength beneath.


    "Could this person have cleared out all the zombies here? And sent the distress signal?" Daisy wondered.


    "Let''s go find her and ask!" Daisy and Abigail suggested, noticing the woman''s impressive abilities but feeling confident in their own skills.


    "Okay, but be careful!" Elijah cautioned, and the group headed outside.


    Though theke was just behind the building, they had to take a detour to get there. As they were making their way around, a gunshot rang out!


    Daisy and Charlotte quickly took cover. Elijah used the eight second-tier zombies to shield Kylie, who, despite being a third-tier zombie, was not resilient against bullets.


    "What''s going on?" Abigail asked, fearless, as she looked toward the source of the gunfire.


    Elijah turned to see a standalone building nearby, about four stories high.


    The first floor had a sign for a cafeteria, and there was also a supermarket sign not far off. The gunfire hade from there.


    It seemed they were spotted, as shadows moved on the third floor. The window on the third floor was soon opened, and a man''s frantic voice called out, "Don''t go to theke¡­"


    Before the man finished speaking, a long spear made of ice shot out from theke, piercing through the cafeteria wall and shattering into pieces.


    The man, terrified, quickly closed the window and disappeared from view.


    "What''s happening?" Elijah turned back to theke and noticed that the previously dancing white figure had vanished.


    Suddenly, he spotted that same figure near theke''s edge, and their gaze locked with his. The figure''s blood-red eyes were filled with murderous intent.


    "Damn it! A zombie¡­"


    Elijah was startled!


    Previously, when he saw the woman in white dancing, her movements were natural and graceful, showing no stiffness typical of zombies. Her clothes were also clean and spotless, so he never suspected she was a zombie.


    Now, seeing her eyes¡ªred and full of murderous intent, just like Abigail''s and Kylie''s¡ªElijah''s hair stood on end.


    He immediately confirmed that she was indeed a zombie!


    And not just any zombie, but a high-level mutated female zombie with intelligence.


    "What? A zombie?" Daisy, Abigail, Charlotte, and Kylie all turned to look at the direction Elijah was staring at.


    They then noticed the woman''s eyes. Abigail and Kylie both frowned, showing fierce expressions, and stared back intently.


    "Third tier¡­" Abigail sensed the threat!


    "Another of our kind¡­" Kylie instinctively tightened her grip on her weapon.


    The two sides faced off for a moment, neither taking action.


    Elijah wondered why. At this distance, normal zombies would have already attacked.


    Even if they didn''t, the ice spear the female zombie had thrown earlier was capable of long-range attacks.


    Yet, despite her murderous intent, she remained stationary.


    Was it because she detected two third-tier zombies on their side and a few people of unknown strength, making her hesitant to act?


    If that was the case, then her intelligence was quite high!


    "Elijah, what should we do?" Daisy, having shifted into the shadows, appeared next to Elijah.


    "This female zombie is an ice-type ability user and is in her home turf, theke. Since she''s not moving, we shouldn''t act rashly either. Let''s head to the cafeteria and check with the survivors there!"


    "Alright!"


    Charlotte, Abigail, and Kylie, having heard Elijah''s instructions, remained alert to the female zombie on theke and slowly made their way toward the cafeteria.


    After they had walked about ten meters, the female zombie cast onest deep look at Elijah and his group before turning and returning to the center of theke.


    This allowed Elijah and his team to breathe a sigh of relief.


    They then quickly walked to the vicinity of the cafeteria entrance.


    "There are guns with the survivors inside. Abigail and I will go in. You all stay outside and keep watch!"


    "Okay!"


    Charlotte, who also had a gun, understood Elijah''s concern about identally being shot and didn''t insist on going inside.


    After all, among the group and the zombies, only Abigail and Elijah were not afraid of bullets.


    After arranging Charlotte and the others, Elijah and Abigail approached the entrance.


    The cafeteria''s set of double doors was blocked by numerous tables and chairs, leaving only a single door, which was locked with chains.


    Although the doors were made of ss and Elijah could easily shatter them open, since they were on someone else''s turf and had business to discuss, it was not appropriate to break in directly.


    Fortunately, the people inside had been keeping an eye on Elijah and his group. When they saw Elijah approaching the cafeteria, they had already been waiting near the door.


    Elijah gently knocked on the ss. Among the group inside, the man who had previously boldly alerted them stepped forward with courage.


    "Are you¡­ are you here to rescue us?"


    "Why do you say that?"


    Elijah looked at himself.


    He was dressed in a short-sleeve T-shirt and shorts, dressed asfortably as possible.


    Abigail, who had grown increasingly self-aware and had be close to Elijah, was also in casual attire, wearing shorts and a T-shirt, showing off her fair legs in a cool and cute way.


    Aside from the cold weapons they were carrying, their attire didn''t look like they were there for a rescue.


    On the other hand, Charlotte was wearing the police gear Elijah had once worn, which gave her a more convincing look of being prepared for a rescue.


    "Aren''t you from the opposite building? Shouldn''t you have heard the broadcast ande to rescue us?" The man looked at Elijah with hope.

 Chapter 241: As long as you go out

    "Ouring here was indeed because we heard the broadcast... Was it sent by you? What''s going on with that research institute? It isn''t in the building across the street at all! And you mentioned knowing the truth about the virus outbreak..."


    Elijah squinted his eyes and stared at the man opposite him, speaking each word deliberately.


    He started to piece things together. These people had deliberately given an incorrect location for the research institute in the broadcast.


    The location they mentioned was within their line of sight, so anyone who went to that empty building must havee to rescue them after hearing the broadcast.


    "We do know the truth about the virus outbreak, but you have to rescue us first. Keep us away from the female zombie in the center of theke, and then we''ll tell you!" The man spoke with a slight excitement.


    "Oh?"


    Elijah smiled, "That''s simple. We already cleared most of the zombies on our way here. As long as we take care of that mutated female zombie in the center of theke, you all will be safe!"


    "Really? That''s great! Then hurry up and kill that female zombie!" The man, along with the group behind him, became visibly excited upon hearing Elijah''s words.


    Earlier, they didn''t want us near theke, but now they are so sure we can take out that mutated female zombie? Elijah thought, puzzled, but he put on a frustrated expression and said, "That female zombie has ice abilities and is very strong! If she were onnd, I could definitely take her down!


    Unfortunately, she didn''t leave theke even when she was so close to us earlier. If she had, I would have killed her right then! Now that she''s in theke, which is her main battlefield, it''s too dangerous and difficult! I heard gunshots earlier; do you have guns? Why not try using them? If you''re afraid, you can give me the gun, and I''ll kill her from a distance!"


    Upon hearing this, the people inside fell silent. The man who spoke initially gave a sheepish smile and said, "Um... we are scared, and the gun... is actually just a toy that makes noise!"


    "I see."


    "If... we... if we have a way to lure that female zombie out, can you kill her?" A girl from the crowd suddenly stepped forward, both anxious and terrified.


    "Zoe, what are you doing?" The man''s face darkened, and he turned to scold her harshly.


    "What am I doing? Of course, I''m going to kill that woman, or none of us will escape! We''ve been living in fear these past days; that woman is doing it on purpose! She could have invaded the cafeteria, but she didn''t kill us all at once! She kills one person every few days; she''s ying with us like a cat with mice! She wants us to face death bit by bit in endless terror!"


    The girl started with a sob, but by the end, she was screaming hoarsely.


    "That woman hates you the most. If you go out, she''ll definitelye ashore! Yes! As long as you go out! As long as you go out!"


    The girl named Zoe, trembling and shouting hysterically, suddenly lunged at the ss door and spoke to Elijah:


    "That female zombie just saw you and didn''t daree ashore. She must be afraid of you. You can definitely kill her, right? Yes! You can definitely kill her!"


    After saying this, Zoe immediately turned to look at the leading man:


    "Mason, you just need to sacrifice yourself, just once, to lure that woman out!"


    "Zoe! You''re crazy! What are you talking about?" Mason''s face turned ashen as he stepped forward, trying to pull Zoe away.


    "I''m not crazy! You were the one who said it! You said they must have superpowers and can definitely handle that woman!"


    "I..." Mason''s face grew even darker.


    He had indeed said that. When he fired the gun earlier, he intended to test the abilities of this group to see if they could deal with the vile woman in theke.


    To his surprise, the woman had shown hesitation for the first time and didn''t daree ashore.


    This had made him overjoyed, leading to his previous statements.


    However, he had intended for his own people to know this, not to let the outsiders find out. Zoe waspletely out of her mind!


    As Mason thought this, a trace of ruthlessness appeared on his face. That woman hated him, but no one here was innocent, especially not Zoe! Why should he be the bait?


    "p!" A heavy pnded on Zoe''s face.


    "Enough!" Mason roared. The p stunned Zoe, and she seemed to regain some rity, looking at Mason with a hint of fear in her eyes. She covered her face and took a few steps back, not daring to speak again.


    Abigail was watching the drama unfold with great interest, but now that it seemed to be ending, she pouted in disappointment.


    Elijah, however, noticed something in that moment. The man named Mason had briefly ced his hand on his belt. It was this action that had frightened Zoe into silence and retreating a few steps.


    Elijah, through the outline faintly visible under Mason''s loose T-shirt, guessed that he had a gun tucked in his waistband. No wonder the woman had suddenlye to her senses!


    Elijah''s face showed a faint smile.


    Watching this absurd scene, Elijah had already guessed what was going on with the female zombie outside just from the few words Zoe had said.


    It was likely that this man named Mason, or this group of people, had caused her death.


    After dying, she had awakened as a mutated zombie and, like Abigail and Kylie, had somehow retained a part of her consciousness.


    But unlike Abigail and Kylie, who had retained memories of their most important friends and family, this mutated female zombie seemed to have retained her endless despair and a deep-seated hatred that couldn''t be erased even in death.


    She hated Mason and everyone in the cafeteria but didn''t want them to die easily.


    This exined what Zoe had said about the female zombie having the ability to invade the cafeteria and kill them all at once but instead ying with them like a cat with mice, killing one person every few days to let them taste the pain of being slowly swallowed by despair.


    Zoe, having been suppressed to the extreme in such an environment, seemed to have lost her mind when she learned that Elijah might be able to deal with the female zombie. The umted pressure suddenly released, making her appear almost insane.

 Chapter 242: I’m sending you to your death, of course

    "Sorry for the spectacle," Mason took a deep breath, turned around, and smiled at Elijah. "Zoe was just overly excited, but her idea isn¡¯t bad. If we can lure that female zombie up, you can kill her, right?"


    "Yes, but I have a question," Elijah said calmly. "What if I kill the female zombie, and you don¡¯t give me the truth about the zombie virus outbreak? Or what if you give me false information? How will I know?"


    "If you can really kill the female zombie, with your strength, we wouldn¡¯t have any way to resist if we didn¡¯t give you the information, right? As for the truthfulness of the information... I can only tell you that ites from the military and is absolutely reliable!" Mason said with a serious and earnest expression.


    "Really?" Elijah nced at Mason¡¯s waist, remaining nomittal.


    At that moment, Elijah missed Wendy¡¯s mind-reading ability.


    Readtest stories on NovelBin.C?m


    If he had that ability, he could read their minds and find out the truth about the virus outbreak without all this hassle, without fighting a third-tier female zombie.


    Elijah now seriously doubted the truth of their words.


    But their words reminded him that if they were weaker than him, he could easily control them.


    Why go through the trouble of fighting a female zombie for an uncertain piece of information?


    "It¡¯s true! One of our ssmates¡¯ father is a high-ranking military leader. He sent word before the zombie virus outbreak, telling her to stock up on food and find shelter..." Mason quickly added, fearing Elijah wouldn¡¯t believe him.


    When Elijah heard this, a sudden sh of insight struck him. "The ssmate you¡¯re talking about, is she the female zombie in theke?"


    "How do you know?" Mason¡¯s face showed a trace of panic, but he forced himself to stay silent. However, Zoe, standing behind him, instinctively eximed.


    "Did she turn into a zombie because you guys coveted her food and drove her to death?" Elijah chuckled with a hint of sarcasm.


    He didn¡¯t expect an answer, but seeing the panicked expressions of the group, he already knew.


    He had seen this kind of thing too many times in his past life. In the face of hunger and survival, human morality is like used toilet paper¡ªeasily discarded.


    "We had no choice. She had so much food. Couldn¡¯t she share a little with us?" "Yeah, we were starving, and she wouldn¡¯t give us even a bit. She kept saying she didn¡¯t have any food..." "Zoe saw her buy a lot of food and hide it..." "And she knew about the virus outbreak but didn¡¯t tell anyone. She just hoarded food for herself. So selfish..."


    As the group spoke one after another, Elijah clicked his tongue in disdain. "Tsk, there it is."


    "These people are so weird. Why should she give them her food?" Abigail tilted her head, utterly baffled.


    "Some people think the world revolves around them. If someone they¡¯re not close to doesn¡¯t tell them something or give them something, it¡¯s that person¡¯s fault for being selfish. They never think, why should that person give them anything? They think they¡¯re a flower, but they¡¯re really just a pile of dung," Elijah said, then shed his spear.


    "Bang!" The ss door shattered with a loud noise.


    "What are you doing?" The group was startled by Elijah¡¯s sudden action. Mason immediately pulled out a gun and pointed it at Elijah.


    "What am I doing? I¡¯m sending you to your death, of course!"


    Elijah sneered,pletely indifferent to Mason¡¯s gun. With a sudden burst of terrifying power, he instantly closed the distance between them and appeared right in front of Mason.


    "Ah! Ah! Ah!" Mason, shocked by Elijah¡¯s incredible speed, instinctively pulled the trigger.


    "Bang! Bang! Bang!" Several gunshots rang out in quick session. To everyone¡¯s astonishment, Elijah merely dodged the bullets with a few swift movements. Then he grabbed Mason¡¯s gun-wielding hand and twisted it sharply.


    Mason let out a blood-curdling scream as his arm was grotesquely bent, with bone fragments protruding from his skin.


    The gun slipped from his grasp and ttered to the floor, where Elijah kicked it towards Abigail.


    Abigail picked up the gun, examining it curiously. "It¡¯s a real gun, not a toy," she muttered.


    Meanwhile, the people behind Mason screamed in terror.


    "Murder! He¡¯s killing him!" "Let go of Mason!" "You... You¡¯re breaking thew!"


    Some of them cowered in fear, while others tried to berate Elijah, but none dared to approach him.


    "Murder? Breaking thew? As if you haven¡¯t done the same! That female zombie outside¡ªyou¡¯re allplicit, aren¡¯t you?" Elijah scoffed disdainfully.


    "Why? We have no enmity! Just because of that bitch outside?" Mason, with his arm broken and slumped on the ground, looked up at Elijah with sweat pouring down his face from the pain.


    "Who said we have no enmity? You lured us here from miles away, risking our lives along the way, nearly getting us killed, only to find there is no research institute. Now you want to trick us into killing that dangerous female zombie and im your gun is a toy? You think we¡¯re fools? Isn¡¯t that enough reason for enmity?" Elijah said coolly.


    "We really do know the truth about the zombie virus outbreak!" Mason cried out, enduring the pain.


    "Yes, we really do!" Zoe chimed in urgently.


    "Is that so? Then tell me first, and I¡¯ll help you deal with the female zombie outside," Elijah smirked.


    "Will you keep your word?" someone in the group suddenly shouted.


    Elijah nced at the speaker. "Of course, I keep my word. To show my sincerity, I¡¯ll heal Mason¡¯s hand first."


    "Heal... heal?" The group stared in confusion at Mason¡¯s mangled arm. How could that be healed?


    Ignoring them, Elijah knelt down and took Mason¡¯s arm. Mason winced in pain, gasping for breath.


    "Don¡¯t worry, it¡¯ll be fine soon," Elijah said with a grin, then suddenly adjusted Mason¡¯s exposed bones.


    "Ah!" Mason screamed in agony, his piercing cry sending shivers down everyone¡¯s spine. But the next moment, they witnessed something miraculous.


    Elijah focused, his eyes narrowing as he channeled a surge of his healing energy into Mason¡¯s arm.


    Slowly, the exposed bones began to align and fuse, the wounds closing and the skin mending. Within moments, Mason¡¯s arm was fully restored.


    Mason stared in disbelief, flexing his fingers and rotating his wrist, the pain gone and his armpletely healed.


    The group, previously full of fear and skepticism, now looked at Elijah with a mixture of awe and hope.


    "Now," Elijah said, standing up, "tell me everything you know about the zombie virus outbreak. If your information is good, I¡¯ll take care of that female zombie for you."

 Chapter 243: He just wanted the truth about the virus outbreak

    Elijah ced his palm on Mason¡¯s wound, and a faint white light emanated from it. The external injury caused by the broken bone piercing through his flesh began to visibly heal. Mason¡¯s screams were abruptly interrupted by this sudden change, causing him to choke and gasp like a braying donkey, stopping and starting in intervals.


    "Pfft!"


    Abigail couldn¡¯t help butugh at the sight.


    The others didn¡¯tugh; they all stared intently at Mason¡¯s hand.


    "It¡¯s... it¡¯s really healed?!"


    "Incredible!"


    "What kind of ability is this?"


    Mason finally stopped his braying and looked at his arm in amazement. It had truly healed!


    He moved his arm a bit, and though it wasn¡¯t as flexible as before the injury, it was no longer a major problem!


    "Is your... ability healing?"


    He couldn¡¯t help but ask Elijah.


    "That¡¯s not something you need to worry about. I¡¯ve done my part; now it¡¯s your turn. Tell us the truth about the virus outbreak!"


    Mason fell silent at Elijah¡¯s words.


    "What? You don¡¯t want to talk? Or do you really not know?"


    Elijah smiled, but the smile sent chills down Mason¡¯s spine.


    "Mason, tell him!"


    The man who had earlier asked if Elijah would keep his word shouted.


    "Yeah, he¡¯s done what he said. He healed you, so just tell him!"


    "It¡¯s just some information! What¡¯s there to keep secret?"


    "Yeah! Yeah!"


    "Tell him, and he¡¯ll help us kill the zombie woman outside. Then we¡¯ll truly be safe!"


    The others began urging Mason, all except Zoe, who instinctively took a step back.


    "It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t want to tell you; I¡¯m just worried that once I do, you¡¯ll leave without dealing with the bitch outside!"


    Mason defended himself desperately.


    "Oh, so it seems you¡¯re the only one in this group who knows the truth about the virus outbreak? And you¡¯re unwilling to share it, which makes things difficult for me."


    Elijah looked at the group behind Mason, especially the man who had just spoken up.


    "I... I don¡¯t know! Only Mason and Zoe know the truth about the virus outbreak. It was their idea to broadcast the message on the radio!"


    The man quickly distanced himself from the matter.


    The others echoed his sentiments.


    "Zoe, why don¡¯t you tell us?"


    "Yeah, you said you knew too, didn¡¯t you?"


    Seeing Mason remain silent, the others immediately turned their focus to Zoe.


    "I... I..."


    Zoe stammered, unable to speak.


    "It¡¯s okay, if you don¡¯t want to talk, that¡¯s fine!"


    Elijah smiled.


    "I¡¯ll just break his arm again, but because you didn¡¯t keep your word, this time I¡¯ll break both arms!"


    Mason was startled, and seeing Elijah really about to make a move, he hurriedly shouted, "No! No! No! I¡¯ll talk!"


    Elijah stopped at his words.


    That would have been better from the start!


    Seeing this, Mason took a deep breath and pulled a phone out of his pocket.


    "In fact, we only know a little bit, which is why we¡¯ve been reluctant to talk. We got the truth about the virus outbreak from Elena¡¯s phone... the bitch outside. But now the phone¡¯s dead..."


    "Give me the phone, and then just tell me what you know."


    "Alright!"


    Mason handed over the phone.


    As Elijah reached out to take the phone, a look of resentment shed in Mason¡¯s eyes. Suddenly, he swung his other hand.


    A gust of wind roared out!


    Within the wind, an invisible de aimed at Elijah¡¯s vulnerable neck.


    Damn it, who here doesn¡¯t have superpowers!


    Mason¡¯s inner voice screamed.


    Upon confirming Elijah¡¯s ability was healing, Mason¡¯s resentment made him see this as an opportunity.


    A chance to ambush and kill the other party up close! Stay updated via NovelBin.C?m


    He could feel that the man in front of him was merely toying with them.


    The man had no intention of dealing with the bitch outside.


    He just wanted the truth about the virus outbreak!


    But the key point was, Mason had no idea what the damn truth was!


    If the other party found out, they wouldn¡¯t spare him!


    Better to go all out!


    Since the zombies outside were cleared by the other party, as long as he was careful, with his ability, he could definitely escape!


    As for the others...


    They could serve as bait, to stall Elena, the bitch!


    "ng!"


    The invisible wind de struck Elijah¡¯s neck, producing a metallic shing sound.


    Other than that, it left no trace of injury!


    The wind de dissipated!


    Mason¡¯s resentful face instantly turned to shock!


    "This... impossible!"


    "Wind-type ability? Wind de? I didn¡¯t expect you to be an ability user too!"


    Elijah nced at him indifferently, put the phone in his pocket, then grabbed Mason¡¯s arms and twisted.


    "Crack! Crack!"


    "Ah!"


    Mason screamed in agony again!


    However, Elijah wasn¡¯t done. His leg shot out like lightning.


    Two more "crack" sounds!


    Mason¡¯s legs were also broken in session. His scream abruptly stopped as he fainted from the pain!


    "How... how did ite to this?"


    "Why did Mason attack?"


    "And... since when did Mason be an ability user?"


    The others were stunned by the sudden turn of events and buzzed with incredulous murmurs.


    But soon, they were terrified by Elijah¡¯s brutal actions.


    They fell silent, too scared to speak, especially when Elijah nced their way.


    "This guy didn¡¯t cooperate honestly. Now it¡¯s your turn to talk!"


    "W-we really don¡¯t know! Zoe, Zoe, you better speak up!"


    "Yeah, Zoe, hurry up and say something!"


    Zoe, hiding among the crowd, saw the others make way for her. She realized she couldn¡¯t hide anymore and stepped forward with a tearful face.


    "I... I actually don¡¯t know much either! I only know... the virus came from Country A. Oh, right! Elena¡¯s phone has photos, photos of the zombie virus outbreak in Country A, and some other pictures I don¡¯t understand.


    Other than that... I don¡¯t know. Only Elena knows! That¡¯s all I know! Please don¡¯t break my arms and legs!"


    Zoe started trembling and crying as she spoke.


    "If you¡¯re not lying, I won¡¯t do anything to you!"


    "I swear on my life, everything I said is true. Not a single lie!"


    "Alright, then. Stay put for now while I check the phone."

 Chapter 244: Take a photo

    Elijah then had Abigail notify Daisy and Charlotte toe in. Meanwhile, Elijah took out a portable charger and started charging Elena¡¯s phone.


    "Oh, by the way, where did you get this handgun?"


    While charging, Elijah epted the handgun from Abigail. It was a Glock, an item clearly out of ce in a school.


    "That... Mason picked it up from some soldiers who came to the school looking for Elena!"


    "Soldiers? How did they get here? What were they looking for Elena for?" Daisy, who had just entered, asked curiously.


    "I heard... Elena¡¯s father is a high-ranking officer in the military. He was the one who informed her to stockpile supplies and find a safe ce with few people to hide! Not long after the zombie virus outbreak, a helicopter came to the school looking for Elena... that¡¯s where the gun came from," Zoe stammered.


    "And what happened to the people who came looking for Elena?"


    "They¡¯re all dead!"


    Elijah¡¯s intuition told him there were more secrets here. For instance, did the people who came by helicopter find Elena? How did they die? How did Elenae into conflict with these people? And why did these people kill Elena, leaving her with such intense resentment?


    Zoe was avoiding the crucial details, even though she was telling the truth. The others also seemed uneasy and their eyes flickered while Zoe spoke...


    But none of this mattered to Elijah. He was only interested in the truth about the virus outbreak and decided not to delve further.


    Soon, Elena¡¯s phone had enough power to turn on.


    Elijah tried to unlock the phone, but he was immediately stumped!


    "Do any of you know Elena¡¯s phone password?"


    "No!"


    "No idea!"


    "Then how did you check Elena¡¯s phone before?" Elijah questioned Zoe.


    "W-we... um, the phone can be unlocked with a fingerprint and face recognition!" Zoe still didn¡¯t answer directly, but her words revealed everything!


    "So you still need me to deal with the female zombie outside, huh?" Elijah said with annoyance.


    With her little scheme exposed, Zoe dared not say another word.


    "But now that I think about it, we do have a bait right here. Let¡¯s give it a try!" Elijah said, looking at the unconscious Mason on the ground.


    Zoe stepped back in fear.


    Thankfully... thankfully, I threw Mason out at the start. Otherwise, I might have been the bait! Zoe thought with relief.


    "Daisy, Charlotte, keep an eye on these people. I¡¯m going outside to try something!"


    "Be careful!" Charlotte nodded. Daisy wanted to follow but was held back by Charlotte, looking unhappy.


    Elijah, carrying Mason, walked outside with Abigail and Kylie, along with seven zombies, heading toward theke. He left the stealth zombie behind, knowing it wouldn¡¯t be useful in the fight and losing it would be a great loss.


    They soon reached a spot not far from thekeshore. Elijah threw Mason to the ground, and the intense pain woke him up, making him scream, which immediately attracted the white-dressed female zombie in theke.


    She drifted across the ice, quickly reaching thekeshore. She stared at Mason on the ground, her eyes filled with endless killing intent.


    But then she nced at Elijah and his group... or rather, Elijah¡¯s zombies, and didn¡¯te ashore. Instead, she warily retreated to the center of theke.


    "Huh? This method isn¡¯t working!" Elijah kicked Mason, identally knocking him out again.


    "Damn it, you¡¯re an awakened one, can¡¯t you be a bit tougher?" Elijahined, but soon he realized something.


    Hmm~ Maybe it¡¯s because we have too many third-tier zombies here? She might be scared toe over?


    Elijah thought for a moment and then said to Abigail, "Abigail, go back to Charlotte and the others!"


    "Huh? You¡¯re not letting me fight the female zombie with you?" Abigail said, unhappy.


    "You and Kylie are too strong. If you two stay here, she won¡¯t daree over!" Elijah ttered.


    "Oh, so she¡¯s a coward. Alright, it¡¯s up to you two then!" Abigail pouted and turned to leave. Enjoy exclusive chapters from NovelBin.C?m


    Elijah moved Mason closer to theke, but the white-dressed female zombie in the center of theke just stared at them without moving.


    Seeing that they were almost at thekeshore, the white-dressed female zombie finally spoke.


    "Leave... here... none of your... business!"


    Her voice was hoarse and broken, as if she hadn¡¯t spoken in a long time.


    "Uh... actually, I just want to take a photo with you. Do you believe me?" Elijah raised the phone and waved it at the white-dressed female zombie.


    "Take a photo, do you know what that means?" Elijah repeated.


    The white-dressed female zombie stared at Elijah with her blood-red eyes, as if looking at an idiot.


    "Really, just a selfie, and I¡¯ll leave!" Elijah insisted. Reasoning with a sentient zombie through conversation would be best, but if not, then he¡¯d resort to force.


    "Leave... here... step into... death!" The white-dressed female zombie ignored Elijah¡¯s words, her eyes filled with murderous intent.


    "Cut! As expected, wild zombies, even if they have intelligence, are not easy to deal with. In that case, sorry!"


    After Elijah spoke, he sent amand to Kylie through their mental link. Kylie, without any hesitation, immediately unleashed her Mind Suppression!


    The distance Kylie was at was just right to affect the white-d female zombie with her Mind Suppression. If she had been any farther, the effect would have been minimal. This was also why Elijah had left Mason here.


    A terrifying pressure was released, and while the third-tier female zombie was barely affected, Mason on the ground rolled his eyes, foamed at the mouth, andpletely fainted. This kid was actually pretending to be unconscious!


    However, Elijah didn¡¯t have time to deal with him now. The white-d female zombie was momentarily stunned by the Mind Suppression, and Elijah and the seven zombies lunged at her.


    The few meters distance was crossed in an instant. Elijah reached out and grabbed the female zombie¡¯s arm, then twisted it forcefully.


    "Crack!"


    The white-d female zombie¡¯s arm snapped with the sound!


    At the same time, the fastest speed-ability zombie also arrived in front of the white-d female zombie and delivered a lightning-fast kick to her leg.


    With the explosive power of the speed zombie¡¯s legs, if the kicknded, the white-d female zombie¡¯s leg would definitely be broken.


    Elijah was also preparing to break her other arm topletely neutralize herbat ability.


    But at that moment, seemingly affected by the broken arm, the white-d female zombie suddenly regained her senses from Kylie¡¯s Mind Suppression.


    "Ah!"

 Chapter 245: A third-tier zombie was indeed extraordinary

    She let out a sharp, piercing howl, and a terrifying cold aura erupted from her body, instantly covering her with a thick ice shield.


    At the same time, countless sharp ice needles, centered around the white-d female zombie, shot up from theke¡¯s surface, spinning as they pierced out.


    "Bang! Bang! Bang!"


    The countless ice needles struck Elijah with loud bangs, but they caused no harm. Read new chapters at NovelBin.C?m


    They merely knocked him off bnce, preventing him from grabbing the other arm of the white-d female zombie.


    Meanwhile, numerousyers of ice quickly covered Elijah, immobilizing his movements.


    The speed zombie next to Elijah, simr to him in every way, suffered because its bodycked Elijah¡¯s robust defense.


    The ice des pierced through it, and before its blood could even flow out, it was sealed by the cold, instantly turning it into an ice sculpture.


    Not just the speed zombie, but even the other six zombies, slightly slower than Elijah, were also frozen by the cold spreading from theke.


    Only the strength zombie managed to break free from the encroaching ice with brute force. However, the continuous freezing from theke¡¯s ice made its movements extremely slow.


    A third-tier zombie was indeed extraordinary; each ability that progressed to the third tier became incredibly troublesome!


    Elijah himself was unharmed.


    Apart from Abigail¡¯s strong defensive power, the passive ice resistance from the ice zombie was enough to make him immune to the damage caused by the cold.


    However, that didn¡¯t mean he was immune to being frozen; the ice only covered his surface.


    Elijah tensed his muscles and with a powerful shake, the thickyer of ice on his body shattered into pieces. Then he delivered a fierce punch towards the white-d female zombie.


    "Boom!"


    With a thunderous roar, Elijah¡¯s fist struck the thick iceyer covering the white-d female zombie. The ice cracked open immediately.


    At that moment, Kylie stepped forward, carefully cing herself on the edge of the frozenke.


    She concentrated all her mental focus and stared at the white-d female zombie.


    Her widespread Mind Suppression was concentrated into a very small sector around the white-d female zombie, creating an invisible shockwave that reached her instantly.


    "Bang!"


    The cracked iceyer on the white-d female zombie was instantly shattered into ice shards, scattering around like stars.


    The white-d female zombie, affected by the intensified Mind Suppression, had her eyes roll back and nearly lost consciousness.


    Taking advantage of this, Elijah broke the white-d female zombie¡¯s other arm and both legs, rendering herpletely immobilized. He then grabbed her and rushed towards the shore.


    Just as Elijah reached the shore with the white-d female zombie, the strength zombie, still being entangled by the freezing, erupted in fury. Gathering all its strength, it stomped angrily on the ice.


    With a loud crash, the iceyer beneath the strength zombie shattered, and it fell into theke. The ice on theke¡¯s surface cracked with "crack! crack!" sounds.


    "This idiot!"


    Elijah shook his head. Without Abigail¡¯smand, Elijah could only give simple instructions and let the zombies act on their own.


    Onnd, few people or zombies could withstand the attack of this group.


    Unfortunately, this was the wrong terrain¡ªthis was the white-d female zombie¡¯s domain. As a result, all seven zombies were frozen and rendered ineffective.


    Seeing the iceyer only cracked and notpletely shattered, Elijah ignored the strength zombie and continued to move the white-d female zombie away from theke.


    Only onnd, with her limbs all broken, would the white-d female zombie be truly harmless.


    "Hmm! This should be good!"


    Reaching a position between theke and the cafeteria, Elijah put down the white-d female zombie.


    Although her arms and legs were broken and she couldn¡¯t move, she didn¡¯t instinctively try to bite Elijah like other ordinary zombies. Instead, she used her abilities to freeze the hand that was holding her.


    However, after Elijah set her down, he simply shook her, causing the thick iceyer on her arm to fall off. The arm beneath the ice was unharmed.


    This realization made the white-d female zombie gradually understand that her abilities seemed to have no effect on this person in front of her.


    "Stay here quietly. Kylie, keep an eye on her!"


    Elijah, seeing that the white-d female zombie had stopped using her abilities, issued a warning and then instructed Kylie.


    Elijah had not killed the white-d female zombie directly because he nned to see if he could extract any information about the zombie virus after unlocking her phone.


    Of course, Elena¡¯s transformation into the white-d female zombie might mean she retained little useful memory, so Elijah wasn¡¯t expecting to learn much. But there might still be some valuable information.


    For now, she was no threat with her limbs broken.


    Even if she could use her abilities, they would be limited to a small area around herself without the enhancement of theke.


    With Kylie¡¯s Mind Suppression, it was as if she were a grasshopper in autumn, unable to move.


    After instructing Kylie, Elijah didn¡¯t take out his phone but turned back towards theke. Just a moment ago, he had lost contact with two second-tier zombies. He needed to check on them!


    When Elijah reached theke, he found that the me zombie and the ice zombie had freed themselves from the ice.


    The former¡¯s ability countered ice but was hindered by its lower tier.


    Thetter, being an ice ability zombie itself, had been suppressed before. Now, without the control of the white-d female zombie, it had naturally freed itself.


    Among the remaining zombies, the lightning zombie and the w zombie were struggling but would likely free themselves from the ice soon.


    The strength zombie was missing, but Elijah sensed it was still alive underwater.


    Only the water control zombie and the speed zombie hadpletely ceased movement and were now dead!


    "Damn! I didn¡¯t expect the third-tier ice ability to be so powerful, it actually froze two second-tier zombies to death!"


    Elijah shook his head and hurried towards the ice hole where the strength zombie had fallen. If he didn¡¯t hurry, the strength zombie might drown as well!


    After all, while zombies may seem like dead humans, only their consciousness is gone; their bodies retain minimal vitality, making them living corpses.


    If the bodypletely dies, the zombie virus can no longer control them.


    However, when Elijah looked down into the ice hole, his pupils contracted in shock. Beneath the ice was a dense mass of countless corpses!


    Zombie corpses!

 Chapter 246: Snow Lotus

    "Damn it! What is going on here?" Elijah quickly looked around theke!


    Through the thick ice, he saw that the situation below was just like at the ice pit.


    Countless human bodies were densely packed together and covered by the iceyer, appearing dark and indistinct.


    This dense umtion of bodies had initially gone unnoticed by Elijah, who thought theke was shallow with only muddy soil beneath.


    The revtion of the ice-covered corpses made his scalp tingle with unease.


    "Besides the zombies at the school entrance, most of the zombies in other areas were cleared. I was wondering where all those bodies went. Now it looks like they were all dumped in thiske!" Elijah muttered to himself.


    "Who did this? White-d female zombie Elena? Or someone else or another zombie? If Elena advanced to the third tier, could it be rted to this?"


    Elijah had some suspicions, but he didn''t have time to ponder further.


    He switched to his ice abilities and extended his hand into the water.


    An ice pir formed and extended down to thekebed, soon reaching the strength zombie.


    Elijah pulled the strength zombie out of the ice.


    Then, he used the fire zombie''s abilities to melt the ice covering the lightning and w zombies, freeing them.


    Finally, he approached the speed and water control zombies.


    Elijah found that the blood inside these two zombies had also frozen, which was the cause of their deaths.


    The speed zombie''s blood froze due to injuries that allowed the cold to prate its veins.


    The water control zombie''s death was more unfortunate, as its ability to control water had led to its body''s fluids, including blood, being frozen.


    "Right, ice abilities are a natural counter to water control users. How did I forget that?" Elijah realized.


    If he had taken that into ount and paired the water control zombie with the invisibility zombie, it might not have died.


    "Forget it. If it''s dead, it''s dead. We''re short on contract slots anyway!" Elijah sighed.


    Since returning to Azure Isle, Fiona hadined several times about the tight "Seed of Consciousness" slots, which made her reluctant to sell second-tier advancement potions casually.


    However, Elijah couldn''t do much.


    To expand the slots, he needed to advance to the fourth tier, which was an extremely difficult feat.


    In his past life, despite a year into the apocalypse, he hadn''t heard of anyone advancing to the fourth tier, though he had heard of a few fourth-tier zombies.


    Thinking about this, Elijah felt a stir in his heart!


    If zombies can only advance to the third tier by consuming corpse cores, advancing beyond that is a challenge.


    Consuming second-tier corpse cores has limited effect on third-tier zombies, as these cores only serve to satiate their hunger and gradually enhance their strength.


    To advance, third-tier zombies must consume third-tier corpse cores, which are extremely rare and powerful, making them difficult to hunt.


    Alternatively, they must consume spirit nts of a higher tier than Crystal Grass to reach the fourth tier.


    Elijah remembered the unusual spirit nt under Nora''s care¡ªthe Dancing Grass that emitted strange, zombie-attracting waves.


    Abigail had advanced to the third tier by consuming part of this spirit nt along with some second-tier corpse cores.


    She had named it Dancing Grass because of its bouncing, dance-like appearance. Elijah hadn''t seen theplete form of the Dancing Grass, so he wasn''t sure if Abigail had consumed it in its mature state.


    Nevertheless, the fact that it could attract third-tier invisible zombies suggested that it was at least on par with Crystal Grass, and possibly even superior.


    Now, Elijah recalled the white-d female zombie''s restrained vengeance and her warning to keep outsiders away from theke.


    With theke filled with corpses, a sudden realization struck him.


    "Could it be¡­"


    He ordered all the zombies back to shore and walked towards the center of theke, carefully examining every corner of the ice surface, especially between the frozen lotus flowers and leaves.


    Finally, at the location where the white-d female zombie had danced, Elijah discovered an extraordinarily beautiful nt.


    The nt protruding through the ice had a short stem and a bowl-sized, pure white flower.


    The flower was translucent and delicate, with six thin petals resembling gossamer or cicada wings.


    In the center of the flower, tiny, firefly-like light points flickered intermittently.


    This was a noble and beautiful spirit nt simr to a snow lotus!


    "I''m such a fool. I previously advised that ces surrounded by zombies, which can''t be lured away, are likely attracting them due to a spirit nt. I didn''t realize this applied to me!" Elijah chided himself, though his face was lit with a smile.


    "A spirit nt that can attract a third-tier zombie must be at least as good as Crystal Grass, if not better!"


    Elijah closely examined the snow lotus spirit nt and noticed that the petals were beginning to wither.


    The flower''s center was developing a crystal-white fruit.


    Elijah had a strong intuition that when the petals fully withered, the fruit would be fully matured, and it might happen within a day or two.


    "No wonder the white-d female zombie wouldn''t leave theke. It must be at a critical stage!"


    Beneath the snow lotus flower, the iceyer had a fist-sized hole through which the nt''s stem extended.


    Clearly, the roots of the snow lotus were deeply embedded in theke''s muddy bottom.


    The nt''s robust growth was likely due to the countless corpses at thekebed.


    "I wonder if the white-d female zombie identally discovered this growing method for spirit nts or if she already knew and intentionally piled the corpses here to cultivate the nts."


    Elijah pondered while observing the snow lotus, leaning towards the former idea.


    If she had known, she could have used corpse cores directly.


    It was more likely that she identally discovered the corpse pile''s beneficial effect on spirit nt growth and then dragged corpses into theke.


    Regardless of how it came to be, it now benefited Elijah. Standing up with a smile, Elijah felt the gloom of losing two second-tier zombies lifted.


    The only issue now was that the snow lotus spirit nt couldn''t be easily transnted, so he would have to wait here for it to mature.


    With his spirits lifted, Elijah felt it was time to deal with the white-d female zombie.


    Hopefully, this would bring some substantial insights into the truth behind the zombie virus outbreak.

 Chapter 247: There’s no need for all this hostility

    Elijah had also considered the possibility that the virus outbreak might have resulted from aboratory leak in Country A.


    However, he felt that even if there was a leak, it couldn''t possibly spread globally in an instant.


    Later, when Charlotte discovered that the zombie virus appeared alongside the mysterious Chi recorded in ancient scrolls, Elijah felt even more skeptical about theboratory leak theory.


    After all, while Country A could produce various novel viruses, could they also create something as ancient as Chi?


    So, when Elijah heard Zoe say that the virus outbreak originated from Country A, he didn''t believe it at all.


    Elijah suspected that Zoe might have passed on misinformation, received iplete information, or even been deceived by Elena.


    After building a small ice house to protect the snow lotus spirit nts with his freezing ability, Elijah returned to the shore.


    He was nning to have the remaining second-tier zombies guard the group of survivors when he suddenly overheard a conversation between the white-d female zombie and Kylie and Abigail.


    "You¡­ are like us¡­ why¡­ listen to humans¡­?"


    Kylie didn''t respond, but Abigail, who had appeared out of nowhere, squatted down curiously looking at the white-d female zombie.


    She replied with a grin, "Because¡­ we can get food without doing it ourselves, filling our stomachs! Hmm! And we can be stronger!"


    As Abigail spoke, she even licked her lips!


    The white-d female zombie''s eyes widened in surprise.


    Just¡­ this?


    She then turned to look at Kylie.


    "Because¡­ there are important people!"


    "Hmph, besides, what do you mean ''listening to humans''? Humans are just working for me, helping me get food. I listen to them just to make sure they don''t ck off and stay motivated!"


    Abigail said proudly.


    Elijah was dumbfounded!


    So, this is what you think, little girl?


    "Abigail, take these zombies to guard the survivors, and then call Charlotte and Daisy!"


    Abigail, realizing her words had been overheard by her master, stuck out her tongue and quickly led the zombies away!


    She was afraid that if she didn''t leave quickly, Elijah might reprimand her in front of so many people!


    After giving Abigail her instructions, Elijah turned to the white-d female zombie. The female zombie''s blood-red eyes were fixed on him, filled with not only fierce killing intent but also a hint of curiosity.


    Elijah thought for a moment, then pricked his finger to squeeze out a drop of blood containing the Seed of Consciousness.


    He used his ice abilities to freeze it into a pill.


    Finally, he switched to Abigail''s defensive abilities and forcibly administered the pill to the white-d female zombie despite her struggles and attempts to bite.


    Originally, Elijah''s third-tier abilities couldn''t control third-tier zombies.


    But his abilities had recently grown, and with the presence of two third-tier zombies for detailed research, he gradually discovered that he wasn''tpletely unable to form a contract.


    It should be said that he wasn''t entirely incapable of contracting. As long as the Seed of Consciousness was nted, even if he didn''t give direct suggestions ormands, he could maintain the connection of consciousness without breaking.


    As long as the line of consciousness was intact, even without directmands and control, it had significant benefits. For instance, monitoring the zombie''s status or imitating its abilities.


    In the past, even in his previous life, he hadn''t made such discoveries because whenever he faced zombies of the same tier, he was in a state of constant danger and was eager to control them. This led to natural resistance from the zombies.


    For example, zombies with no intellect instinctively wanted to eat humans, including Elijah.


    When Elijah first formed a contract with a zombie, he would immediately try to prevent the zombie from having such thoughts and behaviors to ensure his safety.


    This conflicted with the zombie''s cannibalistic instincts, and because they were of the same tier, maintaining the line of consciousness was impossible, resulting in failed contracts.


    But the white-d female zombie was different; she had intellect or, more urately, rationality.


    Elijah believed that if he treated her as he would a person, he could maintain the line of consciousness.


    Of course, his main reason for doing this was that he felt it would be difficult to get the white-d female zombie to cooperate and reveal the truth about the zombie virus outbreak.


    But once the contract was established, there would be more room for maneuver!


    The white-d female zombie didn''t know what Elijah had administered to her, but she instinctively felt it was something bad.


    However, with her limbs broken andcking the support ofke water, she was unable to inflict any harm on Elijah.


    She used her freezing ability to create a wide area of ice around her, forcing Elijah to back off, and then she adjusted her body.


    After a while, she didn''t detect anything abnormal, but she had a nagging feeling that something wasn''t right, especially with Elijah''s persistent, seemingly benign smile.


    Elijah wasn''t actually smiling benignly at her; he was focused on the line of consciousness between them. Indeed, his suspicions were correct!


    At this point, with the Seed of Consciousness nted and the contract established, Elijah had not issued anymands.


    Even though the white-d female zombie used her freezing abilities extensively again, it was much less effective than in theke.


    No matter how much she struggled, there were no signs of breaking the line of consciousness.


    This made things easier!


    Elijah took out his phone and waved it at the white-d female zombie, saying, "I told you before, I just want to take a picture with you. There''s no need for all this hostility!"


    The white-d female zombie didn''t believe him at all! Elijah wasn''t expecting her to; he was just reiterating his previous excuse to reinforce her impression.


    Meanwhile, he repeatedly transmitted this message through the line of consciousness.


    This repetition of words, not involvingmands, made the zombie believe she was just mentally reviewing Elijah''s words, thus not triggering her resistance.


    "I know you don''t believe me, but I really do just want to take a picture. Since you can''t escape now, why not trust me this once? If you cooperate, I can heal one of your legs afterward!"


    Elijah continued with his friendly tone and repeated this message in the zombie''s mind as an echo.


    Influenced by this, the white-d female zombie hesitated. She neither agreed nor refused!


    "You can just stay there; I''ll take the picture myself and make sure not to touch you. How about that? You have nothing to lose and could even get one leg healed!"


    Elijah continued to persuade her as he slowly approached the white-d female zombie. Her body tensed immediately, wanting to attack Elijah, but she forcibly restrained herself!


    Elijah saw this and felt a surge of happiness. It was indeed effective!


    He slowly squatted next to the white-d female zombie, posed for a selfie with his phone, and as the phone recognized the white-d female zombie, it unlocked the screen.


    Elijah''s face lit up with joy, but he didn''t leave immediately. Instead, he opened the camera and took a selfie! The phone''s screen captured the expressionless face of the white-d female zombie Elena and Elijah''s beaming smile.


    Then Elijah promptly went to the phone settings and changed the screen timeout to never. This way, the phone would remain usable for a short period without being locked.


    Afterpleting this step, Elijah turned to the white-d female zombie Elena and said, "Alright, now I''ll heal one of your legs. Please don''t move!"

 Chapter 248: Serenity Peak

    Elijah kept his promise, as he would need to continue gaining the trust of the white-d female zombie, Elena, to obtain more information about the virus outbreak.


    At this moment, Daisy and Charlotte arrived. Elijah handed the phone to Charlotte, asking her to check its contents.


    He then squatted next to Elena and said, "You need to remove the ice from this leg. While I treat it, I might need to reset the bones, so please try not to move!"


    Elena did not respond verbally. However, due to Elijah''s earlier action of taking a photo, she was inclined to trust him a little.


    After a moment of hesitation, she finally removed the ice from her leg. Chapter Find:


    The ice had been applied swiftly after Elijah injured her, to alleviate pain and prevent blood loss.


    As the ice melted, it revealed the pale, frozen wound and the disturbing broken bones within.


    Elijah felt no embarrassment at the sight. In a fight, showing mercy could mean being the one injured.


    He examined the wound and began resetting the bones. Throughout the process, Elena remained still, only slightly frowning.


    Soon, she rxed her expression, and her hostility toward Elijah diminished somewhat.


    Elijah ced his hands over Elena''s wound, and a faint white light began to heal it, followed by repairing the bones internally and externally.


    He continued until he felt the bones were fully healed.


    "All done. Your leg should be fine now. Try moving it a bit to see how it feels!" Elijah said.


    Elena tentatively bent and stretched her leg, finding it to be as flexible and functional as before, with no stiffness or difficulty.


    She looked at Elijah, wondering if he was truly trustworthy.


    If she had agreed to the photo request from the start, would things have turned out differently?


    Elena''s doubts were, in fact, subtly suggested by Elijah.


    "Elijah,e over here!" Charlotte called out, having made a discovery.


    Elijah walked over to Charlotte and Daisy, and the three of them peered at Elena''s phone screen.


    The phone disyed a top-down view of what appeared to be a street in A country, as evidenced by the surrounding buildings bearing A country''s text.


    The street was overrun with zombies, attacking and devouring normal humans.


    The scene resembled what Elijah had seen when he first woke up in his neighborhood, but the number of zombies here was muchrger¡ªlike sardines, densely packed.


    "This looks like a satellite photo. It''s likely that the zombie virus had just begun to spread, so the concentration of Chi in the air wasn''t high yet, andmunications weren''t fully disrupted¡­ that''s why the military could still receive these photos!" Elijah spected.


    "There''s more!" Charlotte said, swiping to the next photo. It was a simr scene but from a different angle.


    Charlotte continued swiping. After two more simr photos, the content changed to an image of an endless ocean.


    Several fully-armed warships were firing shells in the same direction, but there was nothing visible in that direction¡­ or rather, there was something.


    It was a fog. Due to the angle and distance, the photo didn''t reveal what was within the fog.


    "What are the A country''s warships attacking?" Elijah wondered aloud.


    The next photo answered Elijah''s question.


    This photo appears to capture the mist specifically. It''s much clearer than thest one, and you can vaguely see the outline of a mountain!


    "They''re attacking a mountain? Or something on the mountain? Could that mountain be Skull Ind? Is there a giant ape inside?" Daisy muttered.


    "I don''t think it''s that simple!" Charlotte shook her head and then said to Elijah, "This is thest photo. Although we''re not sure where it is or what they''re doing, it''s clearly rted to the zombie virus outbreak and Chi''s mysterious revival!"


    "Hmm! Since they specifically photographed the zombie transformation scene in Country A, and Zoe also said that the zombie virus outbreak started in Country A, if this is rted to this ind, then the ind should be not far from Country A!" Elijah spected.


    "Why don''t you ask Elena again? See if she remembers anything!" Daisy encouraged.


    "That''s the only option we have!" Elijah shrugged.


    Besides these photos, the phone also had a final call from someone suspected to be Elena''s father, and Charlotte found nothing more.


    Everything is spection now; they can only rely on Elena and hope she remembers something!


    Elijah approached Elena with the phone.


    "I found something when I was looking at our selfies on the phone. Can you see if you remember or know anything about it? Whatever you remember, as long as it''s useful, I''ll heal your arm! I keep my promises!" Elijah said, giving her another hint that he would keep his word.


    This time, Elena didn''t speak but immediately focused her eyes on the phone.


    Elijah held it closer and showed her one photo at a time. After she looked at each photo for a while, he swiped to the next one.


    After reviewing all the photos, Elena was silent for a moment. Then, under the expectant gazes of Elijah and the others, she spoke: "Serenity Peak!"


    "Serenity Peak?" Elijah, Daisy, and Charlotte exchanged puzzled looks.


    Soon, Charlotte seemed to remember something and said excitedly, "Is it the legendary Mystic Serenity Peak?"


    However, Elenapletely ignored Charlotte and continued to look at Elijah, then nced at her own arm.


    "Uh¡­" Elijah sighed and crouched down. "You need to remove the ice from your arm first. While I''m treating it, tell me more about this Serenity Peak. It''s crucial for your arm''s treatment!"


    Elena obediently removed the ice from her arm. Once she saw Elijah starting the treatment, she spoke up, "I don''t know¡­ what Mystic Serenity Peak is! After seeing the photo, these two words just popped into my head! Serenity Peak¡­ shrouded in mist¡­ suddenly appeared in the eastern sea¡­ and someone¡­ is living there¡­"


    After saying this, Elena stopped and didn''t continue.


    "That''s it?" Elijah asked.


    "Mm! I don''t remember anything else!"


    Hearing this, Elijah stopped the treatment, and Elena began moving her arm on her own.


    "Could it really be the legendary Mystic Serenity Peak, which was sealed in ancient times for unknown reasons, and has now been unsealed, suddenly appearing?" Elijah spected.


    "It''s possible. This would also exin why Chi revived¡ªperhaps it spilled out from Mystic Serenity Peak!" Charlotte nodded.


    "Like some gases, spreading from high-density areas to lower-density areas? Then the Chi concentration from Mystic Serenity Peak must be extremely high, spreading all the way here and even farther. Did the zombie virus alsoe from there?"


    "It''s possible, but I lean towards the idea that it might not be the only ce that suddenly appeared," Charlotte analyzed.

 Chapter 249: Spirit plants are maturing

    "Not just one ce?" Elijah was astonished, not understanding why Charlotte would think that way.


    "In Chinese mythology and some ancient texts, thendscapes from ancient times are described very differently from today," Charlotte said excitedly.


    "Modern people often dismiss these books as novels, thinking that ancient people exaggerated many details due to limited transportation andmunication. But now, we''re seeing the existence of Chi as recorded in ancient texts, and we truly have abilities simr to those described in myths.


    And with the suspected appearance of the legendary Mystic Serenity Peak¡­ could it be that some of the records in these ancient texts are also true? Might it be that, like Mystic Serenity Peak, other ces were hidden for some reason and have now suddenly reappeared along with it?"


    "Such an exnation could ount for the increase in Chi¡­ Unfortunately, right now all of this is just our wild guessing. To verify, we''ll have to visit this so-called Serenity Peak," Elijah shrugged.


    Moreover, the truth behind the zombie virus outbreak still remains unexined. Everything ultimately depends on whether they go to Country A or the nearby Serenity Peak to investigate.


    "Once we''re settled in Neoville City, let''s go out to sea together!" Charlotte said seriously to Elijah.


    She was aware of Elijah and Fiona''s general future ns and knew that it wasn''t time to leave yet.


    However, Charlotte had always been dedicated to cultivation and Chi, and she constantly urged everyone to train harder.


    "Yes! Yes! Yes! Let''s go out to sea and¡­ um, explore the truth and search for immortals!" Daisy added enthusiastically, though she inadvertently revealed her desire to go out for leisure.


    Seeing Charlotte''s rare serious expression, Elijah understood her determination. If he didn''t go, she would likely go on her own someday.


    In fact, Elijah was also curious about the so-called Serenity Peak and the truth behind the zombie virus outbreak, so he agreed without hesitation.


    "Then it''s settled!" Daisy said happily.


    The goal for this outing was roughly aplished.


    Next, they would wait for the snow lotus spirit nts to mature and figure out what to do with the white-d female zombie, Elena.


    At present, Elena, the white-d female zombie, was of no use. The simplest method¡­


    As Elijah was contemting this, a pleasant fragrance suddenly filled the air, and both Elena and Kylie, upon smelling it, immediately turned their gaze towards theke.


    Elena, the female zombie, even tried to struggle and move towards theke.


    Meanwhile, other second-tier zombies in the cafeteria also showed signs of agitation, simr to how they reacted when Elijah first encountered the dancing grass.


    "Spirit nts¡­ are maturing?" Elijah was momentarily stunned, then quickly realized.


    "Kylie, restrain Elena!" Elijah said, and without waiting to see if Kylie heard him, he shot out and reached the small ice house he had made in the center of theke.


    Through the gaps in the ice wall, Elijah saw that out of the six petals of the snow lotus spirit nts enclosed inside, three had withered, and another one was on the verge of falling.


    "It''s really about to mature!" Elijah became nervous instantly.


    The result-type spirit nts are different from zombie grass in that, shortly after the fruit matures, the nt will wither due to exhaustion of vitality. Only the fruit remains, waiting for the chosen one to consume it!


    If Elijah wants to rejuvenate this spirit nt like the zombie grass, he needs to seize the critical moment.


    At this time, Kylie has subdued the white-d female zombie Elena through mental intimidation, and Abigail has restrained the impulses of other second-tier zombies, just like she did with the dancing grass.


    Charlotte and Daisy then ran up behind Elijah. Chapter Stay:


    Both of them were delighted to see the snow lotus spirit nt and immediately understood what was happening!


    Elijah instructed Charlotte and Daisy to stay alert and opened the small ice house, releasing a more intense fragrance that caused Charlotte and Daisy to show expressions of intoxication.


    In the distance, the white-d female zombie Elena became even more agitated.


    Unfortunately, with Elijah''s treatment, he had specifically chosen one hand and one foot,bined with Kylie''s suppression, leaving her helpless!


    Elijah didn''t pause; after dismantling the ice house, he expanded the ice cavity around the snow lotus flower stalk to reveal theke water below.


    Then, Elijah used his ice abilities to freeze the water around the snow lotus flower''s roots, forming a hollow circr well that surrounded the roots, allowing him to see the mud at the bottom.


    This setup would facilitate his attempt to heal the snow lotus spirit nt and observe if it would rejuvenate!


    As Elijah finished these preparations, only one petal of the snow lotus flower remained, which soon fell off in the presence of the three.


    The snow lotus spirit nt''s branch was left bare, with only a crystal-like fruit remaining.


    The branch beneath the fruit visibly changed from green to yellow.


    Elijah quickly switched to Be''s healing ability.


    This ability, which he had solidified, was only second-tier, and he wasn''t sure if it could rejuvenate this spirit nt!


    Now, he could only exert all his effort and hope for sess!


    Energy surged from Elijah''s body as he used his ability, flowing into the snow lotus flower''s roots.


    In Elijah''s mind, the scene at thekebed immediately appeared along the route of the energy flow.


    The roots of the snow lotus flower were densely spread across thekebed, like a massive covering countless zombie corpses, drawing energy from them in a sinister and malevolent manner, contrasting sharply with the sacred flowers and fruit on the ice surface!


    These massive roots, which had started to wither as the fruit matured, immediately seemed to struggle for survival upon receiving Elijah''s healing energy, aggressively drawing energy from countless corpses, causing the corpses to visibly shrivel and shrink!


    Elijah even saw roots prating the back of some zombies'' heads, where there were glowing lights like fireflies.


    These were corpse cores! But under the roots'' aggressive absorption, the glow of the corpse cores quickly faded like a fleeting spark.


    In the end, the vast roots covering the entirekebed absorbed arge amount of energy and died inrge areas after transmitting the energy to the connecting roots.


    Only the area where the roots connected remained with a rich, luminous white energy mass, from which a vibrant young seedling emerged!


    "Sess!" Elijah''s face brightened, but he could no longer hold on and copsed to the ground. Just moments ago, this spirit nt had nearly drained him dry!


    Considering he was a third-tier ability user with a much higher energy density than a second-tier user, using a second-tier ability was quite effortless, yet he was exhausted.


    If Be hade, even if she exhausted her energy, she might not have been able to save this spirit nt!


    This also confirmed for Elijah that this spirit nt was definitely superior to Crystal Grass! His advancement to the fourth tier was now within reach!

 Chapter 250: Stubbornness

    "Elijah, are you alright?" Daisy asked anxiously as she saw Elijah copsed on the ground.


    "I''m fine; just need to rest for a bit!" Elijah replied, then looked at the spiritual fruit still hanging on the withered branch.


    Given his current condition, he was not fit to eat it.


    He instructed Daisy to take the fruit down and seal it in a box made of ice, causing the enchanting fragrance to immediately vanish.


    "What kind of fruit is this? It looks so delicious!" Daisy gulped.


    "I haven''t seen it before either, but given the difficulty I had healing it, it seems more advanced than Crystal Grass!" Elijah said.


    "Does that mean if you eat this fruit, you could advance to the fourth tier?" Daisy''s face lit up with excitement.


    "Possibly!" Elijah couldn''t hide his smile.


    "Then let''s transnt the spirit nt and take it back! This way, everyone might eventually advance to the fourth tier!" Daisy said eagerly, brimming with energy as she prepared to transnt the snow lotus spirit nt.


    "Wait a moment. Let me recover first, and then I''ll use my abilities to ensure it''s done correctly!"


    "Alright, get meditating then!" Daisy urged.


    Seeing Daisy''s insistence, Elijah had no choice but to start meditating to recover his strength. Charlotte and Daisy stood by, guarding and studying the fruit and spirit nt.


    After some time, feeling that he had regained part of his strength, Elijah opened his eyes. With Charlotte and Daisy''s assistance, he sessfully transnted the snow lotus spirit nt from thekebed.


    After burying a few corpse cores around the roots and using his abilities to heal and stabilize it, Elijah was finally relieved to see the new tender shoots of the snow lotus spirit nt brimming with vitality.


    The three returned to the shore, where the female zombie Elena looked at the two items in Elijah''s hands with longing, filled with desire and the grievance and hatred of having her beloved possessions taken away!


    "That''s¡­ mine!" Elena said angrily.


    "Uh¡­" Elijah felt an odd sense of unease at Elena''s words. If he had worked hard to kill countless zombies and cultivated a tier-up spirit nt in theke, and then someone came and took it away at maturity, he would also feel intense pain and anger.


    Thinking this, Elijah suddenly felt a bit sorry for Elena. He wondered how she had died at the hands of a group of people and now had her things taken by him¡­


    However, handing it over was clearly out of the question! But it did make Elijah reconsider how to deal with the female zombie Elena.


    Originally, the n was to kill Elena and extract the core once she was no longer useful. Even though they had a contract, Elijah couldn''t fully control her, making her a ticking time bomb. It was better to destroy her directly!


    But now the situation was different! Since advancing to the fourth tier was almost certain, with tier suppression, Elijah could fully control Elena! A smart zombie was far more useful than those silly second-tier zombies!


    Moreover, Elena had a good appearance and would be pleasant to keep around!


    Elijah scrutinized Elena carefully. Whether due to zombification, injuries, or natural features, Elena''s skin was pale under her white long dress, giving her a delicate, frail look, but not in a sickly way.


    Her exquisite, pretty face, the pure student-like aura, and her asionally blood-red eyes showing murderous intent gave her the impression of a delicate girl who could turn dark at any moment. It had its own unique charm!


    "Although this fruit was originally yours, you have been defeated by me, so it''s my trophy now!" Elijah argued.


    "... Mine!" Elena insisted.


    "However, I won''t take it for free. These two items can be exchanged for healing your other leg and arm. How about it?"


    "... Mine!" Elena remained unmoved, still staring at Elijah¡­ and the fruit in his hand.


    "Don''t forget¡­ you still have other enemies to get revenge on!"


    "... Mine!"


    Elijah was a bit unnerved by the stubbornness of the girl. He decided to use hisst resort: pointing at Mason on the ground and then towards the cafeteria.


    "With your current condition, your enemies might have already escaped. It won''t be easy to find them for revengeter, and you might even end up being killed by them¡­"


    "¡­It''s mine!"


    "Yes, yes, it''s yours. But right now, you can''t defeat me. If you don''t listen to me, you''ll lose the fruit and miss out on getting revenge on your enemies, which is not worth it!"


    Once Elijah confirmed that the fruit was hers, Elena was finally satisfied.


    She looked at Mason on the ground, then turned her gaze towards the cafeteria, and then back at Elijah.


    The gap in strength and the deeply ingrained hatred finally made her recognize some reality.


    "¡­Treat me!"


    Seeing that the girl had finallye to her senses, Elijah sighed in relief.


    "Hold on, let me prepare first!"


    He handed the fruit and the spirit nt to Daisy and Charlotte, who were watching with interest and stifling theirughter.


    Then, he used his mental link to instruct Abigail to bring out the remaining second-tier zombies.


    Elijah nned to treat Elena and then leave!


    Since he hadn''t reached the fourth tier yet, he needed to be cautious of the stubborn zombie girl who might cause trouble.


    Mason and the people in the cafeteria were the best distractions to keep her attention upied.


    As for why he wasn''t advancing to the fourth tier right away, it was simply because Elijah wasn''t sure if eating the fruit would guarantee his advancement.


    If he couldn''t advance, it wouldn''t make much difference from his current situation.


    It would be better to take the fruit back to Azure Isle, where if eating it didn''t work, he could still try consuming Crystal Grass or Blood Spirit Grass, or even zombie grass, to make up for the missing Chi and attempt to break through to the fourth tier.


    Once he actually advanced to the fourth tier, he could go to the YLK Group and thene back to fully subdue and take Elena with him.


    Abigail soon brought the remaining six second-tier zombies over.


    "Master, everything is arranged inside!"


    "Good!"


    Elijah nodded and then crouched down to treat Elena''s leg and arm.


    "Is this the fragrance that thing released earlier?" Abigail asked as she approached Daisy, staring at the spiritual fruit in the ice box.


    "Yes!"


    "Open it up and let me see!"


    "You''re just trying to steal a taste, aren''t you!" Daisy replied, knowing that Abigail''s intentions were obvious.


    Unfortunately, the fruit was crucial to Elijah, so she had to keep a close watch and couldn''t let Abigail seed.


    "Stingy, it''s not like I haven''t eaten it before!" Abigail huffed, referring to the dancing grass she had consumed in the past.


    This made Elijah even more certain that the dancing grass was simr to the snow lotus in terms of spirit nt level.


    "Looks like I need to cultivate dancing grass properly when I get to the YLK Group¡­"


    Elena''s injuries were soon healed, and as soon as she was better, she fixated on the spiritual fruit in Daisy''s hand. Truly, she was very stubborn!


    Unfortunately, Elijah had anticipated this. Daisy slipped into the shadows and disappeared.


    The others and zombies quickly retreated towards the school gate, and Elijah kicked Mason towards Elena to slow her down!


    At the same time, the crowd in the cafeteria suddenly surged out and scattered, leaving Elena no time to deal with Elijah and his group.


    She quickly dealt with Mason and then chased after the fleeing crowd in the cafeteria.


    Once again, the quiet campus erupted with the sounds of desperate apologies, pleas, and screams¡­

 Chapter 251: I’ve successfully advanced

    By the time Elijah and his group returned to Azure Isle, it was already noon the next day!


    After leaving Neoville City University the previous day, it had gottente, and traveling at night was extremely dangerous. So, the group had found a safe ce to stay overnight and continued their journey the following morning.


    Compared to the urgency of their departure, the return trip was much more rxed. When they finally arrived on the ind, Fiona, who had heard the news, rushed back immediately.


    Fiona was leading a team to clear the road to Neoville City International Port.


    Of course, she didn''t need to handle it personally.


    In fact, the road clearing was being managed by Quentin and a few ordinary people from other smaller settlements,bined with one or two awakened individuals forming exploration teams.


    Meanwhile, the team from Azure Isle was a mobile squad primarily handling nearby issues, dealing with troublesome mutated zombies.


    This was all thanks to Vincent resolving themunication issues with the radios, allowing different teams tomunicate effectively nearby.


    Whenever a problem arose, they could immediately call for nearby support.


    This greatly increased the survival chances of those going out on exploration missions.


    In the two days Elijah''s team was out, several subordinate settlements of Azure Isle had equipped themselves with radios, making them even more grateful to Azure Isle!


    They felt that having such a powerful ally was advantageous and showed even greater enthusiasm for the tasks issued by Azure Isle.


    Before leaving, Fiona had specifically instructed Gabriel to notify her immediately if Elijah''s group returned, using the radio system distributed across the settlements along the way.


    Although not as convenient as phones, the messages were indeed transmitted very quickly.


    Thanks to the road clearing, Fiona managed to get back to the ind within just a few minutes after receiving the news.


    "How did it go? Any discoveries?" Fiona immediately approached Elijah and his group, who were resting.


    Daisy quickly began to describe everything that had happened over the past two days with vivid detail.


    Fiona listened with rapt attention, her eyes shining brightly, especially when she heard about the powerful performance of the female zombie''s third-tier ice abilities.


    "If Hannah hade back, she would have been thrilled to hear how strong the third-tier ice abilities are!"


    Hannah had reced Fiona and was leading Lily and others in dealing with mutated zombies.


    Soon, Daisy mentioned the Snow Lotus Spirit Fruit.


    Upon learning that Elijah might advance to the fourth tier after consuming it, Fiona became even more impatient.


    "Then what are we waiting for? Hurry up and eat it!"


    Fiona began urging Elijah.


    "Of course, we should wait for the Crystal Grass to mature!"


    Elijah had just checked and saw that the Crystal Grass was close to reaching seven apertures and nearly mature. He wasn''t in a hurry and nned to wait for it to mature naturally.


    At this moment, being urged by Fiona, he decided not to wait and used Katherine''s abilities to elerate the maturation of the Crystal Grass.


    With the already matured Blood Spirit Grass and the two Zombie Grasses that were also hastened to maturity, Elijah was now fully prepared!


    Under the watchful eyes of the women, Elijah took out the Snow Lotus Spirit Fruit.


    As soon as the ice box was opened, a delightful fragrance immediately wafted out.


    "It smells so good!"


    "Is this the Snow Lotus Spirit Fruit?"


    Both Be and Fiona were seeing the Snow Lotus Spirit Fruit for the first time and were immediately captivated by its enchanting aroma.


    "Mm-hmm!"


    Elijah nodded and, under the envious gazes of Daisy, Abigail, and others, swallowed the spirit fruit in one bite.


    As soon as the Snow Lotus Spirit Fruit entered his mouth, Elijah experienced a refreshing, sweet sensation. Before he could even chew, the fruit turned into a liquid and filled his mouth, causing him to involuntarily swallow.


    Then, Elijah felt a cool sensation from top to bottom, prating deeply into his heart and spreading throughout his entire body.


    The liquefied Chi within him began to circte rapidly, absorbing the coolness. As the Chi flowed, it grew from a gentle stream to a more powerful force.


    At a certain moment, Elijah felt he had reached a bottleneck, just on the verge of breaking through. However, the cooling sensation had already diminished to a level where it no longer provided any support.


    Elijah opened his eyes and immediately consumed the Crystal Grass, which had been prepared nearby.


    "Boom!"


    As he chewed and swallowed the crystalline leaves of the Crystal Grass, Elijah felt a surge of energy erupting within him, like a mighty river smashing through the barrier before him!


    In an instant, Elijah felt a transformative change, as if he had been reborn. His perception of the surroundings and understanding of the world took on apletely new dimension.


    It was as if he had truly escaped a cage and descended upon the world. He also discovered that, without using Charlotte''s abilities or performing the Hun Yuan Technique, he could "see" Chi merely through his own consciousness!


    Elijah knew he had sessfully advanced to the fourth tier!


    This was an achievement that no one had reached in his previous life for an entire year!


    And now, he had achieved it in just over two months!


    "How did it go? Did you seed?" The women watched Elijah anxiously, with Charlotte being the calmest. Her mental presence had been extended, and she could clearly feel that Elijah had changed at the moment he advanced. However, she couldn''t pinpoint how exactly he had changed, only that he seemed more imposing and dangerous.


    "Yes! I''ve sessfully advanced!" Elijah said with a faint smile.


    "Really?"


    "That''s great!"


    "How many contract slots do you have now?"


    Fiona was the first to ask her most concerned question.


    "I''ll check!"


    Elijah closed his eyes and carefully sensed the rhythm of his body and abilities.


    At that moment, Elijah felt his body was more powerful than ever, as if it possessed infinite potential!


    In his mind, a glowing web appeared. Each line on this web connected to a person. Elijah understood that these were the individuals he had imnted with the Seed of Consciousness.


    Some were far away, with dim colors, mostly located in the western suburbs of Neoville City, and were YLK group members. Others were close, glowing like stars, within Azure Isle and its vicinity.


    Simultaneously, he could "see" the appearance of these glowing individuals, imitate their abilities, and forcibly control them, even to the point of causing their deaths.


    His suggestion abilities had been further enhanced to be true control abilities.


    And the number of people he could contract and control had increased from 50 to 100!


    Before the apocalypse, there weren''t even 100 second-tier ability users in Neoville City!


    But now, with just a bit of time, Elijah could achieve this.


    Elijah shared this news with Fiona.


    Fiona''s eyebrows visibly curved up, and her face was filled with undisguised joy.


    An additional 50 slots meant 50 more controble, loyal, at least second-tier ability users. This was crucial for the development of Azure Isle!


    While Fiona was thrilled about the increased contract slots, Elijah was more concerned with another new ability.


    At the fourth tier, he could solidify the imitation of one more ability.

 Chapter 252: Occupying the Port

    At the third tier, Elijah solidified Be''s second-tier healing ability, granting her the power to heal others and an exceptionally strong self-healing capability.


    More crucially, it allowed the reproduction of spirit nts to no longer depend solely on Be, enhancing Azure Isle''s sustainability and security.


    Now, at the fourth tier, he could solidify another person''s ability, which, like before, would not be subject to further enhancement.


    This time, he was considering it from the perspective of enhancing himself.


    Currently, the only third-tier abilities avable were Fiona''s third-tier Telekinesis, Abigail''s third-tier defense, Kylie''s third-tier mental intimidation, and Elena''s third-tier ice abilities.


    From a practicalbat standpoint, Abigail''s ability could make him invincible, while Kylie''s ability could intimidate opponents, making them easier to deal with.


    However, Abigail and Kylie usually apanied him, so they could be temporarily disregarded.


    That left Telekinesis and ice abilities. Elijah leaned towards Telekinesis, which could supplement his long-range attack capabilities and, if necessary, allow him to fly!


    Elijah''s energy at the fourth tier was an order of magnitude greater than Fiona''s, enabling him to fly for a significantly longer period.


    Although flying might not be used daily, it was a lifesaving measure in special scenarios, such as a high-altitude fall.


    In the evening, all the women who had been out returned to the ind. They were all thrilled to hear that Elijah had advanced to the fourth tier.


    During dinner, Elijah took out the remaining Blood Spirit Grass and two zombie grasses that he hadn''t used and gave them to Lily.


    The Blood Spirit Grass had the property of greatly replenishing a person''s vital energy,parable to Crystal Grass for strength users


    Lily had consumed Blood Spirit Grass when she advanced to the second tier, greatly enhancing her body, making her seem far stronger than a typical newly advanced second-tier individual.


    Eating the Blood Spirit Grass again allowed her to break through to the third tier, bing a third-tier strength user without using the two backup zombie grasses.


    As a third-tier individual, Lily''s physique was notably enhanced, and her once self-conscious short legs now matched Sophia and Charlotte''s in stature.


    Moreover, her body didn''t growrger as it did with previous advancements; in fact, it seemed slightly slimmer.


    Her strength was less externally visible and more subdued.


    Her entire body, including muscles, tendons, and bones, wasprehensively strengthened, transforming her into a nearly superhuman form.


    While not as impervious as Abigail''s "bronze skin" defensive capabilities, her muscleyer could resist ordinary weapons and even small-caliber firearms.


    Lily, who had always been reserved, was overjoyed after advancing to the third tier and publicly embraced Elijah with enthusiastic kisses.


    That night, Elijah didn''t refuse Lily''s warm invitation and thoroughly examined the changes in her third-tier body.


    The experience was beyond description!


    With Elijah''s now formidable physiqueparable to a first-tier strength user, he was helpless against Lily, proving the phrase "iron is ground into a needle" true.


    The next day, Fiona gave the unused zombie grasses to Gabriel and Emily, helping them both advance to the second tier.


    Subsequently, Fiona, with Olivia''s cooperation, began increasing the manpower at the waterfront service area.


    At the same time, the service area started selling second-tier potions with the Seed of Consciousness to fully control several subordinate settlements.


    These settlements had already had some of their management consume the Seed of Consciousness awakening potions.


    However, just like the Quentin settlement, where the top leaders were originally awakened, Fiona used the advancement potions to fully control these leaders as well.


    Elijah was not idle either. He reserved ten slots for himself and began cultivating zombies again.


    This time, his goal was not to gain more abilities but to harvest third-tier zombies, collect third-tier corpse cores, and then use these cores to help Abigail and Kylie advance to the fourth tier.


    This was a long process, and Elijah was not in a hurry.


    After adapting to Lily''s third-tier strength abilities and passively boosting his own strength, Elijah personally took Fiona, Lily, Abigail, and Kylie¡ªthree third-tier ability users¡ªaboard a boat heading to Neoville City International Port!


    The road from the southern suburbs to Neoville City International Port was about to be cleared, making it the right time to address the zombies there.


    Although the port was rtivelyrge, it had fewer inhabitantspared to the city center.


    The only major issue was a massive mutated zombie.


    Fiona had attempted to attack it before; her bone spikes could easily prate the zombie''s body, but the damage was minimal, akin to a mosquito bite.


    Even targeting its head was ineffective, leading Fiona to suspect that the zombie''s brain might have been relocated or significantly altered due to its mutation.


    Given its enormous size, it seemed imusible that such a creature could have evolved naturally.


    Upon seeing the giant zombie, Elijah understood Fiona''s concerns.


    The creature stood nearly five meters tall and was extraordinarily bulky.


    Its immense muscle strength and power were evident, making it nearly impervious to conventional weapons.


    Fiona''s bone spikes could only pierce its flesh due to their sharpness.


    However, the zombie''s head was disproportionately smallpared to its body, a stark contrast that hinted at its brain being inadequately sized.


    Elijah realized that the zombie''s brain might have been reced or severely altered in the mutation process.


    Despite Fiona''s struggles, the giant zombie was rtively easy for Elijah and Lily to handle with Kylie''s mental intimidation support.


    Using a streetmp post, they methodically subdued the giant zombie.


    The process was gruesome, and Fiona had to look away, but eventually, they found its weak spot: a vital organ resembling a heart, which was actually a third-tier corpse core.


    With the giant zombie defeated, the remaining ordinary and less formidable mutated zombies were quickly dealt with.


    The team spent half a day clearing out all the zombies from the port.


    For third-tier ability users, dispatching ordinary zombies was akin to slicing through vegetables.


    Kylie''s crowd control ensured that Abigail, Lily, and Elijah could focus onbat without worrying about threats.


    They wielded their weapons with relentless efficiency.


    Fiona''s role was to maintain Telekinesis shields around the team, not for defense but to prevent them from getting excessively bloodied during the ughter.


    By the time Quentin, along with several other small teams from various settlements, finished clearing the road from the southern suburbs to the port, the scene was one of utter carnage.


    The international port was now a grimndscape of severed limbs and torsos.


    Every zombie had been wiped out, leaving behind a grisly sight.


    Elijah and his team, however, remained pristine amidst the carnage, calmly enjoying snacks and replenishing their energy in the midst of the blood-soaked aftermath.

 Chapter 253: Heading to YLK

    "Impressive!"


    "To think they cleared out all the zombies in such a short time?"


    "Look over there¡ªthe dismembered zombie''s hand is bigger than me! What kind of monster is this? And it was taken down?"


    The onlookers, who had never seen Elijah in action, were stunned by the scene of ughter. Their awe and respect for Elijah and his team grew significantly.


    They had only received the news that Azure Isle''s team hadnded and started clearing the ind''s zombies just before setting out.


    Wanting to prove their worth, especially Quentin, who had led his team in a frenzied push to elerate the clearing of the road, was dismayed to find that the zombies had already beenpletely wiped out.


    "You''re here just in time. You can take care of the corpses," Elijah said, brushing the remnants of food from his hands.


    "Boss, you guys are too impressive! In just half a day, you''ve cleared this ce and even took down such a giant!" Quentin''s expression was one of amazement.


    Looking at the dismembered giant zombie''s hand¡ªmuchrger than his own body¡ªhe realized that even his second-tier defense would struggle to withstand a punch from it.


    "Once you all reach the third tier, you''ll be able to do it too," Elijah replied with a calm smile.


    "Third tier?" Quentin looked at Lily, remembering that she had been a second-tier just a while ago. Now she was third-tier?


    "Boss, does that mean third-tier potions can now be mass-produced?" Quentin asked excitedly.


    "Production is possible, but it''s a slow process, and quantities are limited. Therefore, prices will be high and avability scarce. You shouldplete more missions to umte corpse cores. As production increases, internal members like you will get priority," Elijah exined, giving Quentin and the others a glimmer of hope.


    The prospect of a third-tier advancement channel was like a dream to them, increasing their sense of belonging to Azure Isle.


    Elijah gave a few more instructions and then led Abigail, Fiona, Lily, and the others away, leaving the area in Fiona''s capable hands.


    Fiona would appoint a second-tier ability user with a Seed of Consciousness to lead a team from the various settlements to guard the port.


    Of course, guarding wouldn''t be free. Each participating settlement would receive a share of the resources within the Neoville City International Port.


    Meanwhile, Fiona, along with Hannah, Zoey, Ivy, and a newly recruited finance team, began inventorying the resources at the port.


    Urgently needed supplies would be transported out, while those that could be stored would be recorded and kept on-site.


    Quentin and his team were not idle either. They started clearing nearby ships, especially therge cargo vessels.


    After dealing with the zombies on board, the resources were managed simrly to those at the port: essential items were removed, and the rest were recorded and stored.


    The massive haul of resources from the Neoville City International Port had alleviated food and drink worries for Quentin and the other small settlements.


    Given the scale of an international port meant to supply tens or even hundreds of millions, the amount of resources avable was staggering, especiallypared to the few thousand survivors left in the city.


    Quentin and the others, who had been actively recruiting survivors and now numbered just over three hundred, were no longer concerned about their immediate needs.


    However, survival in the apocalypse required strength, and Azure Isle had provided them with a channel to enhance their abilities.


    Once the Neoville City International Port was thoroughly cleared, Azure Isle issued a new mission to explore westward and open up the outer ring road connecting the southern suburbs and western suburbs, thuspleting the link between Azure Isle, the southern suburbs, and the western suburbs.


    Elijah had spent some time rxing at Azure Isle, enjoying his days either meditating or having fun with the women around him.


    It was a carefree period, until he noticed that the remaining six of his zombies, after being fed second-tier corpse cores, had all advanced to the third tier.


    Additionally, the ten newly cultivated zombies had reached the second tier.


    Elijah decided it was time to visit the YLK Group in the western suburbs and capture the third-tier zombie, Elena.


    Since capturing Elena would duplicate the ice zombie''s abilities, Elijah opted to kill the ice zombie and retrieve its corpse core.


    This resulted in Elijah possessing three third-tier corpse cores.


    He gave one of these cores to Abigail and one to Kylie, making Abigail extremely happy and well-served that evening. The ice zombie''s body was given to Whitey.


    Over time, Whitey had grown significantly, its size nowparable to a small yacht.


    Its shape had also changed from a massive whale-like form to a more elongated and dragon-like appearance, especially after consuming the giant third-tier zombie and ice zombie corpses from the port.


    Despite these changes, Whitey stillcked much intelligence, being less clever than Yello.


    Yello, now serving as Katherine''s pet, frequently apanied her to the flower garden and asionally snatched a Red Fruit when no one was looking.


    Since Yello ate Red Fruit #1, Katherine overlooked this minor theft.


    The most precious Red Fruit #4, guarded closely by Katherine, had effects equivalent to an immature zombie grass nt, helping people awaken and gradually recing zombie grass.


    Zombie grass was now exclusively used for crafting second-tier advancement potions.


    Before leaving, Elijah took several bottles of awakening and second-tier potions.


    Having been away from the YLK Group for about ten days, his return was to reward those who had umted enough contributions and finalize preparations for linking the southern and western suburbs.


    Vincent brought Elijah good news before he left: the radio station that had been under bounty was finally operational.


    After modifications and testing, it was able to broadcast normally, and only specially modified radios could receive it, eliminating the risk of leaks.


    Although information could only be disseminated one-way through broadcasts, it was still a significant advance.


    With everything ready, Elijah set out with Abigail, Kylie, and fifteen zombies.


    The seven third-tier zombies and ten second-tier zombies exuded a formidable aura, causing the zombies along the way to flee in fear.


    Even the previously impassable, enormous zombie hordes were easily navigated.


    This allowed Elijah to save time, and within half a day, they reached the Neoville City University''s central campus, where Elena was located.

 Chapter 254: Abigail’s Instruction

    Upon reentering Neoville City University¡¯s campus, Elijah moved with confidence and purpose, heading straight for theke in front of the cafeteria.


    This time, he was not cautious or uncertain of direction. His focus was on his objective.


    As they approached theke, Elijah spotted the familiar white figure again.


    This time, Elena was not dancing gracefully but was instead standing alone in the center of theke, looking like a lonely ice spirit.


    Elijah¡¯s group¡¯s arrival startled Elena. Her initial reaction was one of fierce anger as she recognized Elijah and immediately charged at him, full of murderous intent.


    Elijah remained still, allowing his seven third-tier zombies to disy their full presence.


    The sheer sense of threat from their overwhelming power made Elena shiver with apprehension.


    She skidded to a halt just a few meters from Elijah, her gaze shifting between him, Kylie, Abigail, and the other zombies¡ªwho were nowparable to her in strength, unlike before when she had frozen them.


    For a moment, Elena felt a pang of grievance. If it weren¡¯t for Elijah¡¯s intervention, she might have be even stronger and wouldn¡¯t be intimidated by these former subordinates.


    Seeing Elena¡¯s murderous intent dissipate, Elijah began to use the Seed of Consciousness to instill a sense of trust and rxation in her.


    He spoke gently, "You¡¯ve avenged yourself, and there¡¯s nowhere else for you to go. How about youe with me and have a look around?"


    Elena hesitated before slowly replying, "...Mine!"


    Abigail couldn¡¯t hold back and burst intoughter, pping her thigh in amusement. Even Kylie, usually stern, couldn¡¯t help but smile slightly at the situation. Elijah, however, could only roll his eyes in frustration.


    This girl was really persistent, still clinging to that matter! Elijah mused that if someone had taken something so important from him, he would probably never forget it, whether or not he could exact revenge.


    "I ate that thing, so I can¡¯t return it to you," Elijah said with resignation.


    "...Mine!" Elena repeated, her tone mechanical. Her blood-red eyes were fixed on Elijah, filled with obsession and grievance but devoid of any further murderous intent.


    Elijah sighed. He could force Elena to follow him, but considering her current obsession, she would likely keep harping on about "mine" in his ear constantly. It would be a real nuisance.


    After some thought, Elijah decided to bite the bullet and pulled out thest remaining third-tier corpse core.


    The appearance of the third-tier corpse core immediately caught Elena¡¯s attention.


    She recognized it as something that had helped her advance to the second tier andter to the third tier when she consumed it at theke¡¯s center.


    Her instinct told her that consuming this core would help her continue growing.


    "How about this aspensation since I can¡¯t return the Ling Fruit?" Elijah proposed.


    Elena eagerly nodded in agreement.


    "So, will you follow me now? There will be more opportunities in the future," Elijah tempted.


    "Follow you!" Elena answered without hesitation, nodding in agreement.


    "Then it¡¯s settled. Here, take this," Elijah said, handing the third-tier corpse core to Elena.


    Elena epted the core and, to Abigail¡¯s dismay, promptly consumed it like a piece of candy, savoring it with a satisfied smile on her face.


    With the female zombie now appeased, Elijah felt relieved and content.


    Although giving her a third-tier corpse core wasn¡¯t his original intention, he still needed to be cautious moving forward¡ªeither not giving her any or giving her less¡ªto avoid a situation like with Abigail back then, where someone suddenly advanced to the fourth tier out of the blue, causing trouble!


    "Alright, let¡¯s get going!"


    With a wave of his hand, Elijah¡¯s group of zombies set off once again.


    Continue your saga on NovelBin.C?m


    The third-tier corpse core given to Elena made Abigail somewhat unhappy.


    On the road, Abigail saw Elena with a look of satisfaction as if she had received a beloved toy.


    Abigail couldn¡¯t help but grumble inwardly, and then, with a sh of inspiration, she came up with an idea.


    "You¡¯re Elena, right?"


    Abigail casually draped her arm around Elena¡¯s shoulders. Elena instinctively triggered her ice abilities, freezing Abigail¡¯s hand. Abigail didn¡¯t mind at all and simply patted her hand, causing the ice to shatter without harming her pale skin in the slightest!


    Elena squinted; Abigail¡¯s abilities reminded her of Elijah¡¯s back in the day¡ªher own ice abilities were simrly ineffective against them!


    "There are only three of us intelligent zombies here: I¡¯m the boss, Kylie is number two, and you¡¯re number three now! From now on, call me big sister, and also, call this man ¡¯master!¡¯"


    Abigail pointed to Elijah.


    "Big sister? Master?"


    Elena nced at Elijah.


    Such strange titles!


    But she noticed that Kylie, whose abilities had left a strong impression on her back then, did not object, only nodding in agreement.


    "Alright, big sister!"


    "Good! Very good!"


    Abigail nodded in satisfaction and started chatting with Elena about other things.


    In the afternoon, Elijah¡¯s group traveled a bit more. They were not far from the YLK group, but seeing that it was getting dark, he decided not to push on any further.


    There was no rush!


    That evening, Abigail gave Elijah a big surprise by somehow getting Elena into his bed.


    Elijah didn¡¯t know what to say!


    In the end, he could only reward Abigail and encourage her to keep up the good work!


    The next day, Elijah and his group arrived at the hotel where the YLK group was based. Wendy, who had received news through the Seed of Consciousness the previous night, had already arranged for people to wait for them.


    When Elijah led Abigail and Kylie into the hotel, they saw the various team leaders waiting there with their teams.


    "Boss, hello!"


    The collective greeting momentarily stunned Elijah. Seeing the eager looks from everyone, he smiled and said, "Why so serious? Well, since everyone is here, now that I¡¯m back, I¡¯ve brought a few gifts¡­"


    As Elijah spoke, he took a box from Kylie¡¯s hands.


    "This first gift is walkie-talkies! After research by another of my teams, they found the cause of radio interference and made some modifications to these walkie-talkies. They are now fully functional and can be equipped to various teams and within the hotel to enhancemunication and coboration¡­"


    The management of the YLK group became excited upon hearing this; these devices were incredibly important to them!


    The ordinary members were also pleased, but not overly excited.


    Elijah smiled slightly and then took out the second item.


    "I¡¯ve been away for a while, so many of you must have umted enough contributions to exchange for awakening potions or even advancement potions¡­"


    Before Elijah could finish speaking, both the awakened and unawakened members perked up, their eyes fixed intently on the potions in Elijah¡¯s hands!

 Chapter 255: Are you still getting used to being here

    During Elijah¡¯s absence, the YLK group showed unprecedented enthusiasm for searching for spirit nts and hunting zombies.


    A few people did indeed find spirit nts, while others diligently umted corpse cores and contributions, with some reaching the threshold to exchange for awakening potions.


    They were all eagerly awaiting Elijah¡¯s return!


    Seeing the awakening potions in Elijah¡¯s hands, their eyes were even more fervent!


    Elijah wasted no time and had Wendy tally up those eligible to exchange for awakening and advancement potions.


    He then distributed the potions publicly, and under the watchful eyes of everyone in the group, the recipients consumed the potions and sessfully awakened.


    As each newly awakened individual demonstrated their abilities, the crowd of those still unawakened marveled in awe.


    In addition, one person exchanged for an advancement potion and sessfully advanced to the second tier.


    This further fueled the YLK group¡¯s desire to be stronger, increasing their loyalty and gratitude towards Elijah.


    When the excitement among the crowd had somewhat subsided, Elijah waved his hand, and the hotel instantly quieted down.


    Elijah looked at everyone and continued, "Don¡¯t worry or be anxious if you haven¡¯t awakened yet. There are still plenty of awakening potions avable. Especially once I finish the third task, you will be able to exchange for them at any time!


    The third task is for the YLK group to concentrate all efforts toplete it in the uing period: we need to fully clear the road to the southern suburbs and connect the Coastal District, Southern Suburbs, and Western Suburbs into one continuous area!


    Alright, now the team leaders, pleasee to the meeting. The rest of you, get ready for action!"


    After Elijah finished speaking, he and the management team went upstairs for a meeting.


    Once they left, the crowd in the hotel lobby immediately began to excitedly discuss among themselves.


    Some congratted the newly awakened individuals, while others talked about the current situation in Neoville City.


    It seemed that their leader was nning to unify Neoville City!


    Upstairs, Wendy updated the group on the YLK group¡¯s recent achievements and progress.


    Among the highlights was the mall storage base that Ian and Hayden had been working on.


    The road was now cleared, and their teams were cleaning out the zombies inside.


    However, they encountered trouble at this stage!


    The mall storage base was vast, with severalrge warehouses full of zombies.


    Despite their cautious approach, using obstacles and advancing slowly, they still faced numerous mutated zombies.


    One in particr was exceptionally sharp, extremely fast, and had very sharp ws. Ian was caught off guard and lost an arm in the attack.


    Even though Ian¡¯s abilities included self-healing, his arm was not something he could repair in a short time. It was still not fully healed!


    His team also suffered losses during the ambush by the mutated zombie. Continue your adventure with NovelBin.C?m


    After Ian¡¯s retreat, Theodore took over the task of clearing the mall storage base.


    His second-tier defensive abilities managed to withstand the attacks, but he was unable to handle the fast-moving zombie.


    The progress at the mall storage base slowed significantly, and no warehouses had been secured yet.


    On the other hand, there was good news about clearing the road to the southern suburbs.


    Although they mainly focused on killing zombies and gathering resources while clearing the road was secondary, significant progress was made in the past ten days.


    Elijah estimated that in a day or two, he would merge with Quentin¡¯s group!


    "There¡¯s no rush on the mall storage base. It¡¯s not going anywhere. For now, let¡¯s focus on clearing the road to the southern suburbs. Once we¡¯re done, we¡¯llbine forces from the Coastal District and Southern Suburbs to clear the mall storage base!"


    Elijah made arrangements for the next two days¡¯ work and then demonstrated the modified radio, receiving messages from the Azure Isle radio station.


    The radio usually yed music, which Vincent tinkered with, but important information was broadcast every fifteen minutes.


    The radio was currently broadcasting the progress of the road from the Southern Suburbs to the Western Suburbs.


    Wendy and the others watched with interest; previously, this device was only used in vehicles and wasrgely ignored.


    After the apocalypse began, wireless signals were disrupted, andmunication between people was reduced to word of mouth. Hearing the radio program again now felt like a return to the civilized world.


    "Do you think phones, mobileworks, and the inte will be restored someday?" Finn asked excitedly. Unlike others, as a modern university student, he found the absence of inte far more terrifying than the zombies themselves.


    "Yes, but we currentlyck the necessary technical personnel. If you know anyone who fits the bill, you can rmend them to Azure Isle!" Elijah responded.


    The group continued discussing the future with renewed optimism.


    Eventually, only Wendy and Lillian remained; the others left to lead their teams in continuing the cleanup of the road to the southern suburbs.


    "Have there been any unusual activities among the group recently?" Elijah asked the two women once the others had left.


    Within the YLK group, only the management team had been imnted with the Seed of Consciousness by Elijah. The rest were monitored by their team leaders, Wendy, and Lillian¡¯s judgment.


    "There were two people who exposed their intentions shortly after you left. They wanted to escape but were discovered and dealt with promptly," Wendy saidµ­µ­µØ.


    "Only two people? That¡¯s not bad!" Elijah remarked. His drastic measures against Matthew surely caused some to consider hiding temporarily. Although Wendy¡¯s mind-reading abilities and Lillian¡¯s sense of good and evil had filtered the individuals, it was said that human hearts are difficult to measure.


    One could notpletely rely on abilities alone and should never underestimate the power of human intent.


    "You¡¯ve done well during this time. Once the southern suburbs road is cleared, someone wille to formally take over the affairs here. At that time, I¡¯ll rmend you as the official in charge," Elijah said.


    He was referring to Fiona, with whom he had previously discussed how to handle the YLK group.


    The best solution was naturally to disband them, preventing the survivors who had been controlled and consumed human flesh from clustering together again.


    Moreover, this location, being the nearest transfer station to the mall storage base, needed to be fully under their control.


    "In addition, we now have a stable method for advancing to the third tier. You¡¯ll be among the first to receive the advancement opportunity!" Elijah continued. The foremost individuals were naturally those from Azure Isle, but there was no need to mention that.


    "Alright, I¡¯ll take good care of things here!" Wendy said, emphasizing her words to convey an unspoken meaning.


    "Good. Then you may go about your business!" Elijah said. Wendy nced at Lillian, understanding that Elijah wanted to catch up with her. With a hint of reproach in her eyes, she left the room.


    "Are you still getting used to being here?" Elijah asked as he approached Lillian, naturally wrapping his arms around her slender waist.


    Lillian¡¯s body stiffened for a moment but then rxed as she replied, "It¡¯s been fine. However, Nora misses you a bit. She keeps asking when Uncle Elijah wille back. She¡¯s been taking very good care of the Dancing Grass!"


    Lillian¡¯s face softened with a loving expression when she mentioned Nora.


    "Is that so? We should go get herter. But before that¡­ let¡¯s not let her disturb us," Elijah said, pausing before adding with a grin, "Your period has ended, right?"

 Chapter 256: Godmother

    At lunch, Elijah dined with Nora. The little girl had grown sturdier and chattered incessantly, proudly presenting the Dancing Grass for Elijah to examine.


    Together, they spent some time observing when the Dancing Grass would dance.


    Lillian, having finally finished her grooming, emerged slowly.


    This time, Elijah felt a mix of reluctance and shyness from Lillian during their intimate moments.


    It was different from theirst encounter, which had been in the dead of night.


    Despite the initial difort, there was an overwhelming sense of indulgence and abandon that Elijah found deeply satisfying.


    After their meal, Elijah took Nora to see Yvonne and check on the Red Fruit No. 2 she was cultivating, as well as the spirit nts YLK group members had found recently.


    Elijah was pleasantly surprised to find not only several zombie grasses but also a Blood Spirit Grass.


    Blood Spirit Grass, being stronger than zombie grass but slightly weaker than Crystal Grass, was particrly effective for strength and speed type awakeners.


    The specimen was close to maturity. Once the road to the southern suburbs was cleared, it could be used to test Gabriel''s potential for advancing to the third tier.


    Since Elijah had been away, the spirit nts had been growing unchecked, which was a waste.


    He decided to harvest all the mature zombie grasses and use them to create advancement potions. He then rejuvenated the nts with corpse cores as nutrients, allowing them to continue growing.


    Yvonne had performed well during Elijah''s absence, taking good care of the spirit nts.


    Red Fruit No. 2 had been harvested twice, though most had been exchanged by the second-tier management members.


    Ordinary people and awakeners were eagerly saving up corpse cores and contributions for their own potions.


    After discussing with Yvonne, Elijah informed her that once the southern suburbs road was cleared, she and the spirit nts would be moved to Azure Isle and handed over to Katherine and Be.


    This would also minimize the risk of leaks regarding the cultivation of spirit nts.


    Elijah had overseen operations at YLK for two days, and the road from the western suburbs to the southern suburbs was now fully cleared.


    Quentin and Hayden had reunited with Elijah''s team.


    Due to theirmunication via walkie-talkies, their meeting went smoothly.


    Quentin approached Elijah with a wide grin, saying, "Boss, I''m here, and I''ve fulfilled my mission!"


    "Good job! Have you notified Fiona?" Elijah asked.


    "I have. She''s on her way with her team and should arrive shortly!"


    With the road now cleared, the drive was quick. Unlike before the apocalypse, there were no traffic lights or congestion to hinder their progress.


    True to the prediction, Fiona and her team arrived within minutes. YLK group members lined up outside to wee them. Upon seeing Fiona get out of the vehicle, Quentin''s team immediately cheered, "Godmother!"


    Fiona, maintaining a stern expression, nodded slightly. Her presencemanded respect, reminiscent of Kylie''s formidable aura but even more imposing. The YLK group members felt a surge of awe.


    Although Quentin''s team had fewer ability userspared to YLK, the YLK members did not underestimate them.


    Those who had witnessed Quentin''s team in action were impressed by their organized and skilled performance.


    Despite being fewer in number and including many ordinary people, Quentin''s team was as effective as YLK''s mostly awakened squads.


    The respect shown to Fiona, who was reportedly a third-tier ability user, reflected the importance of strength in the apocalypse.


    In the end, power was paramount, and even a woman needed significant strength tomand respect and authority.


    After Fiona got out of the vehicle, Lily, Hannah, Grace, and Olivia followed.


    Each of them was exceptionally good-looking and had a perfect figure.


    Seeing these beautiful women, all the men present couldn''t help but feel a twinge of envy, though they dared not let any improper thoughts cross their minds.


    Quentin had already informed them in advance that all the women on Azure Isle were under the boss''s protection, and they were advised to keep their eyes and mouths in check.


    However, when faced with these women in person, they couldn''t help but be amazed and feel a mix of admiration and jealousy.


    Wendy, following behind Elijah, looked particrly dejectedpared to these women; she indeed appeared to becking inparison.


    Lillian, on the other hand, watched Fiona and the others with a nervous expression. She only rxed when Olivia finally got out, confirming that no one else wasing.


    Elijah introduced Fiona to everyone and then took them on a tour of the YLK group''s base.


    Following this, a meeting was held with the management team, Quentin, and the leaders and team captains from various gathering points.


    The meeting was straightforward, focusing on the coordination between teams for cleaning the mall''s storage base.


    In fact, Elijah could have had only YLK group members handle the cleaning, as YLK was now fully under his control.


    Allowing only YLK members to clean the base would mean that the mall''s storage base would also be entirely under Elijah''s control.


    However, Fiona advised against this approach.


    After effectively controlling the waterfront area, the west and south suburbs of Neoville City, and possessing numerous resources at Neoville City International Port, Fiona harbored greater ambitions.


    Her n was to expand northward and continue to control the old town area, thereby securing almost all of Neoville City except for the central three districts.


    This would allow them to focus on surrounding cities or gradually clear zombies from the central districts.


    The ultimate goal was to establish a unified force led by Azure Isle.


    Despite Elijah''s abilities allowing Azure Isle to control almost all gathering points with second-tier ability users and manage the only advancement channel, they were still a minoritypared to the many ordinary people and ordinary awakened individuals in Neoville City.


    To control these ordinary people without relying solely on abilities and to give them a sense of belonging, it was necessary to offer tangible benefits beyond just the management''s rule.


    Thus, Fiona suggested involving individuals from other smaller and medium-sized gathering points, simr to how Neoville City International Port operated. By symbolically offering them a share of the "profits," these smaller gathering points would be more motivated and support Azure Isle''s rule.


    Elijah agreed with Fiona''s suggestion, which led to this meeting.


    People from outside the YLK group were immediately excited upon hearing about the mall''s storage base. After all, who hadn''t shopped online at the mall?


    They understood the value of such a storage base, which was on par with Neoville City International Port.


    Moreover, in terms of improving and enhancing post-apocalyptic living conditions, a storage base was clearly superior, as it contained items that people would use and consume regrly.


    Hearing that YLK group members had already opened the roads and started clearing zombies inside made them even more eager.

 Chapter 257: Gunshots

    After the meeting, the group wasted no time. Leaving a contingent behind to guard the gathering point, the rest followed Elijah to the mall''s storage base.


    Apanied by Quentin and his team from several smaller gathering points, they drove in arge convoy along a national highway heading west from the western suburbs.


    The mall storage base was neither too close nor too far from Neoville City.


    It was chosen because it was near the international metropolis of Neoville City, which allowed for efficient distribution of massive online shopping orders.


    Additionally, the base had excellent transportation links; aside from the road leading to Neoville City, there was a highway right next to it.


    This highway connected rapidly to three surrounding cities.


    After a drive of just over ten minutes, Elijah and his team arrived at the outer perimeter of the storage base. The area had already been cleared by YLK group members, and numerous obstacles had been set up to prevent zombies from spilling out of the base.


    Following the cleared paths, Elijah and his group entered the base. Ian and Theodore pointed to the location they had previously cleaned, saying, "It was right here where we encountered that extremely fast mutated zombie, which made it very difficult for us to advance further!"


    Elijah nced inside and saw that the zombies were scattered without any noticeable special ones. He waved dismissively, "Ignore that mutated zombie. Just continue with the clearing!"


    He then assigned each team their respective areas and began coordinating the overall progress. Elijah and Fiona, along with their team, patrolled behind the squads to prevent any unexpected incidents.


    With arge force at their disposal, even though there were many zombies in the storage base, they were quickly and efficiently dealt with as if they were being sliced like chives.


    Each team had members specifically tasked with handling the corpses¡ªeither extracting corpse cores or ensuring zombies were fully dead. The bodies were then collected and buried in one ce, hoping to grow zombie grass.


    In fact, most of the zombie grass they had harvested recently had been grown this way.


    "There''s a suspicious zombie in the southwest direction!" Olivia, stationed at the rear, was fully focused on sensing the zombies ahead. Her ability wasn''t particrly useful in this environment because there were zombies everywhere, making alerts unnecessary. However, through her recent training, Olivia had learned to recognize certain features of mutated zombies.


    She could identify them based on the characteristics of the zombie clusters and their behavior patterns.


    Just as Olivia finished speaking, a seemingly ordinary zombie in the crowd ahead of Ian suddenlyunched an attack, speeding toward Ian''s team with its sharp ws aimed at one of the awakened team members.


    "Watch out!" Ian shouted in rm!


    As the zombie''s ws were about to reach their team member, the mutated zombie¡ªonce a formidable adversary that had previously disabled Ian''s arm and had been a source of frustration for Theodore¡ªsuddenly froze in ce!


    Ian and the other team members, who were not under attack, watched as two white darts shot through the air and struck the mutated zombie. The darts pierced through one side of the zombie''s head and exited the other side, instantly killing the mutated zombie and saving their teammate.


    They followed the trajectory of the flying darts and saw them eventually hovering in front of Fiona.


    Was this¡­ Telekinesis?


    Indeed, it was incredibly powerful! They thought with a mix of admiration and envy.


    Fiona merely nced at them and said, "Don''t get distracted. We''ll handle any mutated zombies promptly!"


    "Understood!" Ian responded and continued with the zombie clearing. However, Fiona''s strength was deeply impressed upon the minds of the team members.


    Because Fiona killed the mutated zombie, the corpse core ultimately ended up in her possession.


    This zombie was a second-tier mutant with body modifications, somewhat simr to Elijah''s wed zombie.


    However, this zombie''s ws were not as sharp as Elijah''s, though it was much faster, indicating a different evolutionary path.


    After dealing with this crisis, Fiona stepped in several more times when various team members faced danger or encountered mutated zombies.


    Her actions led to increasing gratitude and respect from the YLK group members, who were increasingly in awe of her strength.


    Elijah, having held back to let Fiona showcase her abilities, found that this strategy worked well to impress and win over the YLK group.


    Soon, Elijah, Lily, Abigail, Elena, and Kylie, apanied by a group of zombies, began their official participation in the clearing.


    The arrival of Elijah and his team stunned everyone due to their extraordinary efficiency in killing zombies.


    Kylie''s mental intimidation unsettled the zombies, while Elijah and Lily, abandoning defense, charged into the horde with their weapons, slicing through the zombies as if they were chopping vegetables.


    The zombies fell inrge numbers.


    Under Abigail''smand, the zombies led by her were equally impressive, especially the third-tier strength zombies, wed zombies, and me zombies. These zombies caused limbs to fly and emitted the stench of meat being partially roasted.


    The white-d female zombie, Elena, stayed by Kylie''s side, focusing on protecting her. asionally, any zombies that slipped through were frozen into ice sculptures by Elena.


    "It''s incredible!"


    "So this is the boss''s strength?"


    "Entering the zombie horde is like taking candy from a baby!"


    Whether from the YLK group or the various gathering points led by Quentin, everyone was astonished. The amount of zombies Elijah''s team had killed in just a short time equaled the number that dozens of people from their group had taken over an hour to clear.


    "Don''t get distracted; keep an eye on the zombies in front of you!" Fiona admonished two people who had almost been attacked by zombies due to theirck of attention.


    "Okay¡­ okay¡­" The rescued individuals nodded, embarrassed but focused as they returned to zombie clearing.


    With Elijah''s team''s involvement, the clearing speed increased dramatically. Soon, they had cleaned out all visible zombies, and no new zombies were approaching. They then began to clean out the warehouse.


    As time passed, and just when everyone was about to take a break after clearing one warehouse, a loud gunshot rang out.


    "Bang!" The noise instantly silenced everyone.


    "A gunshot? Someone''sing!"


    "And it''s not a pistol; it sounds like a sniper rifle!"


    "From the sound, it''sing from the opposite direction!"


    Quentin, who had military experience, was the first to identify the type and direction of the gunshot.


    "What should we do, boss?" Everyone looked towards Elijah.


    Elijah looked in the direction Quentin pointed out and realized it was another exit of the mall storage base, very close to the highway.


    "You all stay here, keep alert. I''ll go check it out!" Elijah instructed, then led Abigail, Kylie, and Elena into stealth mode as they proceeded towards the west gate of the mall storage base.

 Chapter 258: Negotiation

    "Damn, that was close! I really wanted to blow him up with a rocketuncher!" Nichs eximed, looking at the sniper who had just taken out a cloaked zombie.


    He then gave a grateful gesture to the team member who had provided him with sniper cover.


    "Captain, I have some grenades here. How about I throw a few to help you vent your frustration?" one of the men next to Nichs said with a grin.


    "Does it look like I need grenades? Just one shot and this many zombies show up. Forget the grenades, get back to work!"


    Nichs snapped, punching the man beside him.


    He then picked up his automatic rifle and began shooting the zombies attracted by the gunfire.


    On either side of Nichs stood two soldiers each, simrly armed with rifles and wearing camouge gear.


    Their rifles were all equipped with silencers, and as they pulled the triggers, they emitted soft "puff" sounds.


    The zombies in front of them fell one by one with headshots, copsing in batches like wheat being harvested.


    Quickly, the group of zombies drawn by the gunfire was rapidly eliminated.


    "Stay alert. Reserve team, move forward!" With Nichs signaling with his hands, the soldiers on either side immediately spread out to cover different directions.


    Behind them, another squad appeared, moving forward to advance the obstacles initially used to block the zombies.


    At the same time, another team was responsible for dealing with the zombies on the ground¡ªfinishing off the zombies, extracting corpse cores, and dragging the bodies to the rear.


    The team worked efficiently and swiftly, moving the front lines forward by several dozen meters.


    At this new position, they could see some wandering zombies.


    Just as the team was preparing to lure another small batch of zombies, a figure darted towards them at high speed from behind.


    "Captain, at the 11 o''clock direction, four people areing in cloaked!" The person ran up to Nichs and quickly reported.


    "More cloaked ones? Why are there so many cloakers now? Are you sure it''s people?"


    "It''s people!" the neer replied solemnly.


    "Got it!" Nichs''s expression turned serious.


    He didn''t doubt hisrade''s words, even though it was unusual for there to be five cloaked individuals in such a short period.


    He had only heard of cloaking abilities once before, and this was his first actual encounter with them.


    Was this a nest of cloaked individuals they had stumbled upon? But the information came from the sniper who had just provided cover, a perceptive ally he trusted with his back. No matter how absurd it seemed, he had to believe it.


    "Go back and continue protecting Owen!" Nichs ordered the messenger.


    "Yes, sir!" The messenger quickly disappeared from sight.


    Nichs couldn''t help but reflect on the situation.


    After the virus outbreak, wireless signals had been disrupted, makingmunication during their operations quite inconvenient.


    But with someone awakening speed abilities, they had a short-range messenger who could also protect the rear personnel.


    Nichs shook off his brief distraction and signaled to his team. They all aimed their rifles at the 11 o''clock direction.


    "Brothers, since you''vee, why don''t youe out and talk?" Nichs called out toward the 11 o''clock direction.


    After waiting for a while, no one appeared.


    Nichs''s expression remained unchanged as he raised his gun and said, "Sneaking around is the act of a coward. If you don''te out, don''t me us for shooting on sight!"


    Elijah was genuinely surprised to encounter a fully armed squad here, especially one that clearly had perceptive abilities. There were no military districts nearby; where could they havee from?


    Elijah rubbed his chin, deep in thought.


    At this moment, hearing the threat from the other side, Elijah pulled out a cylindrical container from his bag.


    He then poured out several extremely sharp metal needles that had been meticulously polished.


    These were weapons he had prepared for himself after solidifying Fiona''s Telekinesis ability.


    The needles did not fall to the ground after emerging from the cylinder but floated in mid-air. Under Elijah''s telekic control, they hovered in front of the five armed soldiers.


    Only then did Elijah voluntarily reveal himself, making his presence known!


    While Elijah and Abigail were not afraid of them shooting, Kylie and Elena were another matter.


    But this did not mean that Elijah revealed himself out of necessity; he wanted these people to know that he could kill them at any time.


    As Elijah made himself visible, the needles, which also had cloaking abilities, appeared in front of the five soldiers, directly aimed at their eyes.


    Nichs was startled by the sudden appearance of the needles, his pupils constricting sharply.


    However, he quickly regained hisposure, understanding that this was a warning.


    They could kill him at any moment and were revealing themselves not because they were threatened, but because they wanted tomunicate.


    At the same time, the fact that they had not attacked directly indirectly indicated that they wanted to talk.


    "Nice trick, brother. We''re all human here, no need to be like this!" Nichs lowered his gun and signaled his team to do the same, showing goodwill to Elijah.


    Elijah moved the needles away from them and then made them disappear.


    "So, where are you all from, and what are you doing here?"


    "By our appearance, you can tell we''re here for the supplies. But judging by your tone, it seems like you''ve already taken over this ce?"


    "Yes."


    "You''re not being very honest, brother. If you had taken over this ce, why are there still zombies everywhere?" Nichs''s sharp gaze swept over the wandering zombies in the distance.


    "That''s our business. I''m curious why you''re here looking for supplies instead of rescuing the trapped civilians?" Elijah countered.


    "Who says we haven''t rescued anyone? We have saved some, but the losses within the army have been severe, and we can''t cover too many areas at the moment¡­" Nichs''s eyes brightened as he stared at Elijah. "You have cloaking and Telekinesis abilities, both valuable skills. Why not join us and help save humanity? We''re not here just for ourselves¡­"


    "When you say that, shouldn''t you ask your sniper to stop aiming at me? I''m feeling quite vulnerable right now!" Elijah sneered.


    Nichs, hearing this, was not the slightest bit embarrassed but responded with a faint smile, "Aren''t you also hiding threepanions? And those cloaked needles¡ªwho knows if they are right next to our heads?"


    ¡­


    After Nichs spoke, both sides fell silent. Essentially, it was a matter of mutual distrust.


    After all, more than two months had passed since the apocalypse began, and those who survived were not without their own schemes and hidden agendas.


    "Then I''ll show a bit of sincerity first, so we can talk openly!" Elijah broke the deadlock. Since the other side had perceptive abilities, it wouldn''t make much difference if Abigail and the others remained hidden.


    In front of everyone, Elijah called the needles back into the cylinder and then deactivated the cloaking of Abigail, Kylie, and Elena.


    The moment the three appeared, Nichs''s pupils constricted sharply, and his face showed an expression of disbelief. Then, he eximed in excitement, "Elena?"

 Chapter 259: Sister

    "It''s great to see you''re okay!" Nichs eximed, his excitement making him want to rush forward.


    "Wait, you know each other?" Elijah was also surprised.


    However, he remembered that Elena''s ssmates had mentioned her family was high-ranking in the military and had even sent a team to find her.


    Given that this group also seemed to be from the military, it was quite usible they knew Elena.


    "Of course I know her. She''s my sister!" Nichs stated confidently.


    However, Elena ignored him, tilted her head as she looked at Nichs, and then said to Elijah, "I don''t know him."


    "Hmm?" Nichs was stunned.


    "Elena, I''m your brother, Nichs!" Nichs called out incredulously.


    At this moment, one of Nichs''s team members noticed something was off and pulled Nichs aside, saying, "Captain, calm down. Look at Elena''s eyes!"


    Nichs looked at Elena''s eyes and immediately saw they were a deep, blood-red color!


    His heart sank instantly. They had dealt with zombies extensively and studied them carefully. This was unmistakably the eye of a zombie! The sudden appearance of his "sister" had made him lose hisposure and overlook these crucial details.


    Now, recalling everything, if she were truly his sister, why would she have remained cloaked and not revealed herself?


    It was clear now that this "sister" of his was obviously a zombie.


    Nichs calmed himself and began to carefully observe his "sister" and Elijah''s group. He soon became certain that this was indeed his sister. When he called out her name, Elena''s reaction had implicitly confirmed it.


    The key was that they had grown up together. He was sure he wouldn''t mistake her.


    However, his sister seemed to have turned into a zombie¡ªretaining some intelligence but no longer recognizing him!


    Memory loss?


    Nichs pieced together the clues and quickly deduced the probable truth. He also noticed the two other women had the same red eyes, indicating they were zombies too!


    Nichs had seen many zombies before¡ªsome vicious, some cunning, some treacherous¡ªbut this was the first time he encountered ones with intelligence who could coexist peacefully and converse.


    This clearly wasn''t due to ack of experience on his part but rted to the fact that among the four people before him, only one was a normal human!


    It seemed he needed to have an open and honest discussion with them.


    Nichs took a deep breath, then straightened his posture and said to Elijah, "Let me reintroduce myself. I''m Nichs, a Colonel in the Eastern Theater."


    Elijah, seeing this, introduced himself as well: "I''m Elijah, an ordinary civilian, currently the leader of the Neoville City Survivor Alliance."


    Nichs was moved by thetter title and instinctively asked, "Have the survivors of Neoville Citye together? How many survivors do you have now?"


    "Just under 500 people," Elijah replied casually. With the confirmation that this person was indeed Elena''s brother, Elijah''s attitude began to shift.


    He was particrly interested in the possibility that, as a military figure, Nichs might have ess torge-scale weapons.


    He wondered if he could leverage his connection to Elena to trade for some.


    Even if they couldn''t obtainrge-scale weapons, acquiring some standard firearms, armor, andmunication equipment would be beneficial.


    After all, seeing how efficiently they dealt with zombies using their silenced guns was impressive!


    Since there was an opportunity, Elijah wanted to manage this rtionship and channel carefully. Otherwise, private dealings for firearms could pose a problem for Azure Isle in the future.


    "Is that many?" Nichs and his team were momentarily taken aback. They had encountered survivor groups before, but most were just a few or a dozen people. They had never seen one with over a hundred survivors.


    Nichs was deeply impressed and saluted Elijah respectfully. "Although I don''t know how you managed it, gathering and ensuring the survival of so many survivors is trulymendable!"


    Nichs''s team members also saluted Elijah in turn, which made Elijah feel somewhat embarrassed.


    After the salutes, Nichs turned his attention to Elena and said to Elijah, "Elena is indeed my sister. She was a student at Neoville City University, correct?"


    Elijah nodded in silence.


    "My father once sent a team with a helicopter to find her, but they never returned. Now she''s a zombie, but she retains some intelligence and no memories. Can you tell me what happened?"


    Hearing this, Elijah confirmed Nichs''s identity and said, "I don''t know how Elena became a zombie.


    When I found her, she was already a zombie with some intelligence.


    I suspect it''s rted to her father''s call and the stockpiling of supplies.


    It''s likely that other students envied the supplies and harmed her.


    When I found her, she was seeking revenge against those students."


    "As for her memories¡­ from my experience with intelligent zombies, they only retain some of their most vivid memories. Elena seems to remember her hatred towards those who wronged her, which drives her to seek revenge."


    "I see¡­" Nichs''s expression wasplicated. It seemed that his father''s good intentions might have inadvertently led to Elena''s predicament.


    "And those students?"


    "They''re all dead."


    Nichs fell silent for a moment, then asked, "As far as I know, zombies typically attack humans indiscriminately. I find it hard to believe that a zombie with intelligence can coexist peacefully with humans. How have you managed it?"


    "Your view is correct, but it''s rted to my abilities. I''m afraid I can''t disclose more."


    "Abilities, you say? If Elena is separated from you, will your influence on her disappear?"


    "It might, or it might not."


    Elijah''s ambiguous response effectively discouraged Nichs from attempting to take his sister away. The brief exchange between them helped to ease the tension between the two parties.


    Nichs continued to inquire about Elena''s behavior as a zombie. He was relieved to learn that, although she had turned into a zombie, she didn''t eat people but consumed corpse cores for sustenance.


    Throughout the conversation, Elena showed minimal reaction, merely acknowledging that the man was her brother and curiously observing him.


    As the discussion drew to a close, Nichs appeared resigned. Although his sister was no longer the same, at least she was living in a new form. As Nichs was about to take his leave, Elijah''s walkie-talkie suddenly crackled to life.


    "Elijah, I see you''re engaged in conversation. What''s the situation?"


    Elijah took out the walkie-talkie and nced skyward. Indeed, hovering above the warehouse they had upied was a woman''s figure¡ªFiona!


    Elijah guessed Fiona had grown impatient and, using her telekinesis, had flown up to observe. Seeing that Elijah and Nichs were having a friendly discussion, she used the walkie-talkie to check in.


    "This ce is secure; you cane over now!"


    As soon as Elijah finished speaking, Fiona''s figure flew down towards them!


    Nichs watched in astonishment as Elijah held the walkie-talkie, clearly amazed by what he was witnessing.

 Chapter 260: True Purpose

    "Can your walkie-talkies... still work?" Nichs asked incredulously.


    "Yes, indeed," Elijah replied. "Some of our people have figured out the cause of the interference with the radio waves!"


    Seeing Nichs''s interest, Elijah deliberately fiddled with the walkie-talkie and continued, "After removing the interference, this thing will work fine.


    Having this is quite convenient, allowing us tomunicate like people from modern civilization!"


    Elijah''s response immediately dispelled Nichs''s intention to withdraw quickly.


    There was a reason for Nichs''s urgency to leave.


    In fact, Neoville City was never their target.


    The city, with itsrge poption and numerous zombies, was not a suitable ce for human development or resurgence.


    Their forces focused more on rural and smaller areas that could produce food, were sparsely popted, and were easier to clear and control.


    They also targeted key projects, factories, and industries, such as water facilities, military factories, power nts, and petrochemical nts!


    Nichs''s team was originally assigned to clear the highway adjacent to the mall''s storage base.


    This highway was a crucial hub and major artery for several nearby cities.


    Clearing the highway would make it more convenient for them to ess certain military factories and important areas.


    Clearing highways was rtively quick, as there were fewer people and more vehicles.


    They had gathered a significant amount of supplies during the clearing process, all packed intorge trucks.


    When they arrived at Neoville City, Nichs happened to learn about a mall storage base nearby.


    Although the supplies there were not urgently needed, having more was always beneficial.


    The key point was that it was close to the highway, making it easier to control.


    If it were within the city, he would not have considered it.


    Of course, Nichs had a personal motive as well.


    He hoped that after securing the base, he could try to find news about his sister.


    If his father had not died, he could have simply sent another helicopter to the school.


    Unfortunately, his father, despite surviving the initial wave of zombie toxin, did not survive the subsequent mutations.


    After his father''s death, another surviving leader took over, and Nichs could no longer arbitrarily deploy military resources, especially helicopters.


    Aftermunication was cut off, they relied on flying units to contact various armies and quickly seize important facilities.


    Now that his sister had been found and the mall storage base had been upied by someone else, Nichs''s true objective for the mission had been achieved.


    Failing to upy the storage base was a minor setback, but he would need to withdraw and focus on clearing the highway.


    However, when Nichs saw Elijah''s walkie-talkie, he became excited.


    If the military could master the technology to remove radio interference,munication issues would no longer be a problem.


    Satellite and mobilemunications might even be restored.


    This would be a tremendous benefit to the country and its people!


    While Nichs was contemting how to obtain the technology for removing radio interference from Elijah, Fiona appeared as if she were a celestial being, flying gracefully andnding beside Elijah.


    "Ugh! These people are truly freaks. Why is everyone so powerful?" Nichs was initially stunned by Fiona''s appearance but quickly shifted his focus to her abilities.


    He noticed that the woman used the same ability as Elijah¡ªTelekinesis.


    Their military district had people with Telekinesis, but theirs could barely lift a few bricks.


    The idea of flying through the air was simply a dream!


    But the woman in front of him had achieved it, indicating her abilities were far superior to those in their district!


    Although special abilities are rare, their greater value to the military is immunity to the zombie virus in the air, preventing involuntary zombification.


    No matter how powerful the ability, it would be useless in the face of modern gunfire and bombardment, turning into a pile of rotting flesh!


    Yet, seeing Elijah and his team''s formidable personal strength, especially their enhanced invisibilitybined with Telekinesis, made them nearly invisible killing machines.


    This revtion changed Nichs''s preconceived notions!


    Nichs didn''t realize that Fiona''s strength was not only in her abilities but also in her intellect.


    She merely nced at Nichs and furrowed her brow. "Soldiers? Are you from the Eastern Theater? How did you end up here?"


    Then, looking at the nearby highway, Fiona seemed to understand. "You''re clearing the highway? And you came to check if anyone had upied this ce?"


    Nichs was taken aback. From their equipment and appearance, they could infer this much, but how did she deduce it so precisely? This woman was not ordinary!


    Elijah briefly exined what had happened and the connection between Elena and Nichs. Fiona quickly pieced everything together.


    She noticed Nichs''s eyes fixed on the walkie-talkie in her hand and smiled, saying, "Actually, the supplies in this mall storage base aren''t that important to you, right? After all, they''re just civilian living supplies!"


    Although Fiona was correct, Nichs was not ready to leave just yet. "We soldiers are people too, and we need living supplies. Moreover, we''ve saved many civilians who also need these supplies!"


    "That''s a line meant to deceive ordinary people. If you really need food, you could simply take over the major grain warehouses. The food stored there wouldst the survivors nationwide for years!" Fiona retorted, leaving Nichs speechless.


    In fact, the nearest grain warehouse to their military district was one he had taken with his own team!


    "So, since we''ve already secured this storage base, I assume you have no objections. Why don''t we discuss something else? For instance, I see you''re quite interested in the walkie-talkie in my hand. Are you curious about the technology for removing signal interference?" Fiona continued, her smile unwavering.


    Nichs was indeed distracted and stopped insisting on the base issue. "Yes, I am. Is there any chance you could share this technology with us? It''s crucial for us and the surviving humans nationwide. With this technology, we could rescue trapped people more quickly and urately!"


    Nichs raised the banner of moral righteousness, but unfortunately, Fiona wasn''t swayed by it. "The technology itself can''t be given to you, but we can arrange a trade. We could sell you the modified equipment!"


    "Fine!" Nichs had not expected to get it for free, so trading for the equipment was eptable.


    With the equipment, and the expertise of their military district specialists, they should be able to crack it, right?


    Fiona seemed either unaware of this possibility or simply didn''t care if it was cracked.


    "Since we have a mutual understanding, why not make the deal now? I have a question that I''m very curious about. If you answer it truthfully, I''ll give you both walkie-talkies. How does that sound?"


    "What''s your question?" Nichs asked.


    "It''s about the truth behind the zombie virus outbreak that your father sent to Elena, and what happened at Serenity Peak. Can you shed some light on that?"


    Fiona asked with a lightugh, and Elijah also turned his attention to Nichs with a serious expression.

 Chapter 261: Codename

    "You already know about this?" Nichs was a bit surprised. He then looked at his sister and guessed how they might have gotten the information.


    "Actually, the information we have is iplete. On the day the zombie virus outbreak urred, a satellite detected a sudden mist appearing in the eastern seas of Country A. Any electronic devices were unable to detect what was happening inside the mist!" Nichs pondered for a moment and finally decided to tell the truth.


    The technology to remove wireless interference was too important for them, and while the truth about the virus outbreak was known only to a few, it wasn''t exactly a secret that couldn''t be shared.


    "Later, both Country A and Country C sent people to investigate. The mist gradually dissipated a bit, and it seemed like there was arge mountain inside. It''s said that two people, dressed in ancient attire, emerged from the mountain, and they could fly, possibly immortals. Because of this, they gave that mountain the codename ''Serenity Peak!''"


    So that''s how Serenity Peak got its name! Elijah realized, then asked with concern, "What about those two immortals?"


    "No one knows!" Nichs shook his head.


    "No one knows?" Elijah was stunned.


    "Right, those two immortals disappeared not long after they appeared. Electronic devices could no longer detect their whereabouts. Shortly after, the nearby Country C warships were inexplicably attacked, and after that, as you know, the zombie virus outbreak began in Country A, quickly spreading across the globe.


    At the same time, global wireless signals were interfered with, and humanity has been in the apocalypse ever since, up until now!" Nichs said everything in one breath.


    "Do you have nes? Did you send anyone else to investigate afterward?" Elijah frowned slightly.


    After all that listening, besides learning about two possible immortals, he didn''t get any more useful information.


    "We could barely protect ourselves; who had the time to investigate these things?" Nichs smiled bitterly.


    The virus was indiscriminate, and barely anyone in the military survived.


    The few who did manage to gather together faced another crisis as the virus mutated, causing people to suddenly turn into zombies, leading to several outbreaks of chaos.


    Later, they required all non-awakened soldiers to wear tactical gloves and full-face helmets at all times, which helped control the chaos caused by sudden zombification.


    This practice continued, including among the team members Nichs brought along this time.


    This way, if they suddenly turned into zombies, they wouldn''t scratch or bite theirrades.


    Of course, another crucial reason was that the nearest warships from Country C werepletely wiped out. What would be the point of sending more people?


    The top priority was to ensure their own survival, continue developing, and after solving the zombie crisis, they could consider exploring that area.


    Elijah and Fiona asked for more details, but finding no further useful information, Fiona straightforwardly handed two walkie-talkies to Nichs.


    Since they nned to trade with the other party, it made sense to provide one or two samples to build trust.


    Although the information they gained wasn''t very useful, it did deepen theirmunication.


    As soon as Nichs got the walkie-talkies, he immediately handed one to a team member.


    The two of them skillfully tested the devices and found that they indeed worked perfectly, and they both smiled in delight.


    "How many of these walkie-talkies can you provide? What do you want in exchange?" Nichs asked eagerly.


    Fiona and Elijah exchanged a nce, then Fiona said to Nichs, "We don''t have many, and ours are all civilian-grade. I have a suggestion: you could provide us with some military-grade walkie-talkies, radios, etc., and we''ll modify them. After we''re done, we''ll keep a portion as a modification fee. What do you think?"


    "Deal!" Nichs agreed without a second thought.


    The advantage was with the other side, so he didn''t really have a choice.


    His priority was to solve the immediate problem; once they had the equipment, they could negotiate the specificster.


    "That''s the spirit of a soldier¡ªstraightforward! If this cooperation goes well, we can establish long-term coborations in a broader range of areas. To be honest, besides here, we''ve also taken control of Neoville City''s international port, where there are many industrial supplies. Compared to everyday goods, I believe you need industrial supplies more urgently..."


    Nichs''s eyes lit up even more at these words! He then asked in detail about the industrial supplies avable, and Fiona answered each question.


    The more Nichs listened, the more excited he became.


    However, the only issue was how to verify if this woman in front of him was telling the truth.


    After all, although they imed to be the leaders of the Neoville City Survivor Alliance, Nichs had only seen two normal people, Elijah and Fiona.


    The other three were zombies! One of them was even his sister!


    It seemed Fiona had guessed what Nichs was thinking.


    After chatting for a while, she smiled and said, "This isn''t the best ce to discuss things. You''vee a long way, so you''re our guests. Why don''t we go inside and sit down? I can also introduce you to some of the survivors from Neoville City."


    "Sounds good!" Nichs was pleased, though he maintained a neutral expression. He gestured to his team members, signaling for two of them toe closer.


    "But I see there are still quite a few zombies in this area. How do we get in?" Nichs asked.


    He didn''t believe that so many people could be made invisible or fly in together.


    No matter how strong an ability user was, there were limits!


    "The western side of the area hasn''t been fully cleared, but that won''t affect our entry. Please, follow me," Elijah replied with a smile, making a gesture for them to proceed.


    At the same time, Abigail, Kylie, and Elena unleashed their full aura, the unique pressure of third-tier zombies nketing the area.


    Although Nichs and his team couldn''t sense it, they had no choice but to trust Elijah, a man whose strength was hard to gauge.


    The three of them followed Elijah, and soon Nichs witnessed something astonishing.


    Some zombies, having noticed their presence, started running toward them from a distance.


    However, as soon as they got within ten meters, the zombies suddenly seemed terrified and quickly fled.


    One of the zombies, apparently a mutant, didn''t flee like the others.


    But when it got within a few meters of them, the beautiful woman next to Elena, Nichs''s sister, gave it a fierce re, causing it to freeze in ce.


    It was then swiftly impaled by a sharp, jade-white weapon that appeared out of nowhere, piercing its brain.


    Nichs and his team had to admit that this group, just by relying on their abilities, could clear out zombies as fast as they could with firearms¡ªif not faster in some aspects!


    Before long, they arrived at the warehouse where Quentin and the others were stationed.


    Nichs saw a few people standing guard near the entrance, and he felt slightly more at ease. It seemed Elijah''s group had not lied.


    When he entered the warehouse and saw dozens of fully armed people resting together, Nichs was genuinely shocked.


    Fiona had mentioned earlier that these were just thebat personnel sent to clear out the zombies.


    If there were this many fighters, there must be even more guards and nonbat personnel in their stronghold.


    With that in mind, it wasn''t an exaggeration for them to im they had a few hundred survivors. This realization finally put Nichs''s mind at ease.


    While Nichs was surprised, Quentin and the others were even more astonished when they saw Nichs and especially noticed their military gear.


    "Soldiers?!"

 Chapter 262: Changing attitudes

    "Let me introduce everyone," Elijah took the lead, introducing Nichs and Quentin''s groups to each other.


    Quentin even shared the identification number of the unit he once served in, instantly bridging the gap between the two sides.


    When Elijah''s survivors heard that Quentin confirmed these new arrivals were indeed genuine soldiers, they quickly gathered around, bombarding them with questions.


    They asked about the virus outbreak, government rescue efforts, and ns for the future.


    Although most had lost hope, they still wanted confirmation.


    The people naturally had a strong sense of respect for soldiers, and Nichs could feel this goodwill.


    However, his answers inevitably disappointed them.


    He exined that there was no longer any functioning government, and everyone was left to fend for themselves.


    The military was doing what it could, actively expanding the safe zones and trying to rebuild government structures.


    However, their current focus was not on densely popted cities like Neoville City, but on the more sparsely popted rural areas and small towns.


    If any survivors were willing, they could follow the soldiers back to the military-controlled areas, which were rtively safer.


    Elijah and Fiona showed no reaction to Nichs''s attempts to recruit people.


    If anyone decided to leave, they wouldn''t mind. In this apocalypse, the one thing that wasn''t in short supply was survivors without food or water.


    As long as they had enough resources, they could recruit as many people as they wanted.


    A few people were indeed tempted, especially when they saw the shiny, well-maintained firearms Nichs carried.


    However, after learning that the military had no method to induce awakenings and that they even had to purchase walkie-talkies from Azure Isle, their interest quickly waned.


    They thought to themselves, "The military doesn''t even have as many resources as Azure Isle! We''ve got control of Neoville City''s international port and storage bases; we have plenty of food and water now. All we care about is awakening, fully immunizing ourselves against the zombie virus, and not worrying about turning into zombies. Why go to the military if theyck everything we need?


    Just to be cannon fodder? We''d rather stay on Azure Isle and have a glimmer of hope!"


    As for firearms, they figured that if the military came here to buy walkie-talkies, surely they could get their hands on weapons too, especially with "Godmother" around. Fiona''s methods had earned their utmost respect.


    Gradually, the survivors'' attitude toward Nichs and his team began to shift, something Nichs and his team felt keenly.


    But they didn''t pay it much mind, as their conversations revealed something far more intriguing¡ªAzure Isle apparently had a way to induce awakenings, or possibly... a serum?!


    As soon as the survivors stopped questioning them, Nichs immediately approached Elijah and Fiona to discuss the awakening serum.


    Elijah and Fiona didn''t deny its existence.


    The two had exchanged a brief nce and decided they could use this opportunity to influence one or two individuals within the military.


    They didn''t have grand ambitions of controlling the military, especially since Elijah''s Seed of Consciousness had its limits¡ªcontrolling Neoville City was already pushing it.


    However, it was wise to be cautious, and they wanted to nt a couple of people within the military who could ry information back to Azure Isle if needed.


    Nichs and his team were excited, though a bit skeptical.


    Elijah and Fiona didn''t expect them to believe everything right away, so they steered the conversation back topleting the deal for the walkie-talkies and radios.


    As for the awakening serum, they suggested they could discuss it further in the future.


    Nichs nodded in agreement; he had some matters to report back, and they might need to send a few people to infiltrate Neoville City for further investigation. Securing themunication equipment deal was the most pressing task at the moment.


    After chatting a bit longer, Nichs requested to leave, needing to return to headquarters as soon as possible to make his report.


    Elijah escorted the three men out, watching them as they methodically retreated before finally returning to the warehouse.


    Fiona was delivering a speech to the survivors under hermand, outlining the uing trade with the military, including firearms that would eventually be distributed to everyone.


    This speech effectively quashed any lingering doubts among those who had been harboring second thoughts, further solidifying their loyalty to the leadership of Azure Isle.


    Afterwards, Elijah and his team spent more than a day thoroughly clearing out the zombies from the entire mall storage base.


    During the operation, they even managed to rescue a few survivors.


    These survivors had been lucky; they were holed up in a snack and beverage warehouse, which had kept them well-supplied with food and drink, allowing them to survive until now.


    Two dayster, Nichs and his group returned, this time bringing with them arge batch of militarymunication radios, the kind that could make direct phone calls.


    These were handed over to Elijah and his team.


    Vincent, having been informed ahead of time, had already gathered a few people and was waiting at the YLK Group Hotel.


    Vincent''s team had grownrger, thanks to rmendations from a few smaller survivor groups.


    Anyone with even a bit of knowledge in the field ofmunications had been sent to Vincent to aid in his work.


    After receiving the first batch of military radios, Vincent''s team spent several days modifying them.


    Finally, they sessfully retrofitted two units, which were then set up at Azure Isle and the YLK Group Hotel, resulting in a significant improvement in themunication between the two locations.


    While waiting for news on the modifications, Nichs and his team spent time exploring Neoville City.


    They discovered that, just as Elijah had said, the western and southern suburbs, along with the coastal area of Neoville City, had already been cleared of zombies.


    After clearing out the mall storage base, Elijah''s team stationed a squad led by a second-tier ability user to guard it, while the rest of the group continued their efforts in the old town, aiming to secure the entire city and its surrounding areas.


    Nichs''s team also visited Azure Isle and were astonished by the stability and prosperity of the area.


    If it weren''t for the knowledge that they were in a post-apocalyptic world, they might have mistaken it for a pre-apocalypse urban district.


    The safe zone around Azure Isle had expanded significantly after multiple extensions, and survivors from surrounding areas flocked there to trade, which led to the gradual repurposing of previously abandoned storefronts.


    Under Fiona''s nning and allocation, each of the various survivor groups was given a designated spot to set up their own shops for trading supplies.


    Of course, thergest area remained the Azure Isle waterfront service area, which was the only ce that sold awakening and advancement serums, drawing inrge numbers of people.


    Nichs and his group witnessed someone drinking an awakening serum on the spot and sessfully awakening their abilities.


    This sight made them both envious and more determined to expand their trade with Azure Isle.


    When the first batch of modified military radios waspleted, Nichs and his team were at Azure Isle, where they witnessed the sessful phone connection between Azure Isle and the YLK Group Hotel.


    They even had a conversation with their own team members stationed there.


    Relieved and excited, they promptly returned to the YLK Group Hotel to await thepletion of the remaining radio modifications and to discuss future trade deals with Elijah and Fiona.


    Hearing that the military was interested in acquiring awakening serums, Elijah didn''t reject the idea.


    Instead, he took the opportunity to bring up the possibility of trading for firearms. Nichs''s team had already anticipated this and had prepared ordingly.


    After reporting to their superiors, the military had secretly sent people to infiltrate Neoville City for investigation.


    Following this, themand center conducted a series of simtions and concluded that Elijah''s group was a principled organization, leading them to approve a certain level of material trade, including firearms.


    Therefore, Nichs and his team did not refuse the request but imposed a limit on the quantity, simr to how Azure Isle limited the sale of awakening serums to them.

 Chapter 263: The Price

    The details of the deal with Nichs were handed over to Fiona by Elijah.


    After they fully upied the mall''s storage base, Elijah didn''t follow the team to clear the old town; instead, he entrusted that task entirely to Quentin and his group.


    Elijah himself took Yvonne, a nt ability user from the YLK Group, along with many spirit nts collected by the YLK Group, and returned to Azure Isle. Apanying them was the young girl, Nora!


    Before departure, Elijah asked Lillian if she would like to move to Azure Isle permanently.


    Surprisingly, Lillian refused, saying she was quitefortable living at the YLK Group and didn''t want to move. However, the young girl Nora was eager to explore.


    Since Elijah needed Nora to shield the spirit nts during the journey, he brought her along back to Azure Isle.


    The women on the ind were all very fond of Nora. The little girl, now healthy and chubby, had be quite adorable, igniting a strong maternal instinct among the women.


    Because of this, Be sought out Elijah one night, enthusiastically exercising in the hope of having a child herself.


    Speaking of this matter, the women on the ind found it odd. They had been with Elijah for quite some time, often engaging in intimate activities without any precaution, yet none of them had be pregnant!


    If it had been just one woman, it might have been her problem, but with so many women without any sign of pregnancy, the only possible issue had to be with the man.


    Jasmine delicately brought up the matter with Elijah, making him both amused and exasperated.


    Who would''ve thought that the arrival of a young girl would make all the women suspicious of him?


    As a result, Elijah had to "teach" each of them a lesson while providing an exnation.


    Human awakening is not without its price!


    One of the consequences is a reduced likelihood of reproduction!


    Knowing this, Elijah had been generous in his "sowing," hoping someone would eventually get pregnant!


    His exnation earned him a series of rolled eyes, with the women using him of using this as an excuse for his lustfulness.


    Elijah protested his innocence, saying it wasn''t just him¡ªother awakened individuals also struggled with fertility. If they didn''t believe him, they could investigate!


    Daisy and Charlotte were assigned by Fiona to guard Azure Isle. Charlotte enjoyed the peace and quiet, spending her time teaching, meditating, and cultivating, without getting involved in this matter.


    Daisy, though diligent in her cultivation, couldn''t stay idle. She took it upon herself to investigate, teaming up with Quentin''s partner, Ivy, to conduct research in various settlements.


    Ivy, too, had such doubts. Despite her and Quentin''s frequent nightly activities, there had been no sign of pregnancy, leading her to question if something was wrong with her.


    After hearing Daisy''s description, they quickly formed an agreement!


    The two of them investigated dozens of people and found that, just as Elijah said, none of the awakened individuals had managed to conceive.


    The only pregnant woman among the survivors was a normal human, as was her partner.


    This left the women of Azure Isle quite disappointed, but at night, they became even more relentless in "tormenting" Elijah, even teaming up to do so.


    This left Elijah in a state of both pain and pleasure!


    After spending several indulgent days, Elijah found it hard to endure any longer, so he used the excuse of sending Nora back to escape to the YLK Group.


    Here, with only Lillian around, Elijah felt a sense of peace. Especially when he saw Lillian''s shy yet teasing demeanor, it was apletely different kind of enjoymentpared to those who were eager to have children.


    When Elijah arrived at the YLK Group hotel, Nichs and the others had already left, taking with them the first batch of modified militarymunication radios that had beenpleted in their cooperation.


    As for the batch of militarymunication radios intercepted by Azure Isle, Fiona had gradually distributed them across Neoville City''s international port, mall storage bases, and various settlements.


    This ensured seamlessmunication around Neoville City.


    The YLK Group hotel had also undergone significant changes, with far fewer people inside.


    Some of them had been dispersed by Fiona to Neoville City''s international port and mall storage bases, while others were stationed at critical points, such as gas stations.


    A portion of the group was also involved in clearing the old city district.


    Currently, the progress toward the old city district was going smoothly, and along the way, they had rescued quite a few survivors and made contact with some small survivor settlements.


    Under the protection of Quentin and others'' formidable force, these people obediently decided to join the Neoville City Survivor Alliance, led by Azure Isle.


    Initially, they might have had reservations about being coerced by force, but as soon as they traveled the cleared path to Azure Isle, their attitudes changed immediately.


    When they saw the potion that could awaken abilities, anyone would reconsider their stance.


    Over the past few days, something else happened¡ªElijah''s batch of zombies gradually reached the third stage.


    He selected a few zombies whose abilities were redundant and killed them to extract their corpse cores, which he then gave to Abigail and Kylie.


    Elena, watching eagerly from the side, made Elijah feel that it wouldn''t be appropriate not to give her any, but he also feared that if she identally advanced to the fourth stage, he wouldn''t be able to control her.


    So, he used the excuse that she was new and gave her half of Abigail''s share.


    This way, if Abigail and the others advanced, Elijah could then decide how much of the remaining corpse cores to give Elena.


    Time passed quickly, and in the blink of an eye, a month had gone by!


    The road from the southern suburbs to the old city district was sessfully cleared, and the road from the old city district to the coastal area was also fully cleaned up.


    The four outer areas of Neoville City werepletely connected, forming a circle that surrounded the three central districts of Neoville City!


    During this month, the number of mutated zombies had noticeably increased.


    However, thanks to the gradual sale of the awakening potions, the number of awakened individuals under Neoville City''s Azure Isle had grown significantly.


    Moreover, afterpleting two more transactions with Nichs and the others, they obtained a batch of firearms, so their overall losses were not substantial.


    On the contrary, because more and more areas were cleared of zombies, the number of survivors had steadily increased.


    Among these survivors, some had connections with Elijah.


    For example, a small settlement that upied a police station in the old city district was the same group that Elijah and Daisy had encountered and rescued on the road.


    At that time, Elijah and Daisy had quietly left after taking out a few gangsters, who were led by someone named Daniel, if memory served right.


    Among the remaining survivors, only a young woman, who had been selling herself but not her skills, was not trapped in a cell.


    She had obtained the keys to the other cells, as well as the weapons and supplies in the police station.


    From there, she turned her life around, thoroughly educating and managing the other petty thieves and gamblers, bing the undisputed queen of the police station.


    Later, by a stroke of luck, she awakened her abilities and gathered another group of survivors outside, eventually bing the leader of a small settlement.


    Another group had even deeper ties with Elijah¡ªthey were people from Elijah and Daisy''s neighborhood.


    When Elijah and the others left, it inspired some of the bolder residents to venture out.


    Thanks to Elijah and his team clearing out most of the zombies in the neighborhood, these people managed to grab supplies from the convenience stores and were doing quite well.


    After the road to the old city district was cleared, Elijah, Daisy, and Be even went back to revisit the ce, reminiscing about the early days of the zombie outbreak.


    Another major event over the past month was that the Dancing Grass, constantly nourished by the corpse cores, finally matured, and Fiona advanced to the fourth stage as a result!


    Not long after Fiona''s advancement, Charlotte approached Elijah¡ªshe wanted to visit "Serenity Peak!"

 Chapter 264: Preparing for the Voyage

    Charlotte and Daisy focused on their training over the past month, asionally consuming Red Fruit No. 4 to replenish their Chi.


    Recently, both advanced to the third tier.


    Before their advancement, Gabriel had upgraded to the third tier by consuming Blood Spirit Grass, while Be and Hannah achieved the same tier through Crystal Grass.


    Others also made progress. Grace had eaten Blood Spirit Grass as well, but as she wasn''t a physique-type ability user, the effect was less significant.


    She came very close to advancing to the third tier and will likely make the leap once the Blood Spirit Grass matures again.


    Katherine, although she didn''t specifically consume spirit nts, regrly tasted fruits from the Red Fruit cultivation and umted substantial Chi, only needing a final push.


    With Fiona and Lily already at the third tier, the Azure Isle forces had entered the third-tier era.


    Despite this, Charlotte didn''t express any desire to go to "Serenity Peak" because she understood Elijah. Without someone of the same tier staying behind, Elijah wouldn''t feel secure leaving for a long distance.


    Charlotte waited for an opportunity, and with the maturity of the Dancing Grass and Fiona''s sessful advancement to the fourth tier, the moment finally arrived!


    She proposed to Elijah that they should go see "Serenity Peak."


    Elijah did not refuse. He and Fiona had long been curious about the mysterious "Serenity Peak." He considered the current state of Azure Isle.


    After Neoville City was connected, Fiona organized teams to clear zombies from the three districts in the city center and to infiltrate the surrounding areas.


    Additionally, they dispatched several teams to clean up some factories, preparing for future production.


    Everything was progressing smoothly.


    One district in the city center had been cleared, and infiltration around Neoville City was also sessful, particrly in the old town''s northern area, which housed one of the country''s top ind ports.


    This port was now upied by Azure Isle, providing arge amount of resources.


    Several factories producing daily necessities had even attempted to resume operations.


    Currently, Azure Isle had full control over the survivors in the Neoville City area and had established good cooperation with the military.


    The environment was very stable, with a promising future.


    This sess wasrgely due to Fiona''s governance. As the heir to a major corporation, she made Elijah feel somewhat idle.


    His days were filled with ying with the women, vacationing on the beach, or going out to sea.


    Now that Fiona had sessfully reached the fourth tier, her abilities had truly achieved the legendary speed of flight, capable of taking a head from a kilometer away.


    Of course, a kilometer was a bit of an exaggeration, but a hundred meters was certainly possible.


    Her Telekinesis shield had also been further strengthened, making ordinary bullets ineffective. She no longer feared surprise attacks.


    Seeing this, Elijah realized that Azure Isle didn''t actually need him at the moment.


    Thus, he agreed to Charlotte''s request and, afterpleting the final preparations, would set off to see "Serenity Peak."


    Elijah''s interest in "Serenity Peak" was driven not only by curiosity but also by a more pressing concern. He noticed that his own strength had stopped growing!


    It wasn''t aplete halt, but the rate of increase had be negligible.


    When he was at the third tier, consuming Red Fruit No. 4 provided a slight boost, but after reaching the fourth tier, eating Red Fruit No. 4 no longer produced any noticeable effects.


    He had even tried consuming a Zombie Grass with simr results.


    He hadn''t tried better Blood Spirit Grass or Crystal Grass, partly because many people were waiting to use them for advancement, and partly because Elijah could predict they would be effective but not significantly so, possibly simr to the effects of Red Fruit No. 4 when he was at the third tier.


    If that were the case, he would need to consume an excessive amount to advance, which would be a waste.


    Elijah had been hoping for Red Fruit to evolve into No. 5, which might serve as an alternative.


    However, it had been over two months since Red Fruit No. 4 was discovered, and No. 5 had not yet evolved. Instead, a few other nts had shown changes simr to Red Fruit No. 1, adding one or two new spirit fruits.


    This led Elijah to wonder if the spirit nts that could be cultivated might only reach the level of Red Fruit No. 4, or if it was rted to the Chi concentration in the air.


    The path of spirit nts is currently not very effective for Elijah. He now has to rely on meditation to increase his strength, but progress is slow.


    Elijah feels that if he only depends on meditation, it might take him four to five years, or even seven to eight years, to reach the fifth tier.


    Unfortunately, there is no alternative unless he can find a spirit nt that is more advanced than the Dancing Grass or Snow Lotus Fruit.


    Unfortunately, Charlotte shattered this illusion for him.


    After reaching the third tier, Charlotte''s inner vision evolved into spiritual vision, which is no longer limited to observing the surroundings of the body but can extend to distant ces.


    Through this spiritual vision, Charlotte observed that if the Snow Lotus Fruit does not receive energy from a corpse core, and only absorbs Chi from the air, its growth rate will be extremely slow.


    It can grow, but to umte enough Chi to bloom and bear fruit will definitely take several years, or even decades.


    Therefore, Charlotte concluded that the Snow Lotus Fruit is currently the highest-tier spirit nt that can be nurtured in the existing environment.


    Higher-tier spirit nts cannot grow due to the current Chi concentration.


    So, Elijah is facing a rather awkward situation: either he diligently meditates and spends several years or even decades to reach the fifth tier, or he goes to the so-called "Serenity Peak" to try his luck.


    Since he''s idle anyway, he might as well go out and explore!


    Elijah is determined. Since he has decided to go, he needs to make thorough preparations.


    First, Abigail and Kylie have been consuming third-tier corpse cores for a while.


    However, advancing from the third tier to the fourth tier by eating corpse cores takes an exceptionally long time.


    Abigail told Elijah that she has a feeling that the advancement is imminent in the next few days.


    Abigail and Kylie advancing to the fourth tier will give Elijah more confidence in dealing with the dangers at sea or any potential dangers at "Serenity Peak."


    Secondly, regarding transportation, they can only travel by ship at the moment.


    Fortunately, Country A is not far from Neoville City, with a straight-line distance of about 700 kilometers.


    Finding arge yacht and filling it with fuel, along with carrying some extra fuel, should be sufficient.


    Once they arrive in Country A, they will gather more fuel for the subsequent voyage and return trip.


    Finally, for the team, besides Elijah, Charlotte, Abigail, Kylie, and the three powerful zombies, there will be several other third-tier zombies.


    Additionally, Daisy has been insisting on going along, andstly, they need a driver, which can only be Sophia.


    Although Daisy ims she can drive a yacht, and after more than a month of Sophia''s training, she has graduated, Elijah does not agree at all!


    Everything is ready! Soon, Abigail and Kylie have finally advanced to the fourth tier!

 Chapter 265: it now looks like an enormous white dragon

    Abigail''s defensive capabilities at the third tier are already impressive; des and swords can''t harm her, and she can withstand ordinary bullets.


    After reaching the fourth tier, her overall defense bes even more extraordinary.


    Not only her muscles and bones but even her internal organs have be incredibly resilient.


    Bullets, which previously could cause difort, now merely leave a mark, akin to a mosquito bite. Her toughness isparable to that of Superman.


    Elijah, by merely mimicking Abigail''s abilities, has seen his passive defensive capabilities increase to nearly that of a third-tier defense.


    Kylie''s fourth-tier abilities are even more remarkable.


    What was initially just an aura of intimidation now carries a hint of seduction or coercion.


    She can intimidate someone''s mind in a short time,pelling them to follow hermands!


    Of course, this forcedmand is short-lived and requires the target to be at least two levels below her, such as an ordinary person or a first-tier ability user.


    Second-tier ability users have some resistance to her intimidation; they might be immobilized but not lose their sanity or follow orders.


    However, this is still quite frightening, as Kylie''s abilities are most effective not against humans but against zombies!


    At the fourth tier, Kylie is an absolute ruler over zombies; even second-tier zombies cannot resist hermands.


    Even Elijah''s several third-tier zombies will obey Kylie in the absence of direct instructions from him or Abigail.


    With their abilities, Elijah feels more confident about the uing adventure. Everything is ready.


    Elijah, Charlotte, and the others bid farewell to Fiona, Be, and the other women on Azure Isle and boarded thergest luxury yacht on the ind!


    The yacht is over 35 meters long, nearly 7 meters wide, with a cruising speed of 20 knots and a range of 500 nautical miles, about 900 kilometers.


    This is more than enough to reach Country A''s ind.


    Moreover, they have plenty of extra fuel!


    In addition, they have ample food and drinking water for an extended sea voyage.


    Sophia has made thorough preparations for the voyage.


    She has taken the yacht out of the dock several times and is now thoroughly familiar with it!


    Soon, the yacht sessfully departs from the dock, gradually picking up speed and heading full throttle towards Country A''s ind!


    Just as Elijah and the others left Azure Isle, a massive creature suddenly leapt out of the sea and then plunged back in, continuously circling around the yacht!


    "It''s Whitey!" Sophia eximed joyfully.


    "This guy wants toe along for the ride!" Elijahughed and shook his head. He had sensed Whitey''s movements and understood its intentions through their mental link.


    Whitey, having undergone several evolutions, has developed partial intelligence, roughly equivalent to a first-tier Yello.


    Yello has advanced to the second tier through its food thievery and is now much smarter, almost like a seven or eight-year-old child.


    A first-tier Yello is about the level of a three or four-year-old child. Whitey is currently in this state!


    In addition to gaining intelligence, Whitey''s body has changed significantly.


    It is now over ten meters long, with a more slender build, barely resembling the original shark; it now looks like an enormous white dragon!


    Although Whitey hasn''t developed any special abilities yet, its powerful physique rivals that of a third-tier ability user.


    "Since Whitey has always protected the ind and hasn''t ventured out much, why not let it join us?" Sophia suggested.


    Besides Elijah, Sophia has the best rtionship with Whitey. She feels that having Whitey along would make the sea voyage safer!


    "Sure!" Elijah agreed without hesitation.


    The inders'' strength is no longer as it once was, with several third-tier individuals. Whitey''s temporary absence won''t pose a threat to Azure Isle.


    Whitey, delighted by Elijah''s approval, immediately began darting around the sea surface. As the yacht stabilized, the people on board began their respective activities.


    Abigail and Daisy took out their sea fishing gear and started fishing.


    Charlotte and Kylie changed into swimsuits, enjoying the sea breeze and drinks! Elijah and Elena explored the luxurious yacht.


    The yacht''s interior design is exceptional, with each of its three levels featuring unique characteristics and functions, decorated to rival luxury hotels.


    The bed is so soft andfortable that Elijah and Elena found themselves lying on it without realizing it!


    Seeing Kylie and Abigail advance to the fourth tier one after another, Elena was a bit jealous!


    Although Elena had intelligence, she was somewhat childish, making Elijah feel the need to deepen their emotional connection so he could confidently give her a third-tier corpse core in the future.


    While sailing at sea, everyone was initially excited, but the enthusiasm waned over time.


    Fortunately, the voyage wasn''t very long, and by the next afternoon, they had reached near Country A, spottingnd in the distance.


    Sophia pointed to the map and said to Elijah, "We''re currently near Avalon in Country A, still over 1500 kilometers from our destination. Although we have extra fuel, we should find a port here to refuel!"


    Sophia''s destination was a coordinate obtained from Nichs, the location where they first discovered "Serenity Peak," roughly 200 kilometers east of the capital of Country A.


    Elijah and the others had arrived at Avalon on the west side of Country A, but their destination was still some distance away.


    Before departure, Elijah and Sophia had nned a rough itinerary.


    Avalon was their first stop to refuel.


    Afterward, they would travel northeast along Country A''s coastline. Before heading to Serenity Peak, they needed to refuel again at a port near the capital.


    Elijah had no objections. Just as Sophia was preparing to adjust their course to find a port, Daisy''s voice suddenly came over the radio.


    "Someone is approaching from the east in a speedboat,ing quickly!"


    "Looks like a warm and hospitable host wants to wee us. I''ll go check it out!" Elijah chuckled and headed to the deck.


    On deck, Daisy, Charlotte, Abigail, Kylie, and Elena were all on guard in different directions.


    Elijah looked to the east and indeed saw a speedboat approaching them.


    However, instead ofing closer, it circled their luxury yacht from a distance before heading east again!


    "They might be going to get more people!" Charlotte remarked, watching the boat leave.


    "No worries, the more, the merrier! It''s a perfect chance for Whitey to have some fun!" Elijah chuckled.


    Despite Elijah''s nonchnce, everyone remained vignt. Daisy and Charlotte even changed out of their swimsuits and back into their regrbat gear.


    As Elijah and the others drew closer to the coast of Country A, a group suddenly emerged from behind an ind.


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and


    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 266: Landing in Country A

    "Wow, wow, whoa!"


    A group of people, driving around seven or eight speedboats, began circling around Elijah and his luxury yacht, shouting in anguage Elijah didn''t understand.


    Elijah knew little about thenguage of Country A.


    Seeing these somewhat frenzied individuals, he frowned slightly and asked, "What are they saying?"


    "Not sure, but it doesn''t look like it''s good news!" Daisy replied, making a face.


    She felt that the way these guys were looking at them was quite disgusting!


    "Is that so? Well, forget it. Let''s deal with them first!" Elijah decided. It didn''t seem like they were here for a friendly conversation, especially since two of them were holding what looked like crude guns and pointing them at them.


    Seeing that Elijah and his group remained indifferent, the people from Country A appeared to get angry. They began to aim their crude guns at the yacht, preparing to fire.


    At that moment, a huge white shape suddenly shed below the surface of the water near the yacht, and then it surged up from the water.


    "Boom!"


    Whitey''s enormous body flipped two speedboats over!


    With the terrified screams of the A country people from another speedboat, Whitey opened its blood-red mouth and swallowed them whole!


    Whitey then submerged back into the water. Before itpletely disappeared, its tail, which had emerged from the water, swung!


    "Boom! Boom!" After two loud crashes, two more speedboats were flung far away as if they had been hit by a high-speed car.


    On the yacht, people were already a bloody mess with severed limbs. One person, who was hit by the tail, was smashed into a pile of mush, sttering everywhere!


    "Ba ke mo no!"


    The surviving people from Country A stared at the scene in terror, shouting in a daze.


    At this moment, Whitey surfaced again, but this time it didn''t attack. Instead, it gagged and then violently spat out a person, flipping a speedboat and sending its upants into the sea.


    "Uh... was it that bad? Worse than zombies?"


    Elijah looked at Whitey''s somewhat aggrieved expression and said speechlessly.


    At this point, only one speedboat remained on the surface, with two survivors on it, and two others in the sea who had miraculously survived!


    Hearing Elijah speak, the survivors immediately realized that this monster was controlled by Elijah and quickly called out, "Hero! Spare us!"


    "Eh? You can speak English?"


    "Somewhat! Somewhat!"


    "Do the others speak English?"


    Elijah looked at the other three survivors.


    "I do! A little!" one of the survivors in the sea quickly replied.


    "Is that so..."


    Elijah pondered for a moment and asked, "Why did you attack us?"


    "Uh..."


    The man in the sea didn''t know how to respond!


    With a nce from Elijah, Whitey immediately swung its tail and pped the hesitant man to the seabed.


    "Boom!"


    The sea surface where the man had been instantly turned a deep red.


    The remaining three survivors shuddered in fear, especially the other person in the sea, who seemed so terrified that he convulsed and, with a few sshes, sank to the bottom.


    The man on the speedboat who spoke English immediately stammered, "Hero, I''ll tell you! We...we set our sights on the yacht and the women, they''re beautiful! We were wrong, please spare us!"


    "Do you know where there is a harbor where we can refuel?" Elijah asked.


    "Yes, yes!" The surviving A country people nodded quickly.


    "Take us there, and we won''t kill you."


    "Okay, okay!"


    The two A country men nodded and bowed, and seeing the monster submerge back into the water, they cautiously started the speedboat and led the way.


    "I have a feeling these guys won''t be so obedient," Elijah remarked.


    "A country people are most adept at preying on the weak and fearing the strong. They''re unpredictable. Don''t worry; we only need them to lead us. If they have the audacity to attempt a sneak attack after witnessing Whitey, then let them all die!"


    Elijah shrugged nonchntly.


    Soon, under the guidance of the A country people, Elijah and his group approached the coastline and entered a nearby port.


    "Hero, you can refuel here, but there are terrifying zombies on the shore. We don''t dare to go ashore!" The two A country men stopped and pointed to a nearby dock.


    Elijah nced at the shore and didn''t see any zombies.


    "Where are the zombies?"


    "Hero, zombies are very cunning. They don''t appear immediately. They only attack suddenly when we''re searching for supplies. They have extraordinary abilities and are difficult to deal with!"


    Seeing Elijah''s skepticism, the A country man who spoke English exined with some agitation.


    "From the description, they must be mutated zombies!" Elijah surmised. He instructed Sophia to dock the yacht at the pier and, without letting anyone else disembark, took a few third-tier zombies ashore to scout.


    Sure enough, after they had walked a short distance, a zombie suddenly sprang out from a corner.


    This zombie seemed to have awakened a super speed ability, charging straight at Elijah!


    It was fast, but the wed zombie beside Elijah was even faster, extending its ws to intercept it.


    The two A country men on the speedboat watched as the super-fast zombie suddenly lost a leg and fell to the ground. Then, the "person" with sharp ws on their hands swiftly ripped open the head of the zombie that had killed countless others.


    "Wow~"


    The two A country men gasped in awe!


    They had already realized that the people who hade ashore were all zombies, and these were far superior to the speed zombies they had encountered. As for why the zombies obeyed the man''s orders, they didn''t find it strange at all. It was only logical that someone who couldmand such arge sea monster could alsomand a few zombies!


    They were just thankful that they had recognized the situation and cooperated honestly, saving their own lives.


    After dealing with the mutated zombies, Elijah spread the other third-tier zombies around to keep watch. The people on the yacht then disembarked one after another to refuel the yacht.


    Seeing this, the two A country men also came ashore, climbing onto the dock and approaching Elijah.


    "Hero, you''re really amazing!" Theyplimented obsequiously, bowing their heads.


    Elijah ignored them. Abigail, curious about the crude gun one of them was holding, asked, "What is that thing you''re holding?"


    The A country man holding the crude gun, seeing Abigail unguardedly looking at it, had a fleeting thought of ambushing and taking her hostage.


    He subconsciously nced at Elijah, realizing that while the man seemed to be casually observing the surroundings, his eyes seemed to be deliberately, or perhaps unintentionally, fixed on him.


    He was startled! How could such a formidable person be so unguarded, allowing himself to aim a gun at them? Was he... intentionally setting us up for an ambush?


    Cold sweat immediately began to trickle down his forehead!


    He quickly regained hisposure and, with a more humble demeanor, said to Abigail, "Miss, this is a sacred artifact from our A country, called the ''Ming Gun - Abe Cut!''"

 Chapter 267: Thrills

    Elijah couldn''t be bothered with the two A country men.


    He originally nned to find a pretext to kill them, but their fawning, bowing, and boasting about their so-called ''famous gun'' made him reconsider.


    They even let Abigail y around with it, making her quite happy, which made Elijah both amused and exasperated.


    Consequently, he abandoned the idea of killing them.


    During their refueling, two more mutated zombies ambushed them but were easily dealt with.


    The continuous attacks from mutated zombies puzzled Elijah.


    He hadn''t seen a single ordinary zombie but had encountered numerous mutated ones.


    After questioning the two A country men, Elijah learned that there had initially been ordinary zombies as well.


    However, for unknown reasons, ordinary zombies had dwindled while zombies with extraordinary abilities had increased.


    This made survival onnd increasingly difficult for them, forcing them to move to the sea and set up a base on a nearby ind.


    They relied on supplies from cargo ships docked at nearby ports and asionally risked going ashore for more supplies, though they often lost one or two people each time.


    Now, their base was down to just the two of them.


    During the conversation, they boldly asked if they could follow Elijah and his group, but Elijah coldly rejected them.


    Keeping them alive was already generous enough; he had no intention of letting them tag along.


    However, through their conversation, Elijah gathered a general understanding of the situation in A country.


    The zombies there evolved much faster than those in Neoville City. It was unclear if this was due to the outbreak originating there or proximity to the source.


    This rapid evolution meant that fewer people survived in A country.


    The group Elijah had encountered was thest gathering of survivors in the area, and there wasn''t even a single surviving woman among them, which exined their excitement upon seeing Daisy and the others.


    The abundance of mutated zombies also meant more corpse cores. If this trip weren''t for exploring "Serenity Peak," Elijah would have ventured into A country''s cities to collect some corpse cores.


    Once Sophia had finished refueling, Elijah and his group departed without further dy.


    They left the port, continuing along A country''s coastline towards their destination, while the two A country men watched with mixed feelings of relief and regret.


    Once Elijah''s luxury yacht was out of sight, the two A country men sighed in relief. Taking advantage of the fact that Elijah had cleared the nearby mutated zombies, they quickly began scavenging for supplies.


    "Bro, there''s an adult-use vending machine here!" The man with the homemade gun ran over and looked at the vending machine with tears of joy.


    "Finally... we can enjoy ourselves again!"


    They smashed the ss of the vending machine, gathered everything usable, and then returned to a small ind not far from the shore.


    This ind, their base, was small but isted from thend, free of zombies, and had shelter from the wind and rain. It was a fairly good ce.


    After returning to their base and dropping off the supplies, the two men hurriedly went to a room.


    Through the nted sunlighting through the window, they could see a chair used by doctors for examining patients.


    On the chair was a naked female zombie, bound and restrained!


    The female zombie was well taken care of, with plump flesh and fair skin, clearly having not suffered from hunger.


    She was bound with wide belts and cushioned with soft, plush cotton to prevent any damage from struggling.


    Upon seeing the men enter, the female zombie began to whimper and scream.


    Unfortunately, her mouth was stuffed with something resembling a ball with holes, rendering her incapable of causing harm.


    "Darling, we''ve found condoms. Soon, we''ll be together again¡­"


    The two men gazed at the female zombie with affectionate eyes before pulling away the thin nket that covered her.


    Elijah and his group sailed for a while, and as night fell, they rested in ce, nning to continue their journey the next morning. After two more days of sailing, they finally arrived at the waters near the capital of A country.


    During these two days, as they traveled along the coastline, they encountered two more attacks from A country people.


    On one asion, the attackers were even armed with pistols and rifles, but Whitey easily dealt with them.


    In the sea, Whitey was in its element, and without advanced naval weaponry, no human could withstand its attacks.


    As they approached "Serenity Peak," Elijah began to feel an inexplicable sense of foreboding.


    He felt as though something was calling out to him from not far away, and that something seemed to be near the waters off the capital of A country.


    Since they needed to refuel in this area, Elijah decided to steer the luxury yacht himself toward the direction that triggered his unease.


    It wasn''t long before they saw a massive ind in the distance.


    Sophia checked the map and identified it as an ind called Big Ind.


    When they saw the ind, the people on it also spotted them.


    Unlike the previous encounters with A country people, the survivors on this ind had a patrol boat equipped with machine guns.


    Upon noticing Elijah''s group, they immediately advanced toward them and used a loudspeaker to issue what seemed to be threats or warnings.


    Elijah didn''t understand the words, but the tone sounded menacing.


    At the same time, the machine guns on the patrol boat began firing at the waters in front of the luxury yacht, sendingrge sshes into the air.


    Seeing this, Whitey, who had just been hit by bullets (though not injured, the impact was painful), became enraged.


    A massive white creature, resembling a giant snake and over a meter wide and dozens of meters long, suddenly shot up from the sea, charging toward the patrol boat.


    The patrol boat''s crew instinctively fired their pistols at Whitey, but the bullets had no effect and only made Whitey more agitated.


    With a deafening crash, Whitey brushed against the patrol boat, leaping over it before crashing back into the sea.


    The crew was left in chaos. Two people were snatched away by Whitey, while those who were close to the creature were crushed and left in a mangled mess against the boat.


    Only the two people manning the machine guns and those further from Whitey managed to survive. Whitey avoided the area with the machine guns but soon after:


    Boom!


    The boat rocked violently as Whitey nearly capsized it. The crew members standing were thrown into the sea like dumplings.


    The survivors who struggled in the water were swiftly engulfed by Whitey''s massive form.


    The sea quickly became still, as if nothing had happened.


    With the threat eliminated, Elijah and his group continued their approach toward the ind without stopping. They began to circle the ind to find a suitable docking location.


    It wasn''t long before they spotted a dock where they could moor the yacht.


    As they approached, Elijah''s sense of foreboding grew stronger.


    He felt that the source of his unease was inside a building on the dock.


    It seemed that someone had been waiting for them toe ashore.

 Chapter 268: Danger

    The luxury yacht docked at a pier called Big Ind, and Elijah and his team did not disembark immediately. Elijah had an instinctive sense that there was some danger on the ind.


    "There are definitely capable individuals on the ind. Abigail and I will scout ahead; you all stay on the boat!" Elijah instructed Charlotte.


    Among everyone on the boat, including the zombies, only he and Abigail had superhuman defenses.


    Although Charlotte had exceptionalbat skills and could sense and analyze opponents with her spiritual vision, it was not suitable for her to act recklessly in an unfamiliar environment, especially with the potential for ambushes.


    Sophia, Kylie, and Elena were also to remain on the boat. Though Elena could cover her body with ayer of ice for good defense, she was more suited to the water, where she could maximize her strengths and protect Sophia and the others.


    Only Daisy was reluctant. Her third-tier invisibility allowed her to enter the shadow space. As long as she stayed hidden, even if sensed, she would be difficult to harm.


    "Elijah, I''m going too. Don''t worry; I won''t exit my invisibility unless it''s crucial!" Daisy volunteered.


    Elijah hesitated but ultimately agreed upon seeing Daisy''s determined expression.


    If it weren''t for something on the ind continually drawing him, Elijah wouldn''t have needed tond on it.


    However, his confidence in his own abilities made him feel there was nothing to fear.


    After discussing, Elijah and Abigail, apanied by several third-tier zombies, disembarked from the yacht and set foot on the ind, moving slowly toward the location that gave him a faint sense of threat and continuously beckoned him.


    As for Daisy, she had entered invisibility early.


    Not far into their walk, Elijah and his group saw several exotic buildings, and the object of Elijah''s attraction was inside. Just as they were about to enter, a familiar pressure emanated from within.


    "Mind stun!"


    And it was at least third-tier!


    The zombies following Elijah immediately showed fear, standing still and trembling, unwilling to move but still under Elijah''s control.


    Elijah and Abigail, however, showed no reaction.


    Even facing a third-tier pressure, Elijah could endure it, let alone a mere third-tier attack! Abigail, being fourth-tier, was also immune to a third-tier Mind stun.


    However, they still stopped in their tracks.


    At that moment, a dream-like figure darted out like lightning, wielding a sword that gleamed with silver light, striking directly at Elijah. The de shed, swift as lightning!


    The swordsman believed that no one could dodge this strike!


    This confidence was forged from countless battles against bizarre zombies and capable individuals over the past few months.


    Especially since the people before him were also under Lord Isaac''s "Dragon Might" suppression!


    The situation seemed to be developing in the direction he had anticipated. The person he had struck appeared dazed and unresponsive. But the next moment, the opponent extended two fingers and gently pinched his sword!


    His full-force strike!


    "Ding!"


    The sound of de meeting de rang out!


    It felt as though he had struck a solid iron te. Then, with a gentle twist of the opponent''s fingers, a crisp "crack" echoed, and the sword he had relied on in countless battles snapped cleanly in two.


    "What?"


    The swordsman was stunned.


    Not only had his sword been easily caught, but it was also effortlessly broken?


    His face was filled with disbelief and horror. But in the next moment, he quickly realized!


    This was a master!


    Not someone he could provoke!


    Retreat!


    His body instantaneously became intangible, like a phantom, and he rapidly withdrew. This was a technique he had developed after awakening his speed ability andbining it with the family''s traditional ninjutsu, known as the Phantom Mirage Step.


    In the past, whenever faced with danger, he could always retreat safely using this technique. It was also this technique that kept him undefeated whether facing zombies or other ability users.


    However, as he rapidly retreated, the fear on his face did not diminish but rather increased. The distance between him and his opponent did not grow; instead, it seemed to decrease.


    Then he saw arge hand reaching towards his head.


    With a resounding "bang!"


    The flickering, shifting figure fell to its knees, creating two deep pits in the ground, with his knees deeply embedded in the earth.


    His head had also sunk into his neck, his face still showing terror, but with blood seeping from his features, his eyes devoid of life, dead beyond measure!


    "Damn it, still jumping around! Want to try jumping again?"


    Elijah spat, irritated by how the guy had almost slipped away from him. After dealing with this, he turned towards the direction where the mental intimidation hade from; there was still someone there!


    The person inside seemed shocked by Elijah''s methods or realized that the Mind Stun had no effect on him. The oppressive pressure receded like a tidal wave!


    Then, a greenish cold light shot out directly towards Elijah''s face.


    As the greenish cold light approached, Elijah felt a piercing cold enveloping his skin, the sharpness of the light cutting through his skin.


    "Danger!"


    Elijah was horrified!


    What could possibly break through his fourth-tier defense?


    Without a moment''s thought, his body instinctively recoiled, avoiding the greenish cold light''s attack. He then switched to Telekinesis, mentally entwining the threat.


    Since defense was ineffective, he might as well focus on attacking!


    More importantly, he needed to control the source of this danger!


    As Elijah''s mental energy entangled with the greenish cold light, he immediately sensed another force controlling it.


    Elijah realized at once that this was the opponent''s mental power!


    The enemy was also a Telekinesis user!


    And at the same tier!


    "Bang! Bang! Bang!"


    The two Telekinesis forces shed around the greenish cold light, emitting constant collision sounds!


    The greenish cold light wavered in the air, floating up and down as it struggled.


    Soon, Elijah''s Telekinesis gained the upper hand, driving most of the opposing force away!


    After all, even though Elijah''s fixed Fiona Telekinesis was only tier three, his mental strength and total mental energy were at tier four!


    In cases where ability levels were the same, he couldpletely crush his opponent with quantity and quality!


    At that moment, as if realizing that Elijah had gained the upper hand, the previously paused Mind Stun adjusted andunched another attack on Elijah.


    This time, the intimidation was not widespread but targeted directly at Elijah, much like how Kylie targeted Elena before.


    The goal was obvious: to make Elijah ease his focus on the greenish cold light under the pressure of the Mind Stun and even take the opportunity to strike him during his moment of distraction.


    But the next moment, a scream rang out.


    The mental intimidation aimed at Elijah dissipated like autumn leaves scattering in the wind!


    Elijah immediately understood!


    Daisy had made her move!

 Chapter 269: The Divine Sword

    Not only that, but at the same time as the scream echoed, the Telekinesispeting with Elijah for the greenish cold light retreated like a receding tide, allowing Elijah to gain control of the weapon instantly.


    Elijah barely had time to inspect the weapon before he heard a loud "bang!"


    He turned his head toward the building and saw bricks scattering from the wall as a figure flew out from within.


    Through the gaps in the brick wall, Elijah saw Abigail and a strength zombie, thetter poised to strike with its fist.


    Clearly, the figure that had just flown out had taken a punch from the strength zombie.


    At the same time, a ghostly figure burst through the broken wall, pursuing the flying figure. It had sharp ws on both hands and aimed them viciously at the figure in mid-air.


    The airborne figure, horrified, desperately used a Telekinesis shield to block, but against the evolved ws of the zombie, which could cut through steel with ease, the shield was as fragile as a soap bubble, punctured with a single thrust!


    "Ah~"


    A piercing scream followed as the wed zombie impaled the personpletely and pressed them down onto the cement ground.


    Elijah then saw clearly that the figure was a middle-aged person from Country A, with distinctive features such as a beard and hair typical of someone from Country A.


    The man''s appearance was quite tragic, with his chest torn and bloodied by the zombie''s ws, blood oozing from his eyes, ears, mouth, and nose, and he was constantly wailing and cursing.


    At this moment, Abigail and the other zombies emerged from the building.


    When Elijah was dealing with the ghostly warrior, she had also rushed into the building.


    Unfortunately, her attack capabilities were not strong, and she was dyed by two minions before managing to deal with them.


    With the mental intimidation ability retracted, Abigail immediately directed several zombies to surround the most significant target among them.


    It seemed that either these people from Country A were too arrogant or didn''t expect Elijah and his team to be so formidable, as Abigail''s control over the zombies led to a sessful capture.


    Soon, Daisy also dragged someone out¡ªit was the person who had previously used mental intimidation.


    Daisy''s invisibility had effectively immunized her against the mental intimidation when she entered the shadow space.


    When the intimidation was focused solely on Elijah, Daisy seized the rare opportunity to sessfully ambush and injure him!


    "Are there any other survivors inside?" Elijah asked.


    "There were only four people inside. Besides these two injured ones, the other two have been dealt with!" Abigail replied, pping her hands.


    "Hmm."


    Elijah nodded and then turned his attention to the greenish cold light in his hand.


    It was a long sword with a fully greenish hue, about 1.3 meters in length. The material was quite peculiar; it was not made of metal but rather resembled transparent jade!


    Elijah weighed it in his hand. It wasn''t very heavy, but it gave him a sense of danger.


    He casually performed a flourish with the sword, then thrust it into the ground with force.


    The edge of the greenish sword immediately shimmered with a cold light, and the tip easily pierced into the cement floor as if it were tofu.


    "So sharp!"


    Elijah was amazed, understanding now why he had a sense of danger. He tried to bend the sword but found that it didn''t move even slightly despite his current strength.


    "This is a great find!"


    Elijah continued to y with it for a while, growing more fond of it by the minute.


    Elijah''s curiosity was piqued. Where did these people from Country A get this sword?


    He looked at the two surviving individuals on the ground.


    "Which of you can speak English?"


    "Fuck!" the dying Telekinesis user from Country A weakly muttered.


    "Looks like you can''t. Then you''ll just have to wait to die," Elijah said calmly, turning his attention to the other person.


    "Can you speak? If so, I might consider healing you!"


    "I¡­I can!" The broken-legged A-country man spoke with a trembling voice due to the intense pain.


    "Good. I''ll ask questions, and you answer. If your answers satisfy me, I''ll heal you!"


    Without waiting for his consent, Elijah asked directly, "Where did you get this sword?"


    "I knew Lord Isaac before¡­ that''s him!" The A-country man pointed to the nearly breathless Telekinesis user.


    "Before I knew Isaac, he already had this sword. But I heard¡ªheard that it was a meteorite from the sky that fell to the earth and formed this sword!"


    "Hmm? Besides this sword, did you get anything else?"


    Although the sword was impressive and held a certain allure for Elijah, he felt it wasn''t calling out to him.


    "This¡­I''m not sure. Maybe Kyle knew, but he''s dead now." The A-country man nced nervously at the kneeling warrior with his head nearly buried in his body, shivering at the gruesome sight.


    Compared to this, he seemed to be the least injured. These people weren''t human; they were devils! Damn Isaac, why did he send people to provoke them!


    Elijah felt a pang of disappointment. If you don''t know anything, what good are you?


    He walked over to the Telekinesis user named Isaac, following his inner sense of urgency, and searched him.


    Soon, Elijah found a ring on Isaac''s neck, strung on a ne.


    The moment Elijah saw the ring, his heart raced uncontrobly. An inexplicable intuition told him this was what he had been searching for!


    Elijah pulled off the ring and examined it closely. It appeared to be an ordinary ring made from an unknown stone, with no special features.


    But why does it attract me?


    Elijah was puzzled. The feeling vanished once the ring was in his hand. He tried using Charlotte''s ability to observe the ring with spiritual sight, but found nothing unusual. However, the sword appeared enormous under spiritual sight, like a divine sword from the heavens, radiating dazzling divine light!


    "What¡­ exactly is this?" Elijah stared in astonishment, his scalp tingling!


    "It looks like a talisman from mythology!" Charlotte, who hade over from the yacht, spoke with an indescribable joy.


    "Talisman?!" Elijah murmured. Though it was hard to believe, he knew that myths might actually hold some truth. If it was a talisman from mythology, it would make sense for it to have such phenomena and pierce through his fourth-tier defense.


    "If that''s the case, the ring might also be special. It''s just that I don''t know how to activate or use it!"


    Charlotte took the ring and inspected it with her ability but found nothing unusual.


    "Perhaps we could try the blood-binding method? Many novels and films describe it that way."

 Chapter 270: The Terrifying Sea Monster

    "Indeed!"


    Elijah took a small amount of his own blood and dripped it onto the ring. However, it had no effect.


    "Forget it. No need to rush. We''ll study it slowly. For now, let''s refuel!"


    Elijah shook his head, temporarily putting away the ring, and then looked at the two survivors on the ground.


    How should he deal with them?


    Before Elijah could decide, the Telekinesis user named Isaac''s heart stopped beating, and he diedpletely!


    Good, only one person left!


    Elijah turned to the remaining survivor and asked, "How did you enhance your abilities?"


    This group, especially thest two, were all third-tier abilities users. Elijah didn''t believe they had some lucky break with spirit nts that could advance them to the third tier.


    "I¡­ We¡­"


    Thest A-country man hesitated, but soon he noticed Elijah''s increasingly menacing gaze. He gathered his courage and said, "We advanced by eating zombies with abilities!"


    He hade to understand that everyone in Elijah''s group was also quite powerful.


    How else could they have gained their abilities? With his limited knowledge, he assumed that Elijah''s group must have also advanced by consuming zombies.


    Since that was the case, there was no point in mocking each other. Nothing to hide!


    Daisy and Charlotte, upon hearing this, made disgusted faces and left to return to the port to refuel.


    Elijah was surprised but not entirely. He had witnessed simr things before. It was quite disgusting!


    He didn''t delve into further details, having seen it with his own eyes.


    Elijah asked a few more questions, including whether there was a mysterious ind in the eastern sea region.


    He did gather some useful information.


    ording to the A-country man, they had sent people to that ind, but before they could approach, they encountered a huge sea monster, and many of their men were killed.


    After that, they didn''t dare to send more people there.


    This was also why they had refrained from attacking Elijah''s group at sea, once they realized Elijah''s group could control sea monsters.


    They felt more confident dealing with enemies onnd, where they relied on their abilities.


    Unfortunately, they werepletely wiped out by Elijah''s group upon contact.


    "A huge sea monster, huh?"


    Elijah stroked his chin, thinking about their journey to Serenity Peak. They might encounter this so-called sea monster, and he wondered if Whitey could handle it!


    Seeing that no more useful information could be extracted, Elijah kept his promise and gave the survivor a hasty treatment.


    He wouldn''t die in the end, but his legs wouldn''t be very agile either.


    However, given his unique abilities, he should be able to survive even with impaired limbs.


    After refueling the yacht, Elijah and his group set out for their true destination.


    "The concentration of Chi is increasing!" Charlotte, sitting cross-legged on the deck, opened her eyes after a period of meditation and gazed into the distance.


    "This means we''re getting closer to our target!" Elijah, who had also been meditating, noted the change in Chi concentration as they moved away from the A-country ind.


    He had advanced in just a short period, equivalent to a full day''s progress in Neoville City.


    While Elijah and Charlotte were discussing their meditation experiences, Whitey, who had been swimming around the yacht, suddenly erupted from the water with a high-pitched cry.


    "There''s something going on!" Elijah immediately stood up and looked at Whitey.


    He felt Whitey''s emotions of tension and fear.


    "What''s happening?" Daisy, Abigail, and the others also stopped their activities and approached.


    Before Elijah could answer, the sea surface suddenly churned, sending up enormous waves. A gigantic tentacle emerged from the waves, reaching for the yacht.


    Whitey lunged at the tentacle with all its might, its powerful body smashing the tentacle away. At the same time, Whitey opened its massive jaws and mped down on the tentacle.


    The tentacle seemed to be in pain and tried to retract, dragging Whitey with it. Whitey resisted, pulling back in the opposite direction. They were locked in a stalemate.


    But soon, the situation worsened!


    From beneath the giant tentacle, two more gigantic tentacles emerged, reaching out for Whitey.


    "This is bad, I''m going to help Whitey!" Elijah said, switching to Telekinesis. Holding the newly acquired green longsword, he propelled himself with force, darting towards the tentacles like a flying sword.


    As Elijah infused Chi into the green longsword, it began to emit a sharp, cold light. In an instant, he arrived next to a massive tentacle and swung the sword with full force.


    The enormous tentacle was swiftly sliced through by the sharp de, its severed part spraying blue liquid like a fountain.


    The remaining tentacle retracted quickly, leaving a segment of the severed tentacle crashing into the sea, creating towering waves.


    The sea was soon dyed a deep blue with the monster''s blood.


    Elijah, seeing his attack was sessful, continued his assault.


    Using Telekinesis, he directed the green de towards another tentacle.


    Blood rained down like a storm, and the sea monster, now infuriated, iled its remaining tentacles violently, trying to throw Whitey off and strike back at Elijah.


    Elijah dodged the attacks, shing at the remaining tentacles with several more strikes. Though these strikes didn''t sever the tentacles, they left deep gashes.


    Whitey, like a leech, clung tightly to the enormous tentacle, refusing to let go.


    The sea monster''s remaining tentacles thrashed about in frustration, and its massive body emerged from the water.


    The horrifying sea monster had arge mouth filled with sharp teeth, resembling a bloomed chrysanthemum. It charged at Whitey, aiming to swallow it whole.


    Seeing this, Elijah poured all his Chi into the green longsword, unleashing its full power.


    The already extraordinary sword revealed its true form. It floated in the air, expanding from its original length of about 1.3 meters to over ten meters, bing a colossal sword.


    This was the giant sword Elijah had seen with his spiritual vision!


    With the sword now under Elijah''s mental control, it swung down with immense force at the sea monster.


    The beast, unable to defend itself, was split cleanly in half by the massive de, like a torn, hideous flower.


    The surrounding seawater was also sliced in two. The remaining tentacles of the sea monster ceased their thrashing, and blue blood gushed from the creature, turning the entire sea a vibrant blue.


    As the giant sword, having expended all its power, let out a resonant hum, it shrank back to its original form.


    Elijah caught it and almost fell into the sea due to the sudden weight shift, though the sword itself hadn''t be heavier¡ªhe was simply exhausted from maintaining Telekinesis.


    Elijah quickly returned to the yacht. Whitey, now overjoyed, leaped and rolled in the water around the yacht, still holding a segment of the sea monster''s tentacle in its mouth, which it hadn''t let go of.


    The sight of the tentacle and part of the monster''s body circling the yacht had a somewhat eerie quality to it.

 Chapter 271: The elder

    "Elijah, you''re amazing!"


    As Elijahnded on the yacht, Daisy eagerly ran up to him and gave him a kiss.


    "It''s not me; it''s this sword!" Elijah said, lifting the green longsword in his hand, his eyes full of joy.


    What a treasure!


    "Whitey''s haul this time is impressive!" Sophia said, smiling as she watched Whitey frolicking in the sea.


    "Yes, seeing how Whitey is unwilling to let go of the sea monster''s corpse, it must be quite a boost for it. I just wonder if people can eat it!" Elijah replied with a grin.


    "Let''s not!" Daisy, usually a foodie, was the first to refuse. The terrifying appearance of the sea monster, especially its enormous maw,pletely killed her appetite.


    "Well, then Whitey will just have to enjoy it by itself!"


    With the sudden crisis resolved, everyone breathed a sigh of relief. Elijah also realized that they should be close to their destination now.


    The yacht continued forward.


    Sure enough, it wasn''t long before they saw a thinyer of mist rising ahead. The mist was hazy but not entirely obscuring the view behind it. Elijah and the others could vaguely make out an ind.


    The yacht moved forward for a moment longer.


    The mist grew thinner and thinner.


    Until, at a certain point, everything in front of Elijah and the others cleared up, as if the bathroom mirror had been wiped clean.


    A brand new scene appeared before their eyes.


    Lush, dense forests and towering mountains!


    And, an endless expanse ofnd along the coast!


    "This¡­ this is Serenity Peak?" Daisy asked, a bit surprised.


    "No¡­ weren''t we supposed to be looking at an ind?" Sophia said, also incredulous.


    "This is no ind! This is clearly a continent!" Abigail sighed deeply.


    Elijah and Charlotte exchanged nces, both seeing the shock in each other''s eyes.


    Clearly, the information the military had was inurate.


    No, it shouldn''t be called inurate.


    What they initially captured might have been an ind!


    But over time, this ind had turned into a continent.


    The question was, how did this happen?


    A continent suddenly appearing in the Pacific Ocean?


    "Should we¡­ continue forward and take a look?" Sophia swallowed and asked.


    "Since we''re here, let''s go take a look!" Elijah replied as he observed the surroundings.


    "Elijah, use your spirit vision to check it out!" Charlotte suddenly said.


    Elijah, upon hearing Charlotte''s words, immediately switched to her ability. His eyes took on a fluorescent sheen, and the world before him changed dramatically.


    "This¡­ such a dense Chi!" Elijah was taken aback.


    Just moments ago, outside the mist, he and Charlotte had discussed the Chi density. To their surprise, after only a short distance and passing through a thinyer of mist, the Chi density here had doubled!


    "So, the Chi from the outside world really does spread out from here?" Charlotte murmured.


    "It seems so. The mist outside must have some obstructive effect; otherwise, the Chi density there should be even higher!" Elijah said with renewed enthusiasm.


    He was thinking that training here would be highly effective. His Chi, which had stagnated at the fourth tier for a long time, would likely progress rapidly, making advancing to the fifth tier just a matter of time!


    "I just wonder if there''s any connection between the zombie virus and this ce."


    "Maybe there is, maybe there isn''t. It doesn''t matter now!" Elijah''s eyes shone with brilliant light as he looked at the continent not far away.


    Now, aside from the possibility of advancing through training here, he was also thinking about something else. With such high Chi density, there might be spirit nts that could help him directly advance to the fifth tier.


    "Exploring this continent is a must!" Elijah and his group discussed excitedly and curiously observed their surroundings.


    As the yacht approached the continent, they began to see some strange creatures.


    "Elijah, look over there! A glowing jellyfish floating in mid-air!" Daisy pointed to a peculiar creature not far from the yacht.


    The creature resembled a jellyfish, with a translucent blue body, floating in the air with some tendril-like appendages dipping into the sea.


    "There''s another one over there!" Abigail pointed to the other side of the yacht.


    "What kind of creature this is, I''m not sure. Although it doesn''t seem dangerous, let''s be cautious and avoid provoking them!" Elijah looked at the creatures with curiosity and then advised everyone.


    "Understood!"


    "Elijah, the water''s too shallow ahead; our yacht can''t go any further!" Sophia emerged from the cockpit.


    "Alright, let''s stop here!" Elijah looked at the back of the yacht. Whitey had been following them and couldn''t go any further. Once Sophia dropped the anchor, Elijah ordered Whitey to guard the yacht.


    Elijah and Elena then used their ice abilities to create a path of ice from the bottom of the yacht directly to the shore.


    "Let''s go, and see what''s up there!" Elijah led the way, apanied by several third-tier zombies. He created ice as they walked.


    Charlotte, Abigail, and the others followed in the middle, with Elena bringing up the rear to maintain the ice path.


    They soon reached the shore, and standing on solidnd gave everyone a sense of unexpected safety.


    "Alright, everyone, don''t stray; explore a little bit forward!"


    Years of facing zombies had instilled in them a habit of maintaining good vignce.


    The shore theynded on had no beach, only rocks washed by the sea.


    They hadn''t walked far before they came upon a lush green meadow, and a little further was a dense primitive jungle.


    As Elijah and his team carefully advanced, a streak of light shed through the sky ahead.


    The streak moved extremely fast, initially appearing at the distant horizon and, in the blink of an eye, arriving right in front of Elijah and his group.


    As the light dissipated, an elderly man dressed in ancient robes appeared before them.


    "A wizard?"


    "A monster?"


    Daisy and Abigail eximed in surprise.


    Elijah and Charlotte watched the mysterious elder with vignce.


    The elder merely cast a brief nce over them, and Elijah felt as if he had been stripped bare,pletely exposed to the elder''s scrutiny.


    He couldn''t help but feel a chill!


    Then, the elder casually made a gesture, causing the green longsword in Elijah''s hand to try to fly out of his control.


    This was his newly acquired treasure!


    Elijah wasn''t about to let it be taken so easily!


    He activated the third-tier strength ability of his zombie powers, gripping the green longsword tightly with both hands, leaning backward, and firmly rooting his legs to the ground.


    Seeing this, the elder eximed "Oh?" and then smiled slightly, making another gesture.


    The green longsword in Elijah''s hand immediately emitted a sharp hum, vibrating uncontrobly. The sword handle shook, spinning around twice, and forcefully knocked Elijah''s hands away.


    With a buzzing sound, the longsword flew back into the elder''s hand.


    The elder examined the sword closely. The sword continued to hum sharply, scattering cold light in all directions, cutting half-meter-long shes into the surrounding grass.


    "It is indeed the Green Shadow Cold Light Sword! You activated it just now, didn''t you?"

 Chapter 272: The elder

    The elder''s speech was strange, unlike the modernnguage.


    It sounded more like the intonations of ancient people.


    Although each syble was somewhat unclear, whenbined, Elijah and hispanions could understand the meaning. It was truly mysterious!


    "Yes, does the elder know about this sword?" Elijah asked respectfully.


    He had no choice but to be respectful.


    Not only had the elder easily taken the sword from his hands, despite Elijah unleashing his full third-tier strength, but the elder had also deliberately directed the sword''s energy away from them, preventing any injuries.


    This alonemanded Elijah''s respect.


    "This was a talisman of one of my descendants, but it was unfortunately taken by a demonic being after killing him," the elder sighed. Then, with a wave of his sleeve, the sword mysteriously vanished!


    Elijah''s eye twitched at the sight.


    Seriously? He just casually mentioned that it belonged to one of his descendants, and now he can rightfully im it?


    Wait, a talisman?


    Charlotte was right!


    As if sensing Elijah''s thoughts, the elder said calmly, "This sword is useful to me. But I won''t take it without offering something in return. If you have any requests, feel free to ask. I will do my best to fulfill them if I can."


    Elijah exchanged a nce with Charlotte.


    Charlotte immediately stepped forward and asked, "Elder, judging by your arrival on a streak of light and your ability to summon this talisman with a wave of your hand, could it be that you are the legendary wizard?"


    "Wizard?" The elder smiled at the term, shaking his head. "In your realm, my methods may indeed beparable to those of a wizard, but in truth, I am merely a cultivator on the path of seeking immortality. I am still far from achieving true immortality."


    "Our realm?" Elijah and the others were stunned by this revtion!


    "What do you mean by ''our realm,'' Elder? Are you not from our world?" Charlotte asked cautiously.


    She recalled her earlier spection about the "unsealing" of Serenity Peak, as well as the myths and legends surrounding it.


    Could it be that there truly is a legendary realm of immortals, one that had beenpletely isted from the Earth and connected only to the heavens?


    This separation might have hidden its traces and left no remnants behind.


    But now, with the seal between the two realms broken and spiritual Chi beginning to flow, they were able to awaken and cultivate the Hun Yuan Technique?


    "Of course not!" the elder replied, sensing her thoughts.


    As he observed the group before him¡ªa mix of humans and zombies¡ªhe found it quite remarkable.


    He hadn''t expected that the faint spiritual Chi, which had only recently begun to diffuse into this realm, could enable people here to develop minor supernatural abilities!


    In the cultivation methods of the elder''s world, one would need to reach the Foundation Establishment stage and possess the corresponding techniques to even begin refining such abilities.


    As for these intelligent spirit corpses, they would require special earth veins and countless years to be nurtured into existence.


    The elder sighed inwardly, marveling at the profound mysteries of the vast universe and the workings of fate and destiny.


    With a desire to explore further, he patiently exined, "There are three thousand worlds, though the number isn''t exact.


    Our world is just one among them. However, these worlds are often separated by vast distances, and without immense power, it''s nearly impossible to traverse the void between them and travel across realms.


    But, if fortune aligns and a ''lowering of realms'' urs, where two worlds ovep, it bes easier to cross between them.


    In situations like yours, where the two realms have briefly merged, a stable passage is formed, allowing even an ordinary person without cultivation or spiritual Chi to travel between them effortlessly."


    Three Thousand Worlds? Lowering of Realms?


    Although it differed from their initial understanding¡ªwhere they had thought the mysterious cultivation realm''s seal had been broken¡ªElijah and hispanions were still shaken by the elder''s exnation, despite having mentally prepared themselves for an oundish answer.


    "What? So, there are over two thousand other worlds besides ours? I wonder where they are in the universe!" Abigail muttered in disbelief.


    "Three thousand is just a metaphor, meaning there are countless worlds!" Daisy exined, gently patting Abigail on the head.


    "Oh, I get it. Like those movies I''ve seen about parallel worlds and the multiverse..." Abigail grumbled as she dodged Daisy''s hand, which she felt was treating her like a fool.


    On Azure Isle, watching movies was one of Abigail and Elena''s favorite pastimes. In the apocalypse, losing some memories might be a blessing in disguise; at least, it allowed them to find joy in entertainment.


    The banter between the two lightened the atmosphere slightly, easing the shock Elijah and Charlotte were feeling.


    "Thank you for your guidance, elder. So, the reason our world is now filled with spiritual Chi is because of the lowering of realms?" Elijah asked, sping his hands in respect.


    "Indeed. The area where the two worlds have merged, though just a small and insignificant part of my world, contains spiritual Chi far surpassing that of your realm," the elder confirmed with a nod.


    "Elder, do you know what caused the zombie virus that turned most of our world''s poption into the undead?" Elijah inquired further.


    "The zombie toxin? s, I bear some responsibility for that," the elder sighed, then exined, "I was originally pursuing a demonic cultivator who had killed one of my descendants. At the critical moment when I was about to y him, the lowering of realms urred by chance. Both of us were drawn into your world.


    The demonic cultivator seized the opportunity to absorb the souls of a million nearby beings and used a forbidden technique tounch a desperate attack. Although I ultimately killed him, he self-destructed his corpse core in his final moments, injuring me and releasing arge amount of corpse toxin that, along with the spiritual Chi, flooded into your world¡­"


    As the elder recounted his story, Elijah and Charlotte were reminded of the photos they had seen on Elena''s phone, as well as the ount given by the military officer Nichs.


    The mysterious deaths of the crew on the nearby C-nation warship, and the two "immortals" seen flying from the ind¡ªall the pieces were falling into ce!


    Everything matched perfectly!

 Chapter 273: will you only accept one disciple

    Even the initial mystery of why the military''s photos only captured Serenity Peak as a single mountain, whichter expanded into a vast continent, now had an exnation.


    It was because the lowering of realms had just begun; the two worlds had only partially merged at that time.


    Now, three monthster, the integration had deepened, causing thendscape to change ordingly.


    The elder continued, "I risked my injured body to gather the most concentrated part of the corpse toxin, but as for what had already spread, there was little I could do."


    Hearing this, Elijah and Charlotte understood and expressed their gratitude, bowing respectfully.


    Despite the elder being one of the "culprits" responsible for the devastation in their world, they couldn''t bring themselves to resent him.


    The fact that the mere aftermath of a single corpse core''s self-destruction could decimate an entire world''s life was unimaginable.


    Yet, this elder not only survived the explosion but also managed to reduce its impact on their world. His power must be beyondprehension.


    In this world, strength was paramount. If one''s strength was inferior, there was no one else to me.


    The elder then asked, "Have you decided what you would like me to do for you? If not, I have a suggestion."


    Elijah and Charlotte exchanged nces. "Please, go ahead, elder."


    "I see that you possess some cultivation and have even developed minor divine abilities. However, your cultivation methods are incorrect, especially you four humans. Your bodies are filled with arge amount of corpse toxin.


    If you don''t undergo purification, it won''t be life-threatening, but your path in cultivation will end here," the elder exined, giving Elijah a particrly stern look that sent a chill down his spine.


    Elijah understood the elder''s implication: the fourth tier was his current limit.


    Without undergoing a purification process, while he might be able to make some minor improvements, reaching the fifth tier would be out of the question.


    The elder continued, "Moreover, for those who cultivate, the pursuit is often for extended life. However, despite your partial cultivation, the corpse toxin in your bodies means that your lifespan might be even shorter than that of ordinary humans."


    This revtion made the others take the situation more seriously.


    While not being able to progress in strength might not seem like a significant issue¡ªespecially with Elijah as an example of someone who had room to grow¡ªthe thought of a shortened lifespan was rming.


    No one wanted to die prematurely; the possibility of extending their lives, even by a single day, was a precious opportunity.


    "If you are willing, I can provide you with some pills to help you purify your bodies, cleanse the corpse toxin, and teach you some basic breathing and cultivation techniques to set you on the proper path," the elder offered.


    After speaking, he fell silent, allowing Elijah and the others time to consider his proposal.


    Charlotte''s excitement was palpable. She had always yearned for a proper cultivation method, viewing the reliance on spirit nts to enhance one''s strength as a shortcut.


    She admired the traditional practices of ancient cultivators, who lived ascetic lives, seeking spiritual enlightenment.


    The Hun Yuan Technique was the only method she had encountered that resembled true cultivation, but its effects were modest¡ªafter three months, it had only brought her to the third tier.


    "Senior, we have learned a breathing technique from ancient texts left by our ancestors. Could you perhaps offer some guidance?" Charlotte asked, her voice tinged with anticipation.


    The elder raised an eyebrow and nced at Charlotte before extending his hand to gently tap her wrist, seemingly drawing out a soft, warm energy that spiraled around her wrist. "Run your breathing technique; let me observe."


    Charlotte felt the gentle energy at her wrist, understanding it as the elder''s method of sensing her technique.


    Without hesitation, she began to circte the Hun Yuan Technique.


    Elijah and the others watched intently as Charlotte concentrated on her cultivation.


    After about a quarter of an hour, Charlotte ceased her practice and looked expectantly at the elder.


    The elder retracted his hand, nodding with a smile. "I underestimated your world. This cultivation method is indeed remarkable, surpassing what I intended to teach you. In fact, only a few techniques within my sect could surpass it. However, those techniques are restricted to sect members and cannot be shared."


    Elijah and the others were overjoyed to hear this. It seemed the Hun Yuan Technique was a treasure after all.


    As for the elder''s sect techniques, they knew better than to aspire to those.


    "Since I cannot impart my sect''s techniques to you, merely giving you pills would indeed be stingy. Here''s an alternative: anyone willing to follow me across worlds may be my disciple and officially embark on the path of cultivation. After all, your world has too little Chi. Once the descension ends and the worlds separate, the Chi here will eventually dissipate.


    Without it, not only will further progress be impossible, but even maintaining your current level will be difficult."


    "What? The Chi will dissipate?" Elijah and Charlotte were taken aback, even though they had somewhat expected it.


    Hearing the elder confirm it made the reality more daunting.


    "Indeed, your worldcks spiritual veins, and the spiritual Chi that came from another realm has lost its source. Naturally, it will dissipate one day. However, I am curious¡ªsince your world doesn''t have spiritual Chi, how do you have a method for cultivation? Could it be that a predecessor once visited your world?" the elder inquired.


    "Well, it''s like this..." Elijah and Charlotte took turns briefly exining the ancient myths and legends.


    "So that''s how it is. It seems that thousands of years ago, your world must have experienced a descent from another realm, and the duration must have been significant to leave behind so many myths and legends. Even after the descent ended, it took several hundred years for the spiritual Chi topletely dissipate!" The elder voiced a conjecture simr to that of Elijah and Charlotte.


    "Unfortunately, from my observations during this period, the current descent won''tst much longer. It might end in just another month, and the spiritual Chi left in this world will only sustain for a few decades before itpletely dissipates!"


    Upon hearing this, Elijah and the others were filled with disappointment.


    If possible, everyone would prefer to stay in a familiar world.


    How great would it be if they could cultivate without venturing into another realm?


    But now, it seems that won''t be possible!


    "Senior, will you only ept one disciple?" Elijah asked.


    "Indeed," the elder nodded. He had just observed Charlotte practicing the Hun Yuan Technique and had already grasped the unique traits of the people in this world.


    They could cultivate even without spiritual roots, and it seemed they were born with minor divine abilities.


    The people of this world, if provided with sufficient spiritual Chi and embarking on the path of cultivation, would be considerably stronger in the early stages than those of the same rank.


    But as always, there are trade-offs!"

 Chapter 274: Space Ring

    Early-stage cultivation progresses rapidly, making one very powerful, but once reaching the Foundation Establishment stage, progress will be limited by one''s innate talent and be slow, wasting time.


    He only epts one disciple because he needs only one person to study the cultivation methods of the people in this world.


    Additionally, he can only care for one person at a time, reestablish their foundation, and ensure their path after Foundation Establishment is smooth.


    While cultivation relies on personalprehension and opportunity, he doesn''t want this group to enter the cultivation world only to find no progress and end up dying in a foreignnd.


    "Then, senior, can we enter your world on our own?" Elijah asked reluctantly.


    If only one person is epted, what about the women of Azure Isle?


    "Of course, but this ce, where realms merge, is in the perilous Ten Thousand Mountains of the South Wilderness. Otherwise, why would only I and that demon be aware of it? With your strength, you won''t be able to break out..." The elder shook his head.


    "Then..." Elijah wanted to say something more, but the elder interrupted: "Here''s the deal. I''ve just healed my injuries and was nning to explore this world. I''ll give you a month to consider. After a month, decide who wille here!"


    Without waiting for Elijah''s response, the elder transformed into a streak of light and flew east, disappearing into the sky.


    As the elder''s figure vanished, everyone turned to Elijah.


    "Elijah¡­" Daisy said with some reluctance.


    She had guessed a possible oue.


    Charlotte hesitated but didn''t speak, her eyes bing even more determined.


    "Since the elder said the dense forest ahead is too dangerous for us to handle, we won''t explore it. Let''s just head back!" Elijah said after a moment of contemtion, smiling at everyone.


    "What''s with the expressions? Meeting an immortal is a great thing! There are also elixirs that can help us remove the corpse poison!"


    "Hmph, it''s just that we''re worried you might leave¡­" Daisy muttered.


    "It''s too early to talk about that. We still have a month. Let''s go back and report the situation here to Fiona and the others!"


    Hearing this, everyone followed Elijah back, their mood much more subduedpared to their cautious optimism when they arrived.


    Back on the yacht, Sophia pulled up the anchor and turned the vessel around.


    On the deck, Elijah and Charlotte stood at the bow, watching the fog grow closer. Suddenly, Elijah said, "Do you want to go?"


    Charlotte was silent and did not answer.


    "I know. You want to go. Even if the elder doesn''t take you, you''d stay in the Ten Thousand Mountains!"


    Charlotte still didn''t speak, but suddenly hugged Elijah with unprecedented passion.


    "Don''t say anything. Kiss me..."


    On the way back, everyone on the yacht wentpletely wild, spending each day immersed in games between men and women, regardless of whether it was Charlotte or Abigail involved.


    This allowed Elijah to fully rx for a few days.


    As they neared the sea area of Neoville City, everyone finally calmed down, and Elijah was able to take some time to sort out a few things.


    "Charlotte, since this ring came along with the Green Shadow Cold Light Sword, and one of them is a talisman, this one should also be a talisman, right?"


    "That''s right, but we don''t know the triggering conditions for this talisman!"


    On the deck, Elijah and Charlotte lounged on chairs, enjoying their leisure time.


    Elijah was fiddling with the ring he had obtained from country A along with the Green Shadow Cold Light Sword.


    "Speaking of which, it was this ring that attracted me, not the Green Shadow Cold Light Sword. It''s unlikely that the Green Shadow Cold Light Sword is so amazing while this ring seems ordinary. It attracted me? It''s also me attracting it! After all, attraction is mutual! So, is there something about me, or somewhere about me, that is special?"


    Elijah pondered for a moment and suddenly had a thought.


    If there is anything special about him, it would be his ability, Seed of Consciousness!


    He had only seen this ability in Matthew so far.


    Other abilities, to some extent, have duplicates, even Be''s healing ability, which recently has been awakened in two others, though these people merely think it can only heal human and animal injuries.


    Fiona brought those two to the shore service area and opened a special clinic dedicated to treating injuries.


    This was to keep people under her surveince while preventing them froming into contact with spirit nts.


    Apart from that, the only other special thing about Elijah is that he is a reincarnated individual. Could it be because of this?


    Elijah spected in his mind. But how could being reincarnated attract the ring, and how to activate the ring? Seed of Consciousness? Reincarnation?


    Elijah realized that the Seed of Consciousness did not awaken naturally in this life but came with him from his previous life.


    To test this theory, he bit his finger and let a drop of blood containing the Seed of Consciousness fall onto the ring.


    A magical scene unfolded before him: the ancient stone ring, which had not changed with blood or fire before, immediately absorbed the blood.


    The ring''s surface shed with mysterious patterns before returning to normal.


    However, Elijah sensed a mystical connection with the ring.


    Inside, he saw a hidden space with some extraordinary items. Excited, he shared his discovery with Charlotte, who asked, "Is it activated? What does the ring do?"


    "It''s a space ring," Elijah exined with a smile. "It has a 5-cubic-meter space inside and contains some items. Let me pull something out to show you." Elijah focused and retrieved the most prominent item from the ring''s space.


    Charlotte watched in astonishment as Elijah''s hand suddenly produced a massive white banner.


    The banner''s pole was an eerie white, seemingly carved from bone, and topped with a terrifying skull.


    The banner and its flowing ribbons were also white, adorned with strange, shifting patterns that made her dizzy and disoriented.


    She could vaguely hear piercing screams, like the wails of vengeful spirits, sending chills down her spine.


    "This is bad!" Elijah realized something was wrong as soon as he took out the bone banner.


    The talisman''s power, even when merely disyed, was already overwhelming enough to dazzle and confuse a third-tier ability user.


    As a fourth-tier ability user holding the banner, Elijah was struggling to cope with its effects as well.

 Chapter 275: Cultivation methods of the demonic cultivator

    He quickly put the bone banner back into the ring, and Charlotte came back to her senses.


    "This must be the talisman of that demonic cultivator¡ªtruly eerie and unsettling!" Charlotte said, her face pale and covered in cold sweat. She let out a sigh of relief and remarked, "I didn''t expect this talisman to be so powerful!"


    "Yeah, it''s quite impressive," Elijah wiped the sweat from his forehead.


    "There are a few more talismans inside¡ªone is a bell, another is a g. They don''t seem like good items. Should we take them out to inspect?"


    "Better not. These talismans are too strange. If you haven''t mastered the method of refining and controlling them, it''s best not to handle them recklessly!" Charlotte advised.


    Elijah nodded in agreement. "I''ll check the other items."


    Elijah''s mind delved back into the ring. This time, he focused on items that did not clearly appear to be talismans.


    Among them were several ceramic bottles that seemed to contain elixirs.


    Elijah did not touch these either, fearing they might contain something like corpse poison or even more dangerous substances.


    For a demonic cultivator, such items were quite normal.


    He then examined other objects, including a pile of stones emitting a Chi aura that Elijah recognized. He took out one piece, and Charlotte''s eyes immediately brightened.


    "So rich in Chi!"


    "Hmm, these must be Chi stones or spirit stones from the cultivation world," Elijah said, equally pleased.


    "Are there many of these stones?"


    "Yes, quite a lot¡ªat least a thousand pieces!" Elijah replied.


    "With these spirit stones, even if Chi is depleted in this world, we should be able to sustain our cultivation for some time!" Charlotte said, her excitement palpable.


    "Exactly!" Elijah felt a bit of relief, as the presence of these spirit stones gave him some direction for future ns.


    "I''ll take a look at the other items!"


    This time, Elijah worked quickly. The spirit stones disappeared from his hand, reced by a tiny jade bamboo slip.


    "What is this? What does it do?"


    "It looks like a bamboo slip, which should store information. But it''s so small, I''m not sure how to use it," Charlotte said.


    "Since we''ve developed storage chips to keep information, it''s reasonable that cultivators use these jade slips for the same purpose. As for how to use it... it''s likely a method used by cultivators!"


    "Spirit perception?" both Elijah and Charlotte said in unison.


    Charlotte''s spirit perception ability could observe Chi, which was the closest thing to a cultivator''s method.


    "Then let''s try using spirit perception!" Elijah suggested. He switched to Charlotte''s ability and used spirit perception to envelop the jade slip.


    "Boom!" Elijah felt a jolt in his mind as an overwhelming flood of information surged through his brain.


    The information wasposed of unfamiliar characters, but, like understanding an old man''snguage, Elijah could grasp the meaning despite not recognizing the characters.


    The flood of information was too vast for him to fullyprehend at once, but he was able to remember some fragments and their meanings.


    Just those fragments were enough to leave him astonished.


    "This is... a cultivation method, and it''s from that demonic cultivator!" Elijah murmured.


    What impressed him the most was the technique for refining corpse pills used by the demonic cultivator.


    Corpse pills¡ªelixirs condensed from corpse Chi!


    As the saying goes, "Swallowing a golden pill means my fate is in my own hands, not controlled by heaven!"


    And that demonic cultivator, like the old man, was a Golden Pill Real Person!


    "Cultivation methods of the demonic cultivator?" Charlotte was taken aback by Elijah''s words.


    "Yes, that''s right. Although I''ve only understood part of it so far, the jade slip records the cultivation methods of that demonic cultivator!" Elijah nodded seriously.


    At the same time, Elijah gained a general understanding of the cultivation realms in the demonic cultivator''s world through the jade slip.


    These realms could be roughly divided into Body Refinement, Chi Refinement, Foundation Establishment, Golden Core, Nascent Soul, and Divine Transformation.


    Comparing these realms to himself and other awakened individuals in his world, Elijah realized there was no directparison.


    For example, cultivators in the Body Refinement stage have their vital energy and blood condensed into one.


    In any aspect¡ªstrength, speed, or defense¡ªthey possess powerparable to a first-tier ability user.


    Cultivators develop their abilities moreprehensively, unlike awakened individuals who excel in only one aspect.


    This is somewhat simr to Elijah and the others who practiced Body Refinement techniques.


    However, cultivators in the Body Refinement stage do not possess abilities such as water or fire control, which is an advantage of awakened individuals.


    But in the Chi Refinement stage, things change.


    Although cultivators may not be as adept at using specific abilities as awakened individuals, they can master various spells, unlike the more singr focus of awakened abilities.


    Examples include: Spring Breeze Technique, Rain Transformation Technique, and Metal Sword Technique.


    The most important thing is that cultivators in the Chi Refinement stage can control talismans, draw runes, and use various powerful techniques, far surpassing what awakened individuals can do.


    As for those in the Foundation Establishment stage and above, their abilities are truly god-like!


    Elijah shared this knowledge with Charlotte before diving back into studying the jade slip''s cultivation methods.


    Time passed quickly, and when Elijah finally opened his eyes, the yacht was already docked at Azure Isle''s pier. Fiona and the others had arrived and were waiting for him to wake up.


    "We arrived early?" Elijah asked.


    "Just recently," Fiona replied, ncing at the jade slip in Elijah''s hand.


    Daisy had already briefed Fiona on the trip''s highlights, and seeing Elijah so engrossed in studying the jade slip gave Fiona an uneasy feeling.


    "Well, let''s head home. I have some things to discuss with everyone!" Elijah said, putting away the jade slip and leading the way off the yacht.


    That evening, as the women gradually returned to the Azure Isle vi, Elijah and the others recounted the events of their trip.


    When the women learned the truth about the zombie virus outbreak¡ªcaused by a demonic cultivator''s self-detonated corpse pill¡ªthey were all astonished and shocked.


    They were equally stunned by the exnation of the otherworldly descent and the spection about ancient myths and legends.


    However, when it was revealed that there was a way to eliminate their own zombie virus and remove the threat, they felt a great sense of relief.


    But when the story turned to the mysterious old man''s wish to take a disciple, the room fell silent.


    Everyone had a premonition that something troubling wasing.

 Chapter 276: Spiritual Pill

    "That old man only takes one disciple. If anyone has any thoughts, feel free to bring them up with me!" Elijah said in the end.


    "Elijah, aren''t you going?" Katherine asked with courage, and the others also stared at Elijah closely.


    "Me? I haven''t decided yet! I need to study the demonic cultivator''s technique first. If any of you want to go, let me know first!" Elijah replied.


    The women let out a slight sigh of relief upon hearing this but didn''tpletely rx.


    Azure Isle''s current stability and their peaceful lives werergely thanks to Elijah.


    If he left, they truly didn''t know what to do in the future!


    Fortunately, Elijah had not made a final decision yet.


    None of the women voiced their own desire to go, and after some more discussion, they each went their separate ways.


    Elijah didn''t seek anyone out that night. Instead, he returned to his room to continue studying the jade slip.


    He mentioned that he wasn''t sure about following the old man for a reason. During his study of the jade slip, he made a new discovery.


    ording to the jade slip, the demonic cultivator practiced a technique called the Demon Evil Art.


    It involves absorbing the dark Chi of heaven and earth to refine the body and Chi, condense the Yin Pill, and ultimately form the Nascent Soul.


    This method can be cultivated up to the Nascent Soul stage.


    The characteristic of this technique is that it is extremely fast in progress.


    Unlike orthodox methods, which advance gradually with significant effort at each critical stage (e.g., from Chi Refinement to Foundation Establishment, and from Foundation Establishment to Golden Core), requiring great insight and fortune to break through, this technique is much quicker.


    This technique allows for easy breakthroughs in realms as long as there is enough dark Chi.


    However, while it sounds appealing, it is actually very difficult because Earth Fiend Yin Veins are not easy to find.


    Some of these veins are materials for important pills; for example, the Foundation Establishment Pill requires a type of Earth Fiend Yin Chi.


    Once these Earth Fiend Yin Veins are discovered, they are fiercely contested, so those who practice this technique are often demonic cultivators.


    The more people one kills, the more one is associated with the demonic path, even if they were not originally a demonic cultivator.


    Since Earth Fiend Yin Veins are rare treasures, some demonic cultivators have taken a different path, opting to practice corpse Chi cultivation and condense Corpse Pills.


    Corpse Chi is also a type of dark Chi and is not difficult to find, as long as there are corpses.


    The cultivation speed is simrly fast, but it requires more killing.


    The higher the cultivation level of the deceased, the better the effect, which leads to even greater condemnation.


    The only drawback is that the Corpse Pills produced are of poor quality, only reaching up to the Golden Core stage.


    In contrast, the Yin Pills condensed from Earth Fiend Yin Veins are of higher quality, greatly aiding in the formation of the Nascent Soul.


    However, demonic cultivators are not concerned about this.


    Achieving the Golden Core stage is already a significant aplishment, and with the fast cultivation speed, many eagerly pursue it.


    The demonic cultivator killed by the old man was one such case.


    If Elijah practiced the Corpse Pill method, he would avoid the trouble of being hunted and would even be thanked, as this world is currently overflowing with zombies.


    If there were no better cultivation methods, Elijah might indeed have practiced the Corpse Pill method.


    But in this world, geniuses are plentiful!


    Just as there were demonic cultivators who discovered the Corpse Pill method, there were also high-level demonic experts who found better methods.


    ording to the description from the deceased demonic cultivator, he only obtained this method after reaching the Golden Core stage, and he regretted not discovering it sooner.


    He even considered dispersing his skills to start anew!


    Unfortunately, dispersing one''s skillses with a high cost, and he was not confident in mastering the new method.


    Thus, he only recorded the method in the jade slip, with annotations expressing regret toote.


    This new method is called the Spiritual Pill Method. The so-called Spiritual Pill is a pill condensed from the purest soul power of living beings.


    Soul power is one of the most outstanding creations between heaven and earth,parable to the pure dark Chi formed naturally.


    Spiritual Pills, produced using soul power, are even stronger than Yin Pills and are considered the highest-grade Golden Pills, greatly increasing the chances of forming the Nascent Soul.


    While the Spiritual Pill Method seems to offer many benefits, and it involves only killing, the reason why demonic cultivators practice the Corpse Pill Method instead of the Spiritual Pill Method is revealed in theter annotations of the demonic cultivator.


    Elijah initially had doubts but understood after reading further.


    The so-called soul epasses a person''s memories and extreme emotions.


    Even after death, these cannot bepletely erased, which is also the reason for the existence of vengeful spirits and malevolent ghosts.


    To cultivate using soul power, one mustpletely eradicate the mixed memories and emotions within the soul.


    Otherwise, the practitioner might suffer from memory disorder, inability to distinguish self, and ultimately fall into madness.


    In severe cases, they might face heart demons, and if they cannot ovee them, they will explode and die, with both body and soul perishing!


    Thus, using soul power for cultivation is an extremely dangerous method.


    However, what makes a master a master is their willingness to venture where others dare not.


    Under the Spiritual Pill Method, they developed the Corpse Pill Method and, using ancient witchcraft, created a special type of corpse Chi.


    This corpse Chi can be transmitted from person to person, causing infection.


    Those affected by the corpse Chi do not die immediately but lose their sanity and be highly aggressive.


    However, they are not considered alive since they have lost their souls.


    Their souls are gathered by the corpse Chi in the area near the back of their heads, forming a Corpse Core that contains corpse poison.


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and


    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 277 Parting

    During the formation of the Corpse Core, the corpse poison will erase the soul''s memories and emotions, using them as nourishment to strengthen itself.


    The external corpse poison can also mask the true nature of the soul within the Corpse Core.


    However, this process causes some souls to be too weak to endure the erasure of their memories and emotions, resulting in their direct extinction.


    These individuals do not produce a Corpse Core and are left as mere walking corpses.


    Once the process isplete, practitioners of the Corpse Pill Method absorb the corpse Chi from these walking corpses for their cultivation.


    After the corpse Chi is absorbed, the Corpse Core is removed and handed over to their sect as a contribution or used as currency for transactions.


    Only those who understand the Spiritual Pill Method can remove the corpse poison from the Corpse Core and extract the soul power within for their cultivation.


    Reading this, Elijah understood that the so-called Corpse Chi Condensation Method was intentionally spread by practitioners of the Spiritual Pill Method to find others to help them gather soul power.


    Furthermore, the Corpse Pills formed from the dead can be used by practitioners of the Spiritual Pill Method as external pills or counterfeit pills!


    It''s clear that these methods exploit individuals to the utmost, whether they are those from whom corpse Chi is harvested or those who practice the Corpse Pill Method.


    Of course, this approach is not without risks. Despite the erasure, the soul still carries indelible marks.


    However, the risks are minimized, and with regr use of mind-clearing and soul-calming pills, one can essentially ensure safety.


    Upon absorbing this knowledge, Elijah breathed a long sigh of relief. Yet, inside, he could hardly contain his excitement!


    The Spiritual Pill Method described in this manual seemed tailor-made for him.


    With billions of zombies avable worldwide, using the Spiritual Pill Method to achieve the Golden Core stage is more than sufficient.


    Even breaking through to the Nascent Soul stage is not out of the question!


    Moreover, although this technique requires soul Chi, it is not as stringent as other methods.


    As long as there is a continuous supply of soul power, Elijah can maintain his cultivation even in environmentscking soul Chi.


    Furthermore, while cultivating Spiritual Pills, any excess corpse Chi can be used to refine Corpse Pills as external pills.


    However, the worldcks rare treasures and mind-clearing pills, which poses some risk. Nheless, this risk is worth taking!


    After pondering for a moment, Elijah immersed himself in studying the jade slip once more.


    In addition to the Demon Evil Art and the insights of the demonic cultivator, the jade slip contained several other secret techniques and tricks that required further study.


    Over the course of the next half month, Elijah devoted himself to researching the Demon Evil Art from the jade slip while gradually adjusting his internal cultivation method, transitioning from the Hun Yuan Technique to the Demon Evil Art.


    This transition could not be done overnight and required a slow process. Elijah was not in a hurry.


    While Elijah focused on his practice, the others were also busy with their own tasks.


    Stay connected through empire


    In the demonic cultivator''s ring, besides the jade slip recording the Demon Evil Art, there were also other techniques rted to talismans, weapon forging, pill refining, and even some cultivation methods that appeared to belong to reputable sects.


    Elijah handed all these jade slips to Charlotte, asking her to study and record them. With the help of the other women, they transcribed them into books.


    Although the women still didn''t know whether Elijah would leave, seeing him leave behind such obvious cultivation methods and knowledge from the cultivation world led them to believe it might be for their benefit.


    This created a particrly mncholic atmosphere among them.


    Until the day of departure arrived.


    With less than ten days remaining before the one-month deadline, the women disyed unprecedented enthusiasm, which made Elijah both happy and troubled.


    But all gatherings eventually end. As the agreed date approached, Elijah finally set sail with Charlotte again.


    This time, Daisy did note along; she disliked such farewells. Apart from her, the rest of the original team remained.


    Having had one experience, this time they smoothly arrived at the outer sea of "Serenity Peak."


    Compared tost time, the continent appeared much smaller, just as the old man had said. The realms were already beginning to separate, and the descent was nearing its end.


    Since they arrived a few days earlier, the old man had not yet arrived. Elijah, Charlotte, and Sophia waited on the yacht.


    "Have you made up your mind?" Charlotte asked Elijah, sensing the imminent separation.


    "There is still one question I need to ask the old man before I can make my final decision," Elijah replied.


    "What question?"


    Charlotte looked at the continent in the distance. Over the past few days, she had observed it shrinking visibly.


    "I''ve been researching our myths and legends during this time. Although I don''t know the exact end time of the previous realm descent, it is clear that after a certain period, celestial beings appeared less and less in the world. However, there are still a few enlightened ones who shattered the void and ascended to immortality!


    After the descent ends, is it still possible to shatter the void and reach another realm with human effort?"


    "Indeed!"


    Charlotte did not answer directly; instead, a voice full of ancient charm replied.


    "Senior!" Seeing the old man suddenly appear before them, Elijah and the others quickly bowed and greeted him.


    "This past month, I''ve traveled through your realm. Besides collecting some interesting artifacts, I also found some relics from your world. I can now confirm that several thousand years ago, a longsting realm descent indeed urred in your world! As for your question, it is true that after the realm descent ends, one can shatter the void and travel to another realm!"


    Elijah was delighted upon hearing this.


    "May I ask, senior, how can one shatter the void and travel to another realm?"


    "The barriers of each world are different. In my world, one would need to be at least a Divine Transformation expert to shatter the void. As for your world¡­"


    The old man pondered for a moment, then suddenly revealed a crimson long sword in his hand.

 Chapter 278 Life is unpredictable with its gatherings and separations

    Elijah and the others watched as the old man swung the sword forcefully, causing a fissure to appear in the void before them. Inside the fissure was a terrifying spatial turbulence, with countless winds blowing out, but they were easily dispelled by the old man.


    The spatial fissure was open for a very brief time. As the fierce winds vanished, the fissure rapidly closed, as if it had never existed.


    "Shattering the void!" Elijah murmured.


    "The barriers in your world are not too difficult; ate-stage Golden Core cultivator can easily break through. However, this does not mean you can travel between realms. You first need to have the spatial coordinates of the other realm and be able to safely traverse the spatial turbulence!"


    "Spatial coordinates of the other realm¡­?"


    Elijah and Charlotte exchanged a look, their eyes lighting up as they evidently came to a realization.


    "In that case, senior, we have decided. Charlotte will be your disciple and follow you!" Elijah dered.


    "Oh?"


    The old man smiled as he looked at the two of them, then said, "I didn''t expect you to make such a decision. In that case, I shall ept this girl as my disciple!"


    "Charlotte, thank your Master!"


    Charlotte, having already guessed Elijah''s intention, did not hesitate. She directly knelt before the old man and kowtowed several times.


    "Good, very good! Not only have I dealt with my enemies and gained a lot from this trip, but I''ve also acquired a good disciple. It''s been worth the journey!"


    The old manughed heartily, then addressed the two of them, "Since you''ve be a disciple, I should give you a gift. This Green Shadow Cold Light Sword is for you!"


    As he spoke, the old man suddenly produced a green long sword from his hand. It was the same sword that Elijah and the others had seized from Country A. At this moment, it was being returned to its rightful owner.


    "This old man is really stingy, giving us back our own stuff as a gift!" Elijah couldn''t help but mutter to himself.


    The old man seemed to know what Elijah was thinking. With a half-smile, he looked at him and then said, "You two lovers, this parting might be permanent. Since you''ve made such a decision, I''ll give you a parting gift too!"


    Elijah was suddenly startled as the old man''s finger pointed at his forehead, and he found himself unable to resist. However, when the old man''s finger withdrew, Elijah didn''t notice any immediate changes in himself.


    "The realm descent will soon be over, so don''t stay here too long to avoid being caught in the spatial turbulence! This bottle of pills is the one I promised you earlier!"


    The old man tossed a bottle of pills to Elijah and continued, "I have been dyed for a long time. I must leave soon. Do you have anyst words?"


    Elijah, Abigail, Sophia, Elena, and Kylie looked at Charlotte with reluctant eyes. Abigail and Sophia even had tears in their eyes.


    Elijah stepped forward and hugged Charlotte, whispering in her ear, "Once you get to that realm, cultivate diligently and wait for me!"


    "Okay!"


    Charlotte replied solemnly.


    Then they parted ways.


    "Take care of yourselves too!"


    Charlotte waved goodbye to Abigail and the others.


    "Sister Charlotte, you¡­ you must take care once you get there!" Sophia said tearfully.


    "I will!"


    "Life is unpredictable with its gatherings and separations. Let''s part ways here!"


    As the old man''s words fell, he and Charlotte transformed into a streak of light and vanished into the horizon of the forest.


    Elijah and the others stared nkly at the spot where they disappeared.


    They didn''t know how much time had passed. It wasn''t until the sky darkened and the distance became unclear that Elijah came back to his senses. His voice was hoarse as he said to the others, "Let''s go back!"


    "Mm!"


    "Elijah, will we be able to see Sister Charlotte again?"


    "As long as you cultivate well, you will definitely have the chance!"


    "Then¡­ I''ll make sure to cultivate hard when I go back!"


    Time flew by, and in the blink of an eye, several months had passed.


    The descent between the two realms had finally ended.


    In a dense forest filled with towering mountains, an old man and a young woman were resting on a tform at the top of a mountain.


    The woman asked the old man, "Master, what is the gift you left for my husband?"


    "Hmm..." The old man pondered for a moment, then smiled and said, "It''s something that can save your husband''s life in a critical moment!" Stay tuned for updates on empire


    Seeing the old man being cryptic, the woman rolled her eyes and didn''t press for more details. Instead, she curiously asked, "Master, you mentioned you obtained some interesting devices from our realm. What are they?"


    "Oh, those!" The old man responded, rummaging through his spatial ring for a moment before taking out arge cylindrical object.


    As soon as the woman saw the cylinder, she was instantly dumbfounded.


    "A... missile?"


    "Is that what this device is called? I noticed its impressive power, so I gathered a few from your realm. Besides this, there are some other devices, and their power should be even greater!"


    Hearing this, the woman''s expression became even more incredulous.


    "N... no way... a nuclear bomb?"


    ...


    Neoville City, Azure Isle!


    After Elijah returned to the ind, the women were naturally overjoyed to see him, but they were also saddened upon hearing about Charlotte''s departure.


    However, time heals all wounds.


    Upon his return to the ind, Elijah secluded himself for several months and finally fully transitioned from the Hun Yuan Technique to the Demon Evil Art.


    Thanks to his powerful physique as a fourth-tier awakened being, he was able to skip the body refinement stage entirely and reach the mid-stage of Chi refinement.


    Once Elijah had fully mastered the Demon Evil Art, he began to experiment with a special secret method to remove the corpse poison from the corpse core and purify the soul.


    To borate, this method of removing corpse poison from the corpse core typically requires a corpse pill, which is a technique used by those with considerable strength.


    Elijah,cking a corpse pill, naturally couldn''t use it.


    However, after understanding the underlying principles, Elijah cleverly improvised by using third-tier zombies under his control to remove the corpse poison.

 Chapter 279 Black Prison Sovereign

    He then took out a bell and the Bone Banner that had once left Charlotte dizzy and disoriented.


    These two talismans were ones he had learned to refine from the jade slip of the Demon Evil Art, and he had already gained preliminary control over them.


    The bell was called the Soul-Shaking Bell, which was said to have the power to disturb a person''s mind, shaking their spirit to the point of leaving their body.


    The Bone Banner is called the Soul-Summoning Banner, which can collect vengeful spirits and fierce ghosts, binding them for the user''smand.


    Using these two talismans, Elijah further processed the soul crystals that had been purified of corpse poison, ensuring their purity to the greatest extent possible.


    Afterpleting a series ofplex procedures, Elijah finally took the slightly reduced soul crystals in hand and began absorbing them using the Demon Evil Art.


    It was unclear how much time had passed, but when Elijah opened his eyes again, the soul crystals in his hand had disappeared, and his cultivation had advanced significantly.


    In the Chi Refinement stage, there were ten levels in total: levels one to three were considered the early stage, levels four to six the middle stage, and levels seven to nine thete stage, with the tenth level being the peak of Chi Refinement.


    Once at the tenth level, one could attempt to break through to the Foundation Establishment stage.


    After switching his cultivation method, Elijah had reached the fourth level of Chi Refinement.


    Now, after absorbing several soul crystals, he felt he was not far from reaching the fifth level. Perhaps with a few more crystals, he could break through.


    Just as Elijah was about to continue his efforts, a sudden haze clouded his mind.


    He felt a sharp, explosive pain in his head, and with a loud buzz, he lost consciousness.


    When Elijah awoke again, he found himself in a void. There was no up or down, no front or back. There wasn''t even a ce to stand; he was simply floating in mid-air.


    "Where¡­ am I?" Elijah murmured in a daze.


    "Where? Why, this is your sea of consciousness!" A sinister, terrifying voice suddenly echoed around him, and then a figure abruptly appeared before Elijah.


    The figure was dressed in ck brocade, surrounded by faint ck smoke. His face was fierce, and his eyes held a wicked smile as he stared at Elijah.


    "My sea of consciousness?" Elijah was momentarily stunned, then quickly grew wary. "Who are you? And why are you in my sea of consciousness?"


    "Who am I?" The man in ck let out a creepyugh. "I am the Dark Prison Sovereign, the one who granted you power. Now, it''s time for you to repay me!"


    Before Elijah could react, the Dark Prison Sovereign transformed into a cloud of ck smoke and rushed straight at him.


    "Get out of my way!"


    Elijah roared, but it had no effect.


    As the ck smokepletely enveloped him, a ze suddenly erupted from Elijah''s body.


    "Ah..."


    A sharp, agonizing scream echoed.


    The ck Prison Sovereign, who had transformed into ck smoke, was mostly burned away and turned to flee.


    Unfortunately, the mes did not relent, continuing to burn and chase after him.


    "Crimson Dragon, you old ghost..."


    The ck Prison Sovereign howled in despair before dissipating into the void.


    However, the mes did not disappear. Instead, they gathered together and took the form of an old man.


    Elijah immediately recognized him¡ªit was Charlotte''s master!


    "Focus your mind and calm your breath. Circte your cultivation technique!"


    The fiery elder shouted before dispersing.


    Elijah, hearing this, instinctively began to circte the Demon Evil Art. Countless tiny soul fragments suddenly emerged from his mind, merging into the torrents of energy in his meridians, slowly being ground down and absorbed.


    At the same time, some fragments shed through his mind.


    Scenes of Matthew at the YLK Hotel, a warrior from Country A polishing the Green Shadow Cold Light Sword, and moments of Elijah and Be hiding in a room all appeared.


    Finally, all the scenes converged into a fierce battle!


    It was the battle between the ck Prison Sovereign and the Crimson Dragon Real Man!


    In the end, the ck Prison Sovereign self-detonated his corpse pill, splitting his soul into three parts, which transformed into streams of light and fell into three different locations.


    The first part, carrying a ring and the Green Shadow Cold Light Sword, fell on an ind in Country A and was eventually found by a person from Country A.


    The second part entered a building and resided within Matthew, who had been bitten by a zombie and was about to transform.


    The third part entered Neoville City, into the old district, in the house that Elijah rented, within Elijah himself!


    After receiving this memory, Elijah instantly understood!


    It turns out he never had a so-called rebirth.


    What he thought was rebirth, all the knowledge he believed to be from a previous life, was just fragments of the future that the ck Prison Sovereign had glimpsed by triggering Elijah''s original superpower¡ªprophecy¡ªthrough a secret technique.


    Coupled with the knowledge that the ck Prison Sovereign instilled in him, it made him think he had been reborn.


    The ck Prison Sovereign''s true purpose was to nt a new superpower in Elijah¡ªSeed of Consciousness!


    The real name of the Seed of Consciousness is the Thousand Threads Soul-Control Technique, originally a spiritual secret technique used to strengthen one''s soul, then split it into thousands of threads for controlling puppets or zombies.


    A sessfully cultivated Thousand Threads Soul-Control Technique can even split into three independent avatars.


    Although the ck Prison Sovereign hadn''t reached the level of creating avatars, he had barely managed to split his soul into three parts, each fleeing to different locations.


    He intended to reside in these three individuals, nurturing his soul through them, then guiding them to meet, ultimately merging the three soul parts into one for rebirth.


    However, he failed at the first step.


    The soul fragment that carried the space ring and the Green Shadow Cold Light Sword failed to find a suitable host and, having exhausted its energy, ultimately merged into the space ring.


    The other two parts seeded, but he didn''t expect the two to meet so quickly. Before his souls could be properly nurtured, they were at each other''s throats.


    Helpless, these two souls had to merge prematurely.


    Thest soul part, after the first two merged, was constantly drawn to and resonating with Elijah, desperately seeking to reunite.


    Because of this resonance, Elijah sessfully found the ring and the Green Shadow Cold Light Sword!


    Though the n had fallen into chaos by this point, the ck Prison Sovereign still had a backup n.

 Chapter 280 The Heavenly Corpse Record

    Only someone who possessed a fragment of his soul could refine the ring.


    Upon seeing the contents within the ring, this person would undoubtedly be curious and study it, especially the cultivation technique in the jade slip, which even an ordinary person could read.


    The ck Prison Sovereign had deliberately self-detonated his corpse pill before his death, sensing that this was a world devoid of spiritual Chi.


    His corpse pill''s poisonous gas would spread throughout this world along with the infusion of spiritual Chi, turning countless living beings into walking corpses.


    In such a naturally advantageous environment, anyone who obtained the Demon Evil Art would inevitably cultivate it.


    As long as they cultivated and absorbed soul power, the ck Prison Sovereign could use this to resurrect,pletely kill the host, and take over their body for rebirth.


    But he never expected that the Crimson Dragon Real Man would see through everything the moment he saw Elijah.


    The Crimson Dragon Real Man had originally nned to take Elijah as a disciple, but in the end, Charlotte became his disciple instead.


    Because of this, the Crimson Dragon Real Man could only ce a safeguard on Elijah, waiting for the ck Prison Sovereign to make a move, thenpletely destroy him and use the Demon Evil Art to utterly annihte the ck Prison Sovereign!


    "I won''t ept this..."


    Elijah faintly heard the ck Prison Sovereign''s wailing from within his soul, but it eventually faded into silence.


    Elijah circted his cultivation technique for several more cycles, fully digesting the soul fragments of the ck Prison Sovereign before he stopped.


    At this moment, he had broken through the sixthyer of Chi Refinement and reached the seventhyer, officially entering thete stage of Chi Refinement!


    In the world of cultivation, ten years passed in the blink of an eye. Elijah rode a beam of light, returning from overseas to Azure Isle.


    This journey had been incredibly fruitful for him. He had nearly exterminated allrge gatherings of zombies worldwide, collecting an immense amount of corpse Chi and corpse cores.


    "Now, it''s about time for seclusion," Elijah thought as he opened the formation that protected Azure Isle andnded on the ind.


    During the past ten years, the first five were devoted to cultivation. With the corpse cores collected on Azure Isle, Elijah sessfully advanced to the Foundation Establishment stage.


    After reaching Foundation Establishment, Elijah could further enhance the power of the talismans in his possession and delve deeper into the cultivation techniques within the jade slips.


    He began traveling across the country, using his flying light technique to clear zombies on a massive scale.


    He first used a special pill, highly attractive to zombies, to lure nearby zombies to one location.


    Then, using a treasure bottle talisman left behind by the ck Prison Sovereign, he captured and refined all the zombies into pure corpse Chi, while also extracting the corpse cores from their bodies.


    This process allowed Elijah toplete the task in just a few hours, much more efficiently than the survivors who had to kill the zombies one by one and then collect the corpse cores.


    However, there was a drawback: after each collection, Elijah had to refine the talisman again to convert the collected corpses into corpse Chi.


    As a result, Elijah''s overall speed wasn''t as fast as it could have been, and it took him more than a year topletely eliminate the zombies within the country.


    Alongside Elijah''s actions, the influence of Azure Isle expanded.


    In the first two years, Azure Isle established control over Neoville City and began expanding into neighboring regions, gradually gaining control over two surrounding areas and eventually bordering the territory controlled by the military.


    Initially, the cooperation between Azure Isle and the military was excellent, but as Azure Isle''s influence grew, tensions began to arise.


    By then, the military had deciphered the cause ofmunication disruptions and developed a better solution.


    Tempted by the awakening potions controlled by Azure Isle, the military brazenly decided tounch a surprise attack on Azure Isle.


    However, the military was unaware that a few of its members were already under Elijah''s control through his Seed of Consciousness.


    When Elijah learned of the operation, he immediately used his flying light technique to descend upon the military''s headquarters, massacring all high-ranking officials who were hostile to Azure Isle.


    Subsequently, Elijah appointed Nichs as the new military leader, and the forces led by Fiona in Neoville City were reorganized and merged, forming a powerful entity that controlled several southern states.


    After Elijah began his zombie-clearing campaign, he first cleansed the areas under their control, then gradually expanded ording to Fiona''s n.


    Fiona also began extending her influence into these regions, suppressing disobedient forces and negotiating with those willing to cooperate.


    After more than a year, the entire country was reunified, and all zombies within its borders were eradicated.


    Though the country was vast, the remaining survivors were few, leading to a surplus of resources.


    With no external threats, people lived in peace, and in their spare time, they focused on having children, leading to a sudden poption boom.


    The government, newly reorganized by Fiona, strongly encouraged this phenomenon.


    Awakened individuals found it difficult to have children, but the majority of survivors were ordinary people. However, this led to another problem: the zombie virus in the air remained a constant threat hanging over the heads of ordinary people.


    When Fiona mentioned this issue to Elijah, he quickly devised a solution.


    By this time, his understanding of the Demon Evil Art had deepened, and he had discovered a cultivation technique called the Heavenly Corpse Record within another jade slip. This technique was designed specifically for cultivating zombies.


    Abigail, Kylie, and Elena were born as spiritual corpses, making them ideal candidates for this cultivation method.


    By practicing this technique, they could absorb the surrounding Yin and corpse Chi, thoroughly purifying the human living environment and restoring the pre-apocalyptic environment.


    If Elijah had corpse pills on hand, he could achieve the task more efficiently.


    However, since he''s preupied with harvesting zombies and collecting corpse cores, he delegates the task to Abigail, Kylie, and Elena.


    While they cultivate the Heavenly Corpse Record, they also absorb the corpse poison in the air.


    Yet, given the vast expanse of the territory, relying on just the three of them would take an indeterminate amount of time to finish the job.

 Chapter 281 The Void

    Abigail and the others primarily focused on absorbing and purifying the corpse poison in densely popted cities.


    In other areas, after the zombies were cleared out, the corpse poison in the air would gradually dissipate over time, though the process was somewhat lengthy.


    Meanwhile, relying solely on absorbing the corpse poison from the air did not significantly enhance Abigail and the others'' growth, so Elijah provided them with some of the corpse poison stored in the treasure vase talisman for their cultivation.


    After establishing his foundation, Elijah''s mastery of the Thousand Silken Souls Technique improved to a new level, making him no longer concerned about Abigail and the others surpassing his strength.


    After dealing with the zombies in the country, Elijah began his overseas journey.


    He was less meticulous in dealing with foreign zombies, targeting only the densely popted cities.


    It took him over three years to collect most of the zombies and corpse cores worldwide.


    Ten years passed, and the concentration of Chi in the air began to noticeably decrease.


    Fortunately, Elijah was continuously studying the knowledge within the jade slips.


    Due to material constraints, he only gained a basic understanding of alchemy and artifact refining, without delving deeply into them.


    However, he thoroughly researched talismans and formations.


    The protective formation currently shrouding Azure Isle was his handiwork.


    This formation served three primary functions: protection, confusion, and spirit gathering.


    It effectively shielded the ind from external probing and identalndings.


    Of course, the most important function was gathering spiritual energy.


    The formation constantly absorbed the surrounding spiritual Chi, making the concentration of spiritual Chi within Azure Isle far higher than that of the outside world.


    When Elijah arrived on the ind, Daisy, who was in charge of the ind''s formations, immediately noticed and informed the other women still on the ind.


    Over these ten years, the women had also undergone significant changes.


    After purging the umted virus from their bodies and undergoing body refinement, Elijah specifically selected some cultivation methods for everyone to choose from.


    Among them, Be, Daisy, Fiona, Sophia, and Olivia chose the Spirit Pill method from the Demon Evil Art, just like Elijah. Hannah chose an orthodox ice-based technique, saying it was morepatible and should progress faster.


    Grace, Katherine, and Jasmine chose lightning, wood, and fire-based techniques, respectively, for simr reasons.


    Only Lily continued practicing the Hun Yuan Technique, but Elijah gave her a set of body-refining spells said to be suitable for physical cultivation.


    As for the Corpse Pill method from the Demon Evil Art, Elijah did not teach it to others, even though he had plenty of corpse poison.


    The main reason was that cultivating this method would make the practitioner exude a strong yin aura, significantly alter their personality, and carry a potent corpse poison virus, making it unsuitable for the women to practice.


    It was better to teach them the Spirit Pill method, especially since they now had plenty of corpse cores.


    Over the past ten years, the women sessivelypleted their technique transitions and began to steadily progress.


    However, cultivation truly depends on individual aptitude.


    Even with the same techniques and resources, the women''s cultivation progress varied.


    Of those practicing the Spirit Pill method of the Demon Evil Art like Elijah, only Daisy sessfully established her foundation, while most others remained at thete stage of Chi refining.


    Fiona had highprehension as well, but due to being entangled in mundane affairs, her cultivation progress was the slowest.


    News of Elijah''s return quickly spread, and all the women who were away returned, with even Fiona postponing her meetings to return to the ind.


    Everyone knew that Elijah was about to enter a long period of seclusion, so before he did, they celebrated heartily.


    Elijah celebrated with the women on Azure Isle for several days, and even with his Foundation Establishment cultivation, he found himself feeling a bit weak on his feet after the festivities.


    Before beginning his seclusion, he made a trip to the YLK Group hotel, where he stayed for a few days with Lillian and Nora.


    During one of these days, Elijah identally activated his mind-reading ability and finally understood why Lillian was unwilling to go to Azure Isle.


    He also remembered why Lillian had seemed somewhat familiar when they first met¡ªit was because he had seen her photo before.


    After understanding Lillian''s situation, Elijah used a transformation technique recorded in the jade slips to alter her appearance slightly, allowing her to stop avoiding people all the time.


    Nora was now a teenager, and she treated Elijah like a father.


    Both Lillian and Nora had cultivation techniques, but Nora showed little interest in cultivation.


    Instead, she was highly enthusiastic about working in the government and was currently studying under Fiona''s guidance.


    Wendy, who had also been entrusted with significant responsibilities by Fiona, was now overseeing the monitoring department.


    However, she still kept a room at the YLK Group hotel, and every time Elijah visited, she would look at him with a deeply sorrowful expression.


    Time spares no one, and after ten years, Wendy had aged a bit.


    She eventually let go of her attachment to Elijah and focused her energy on her government work.


    After visiting Lillian, Elijah returned to Azure Isle, no longer venturing out lightly, and began his serious seclusion and cultivation.


    Fifty years passed in the blink of an eye! Continue your adventure at empire


    Elijah finally condensed all his soul energy and formed a radiant golden core in his dantian, reaching the same realm as the ck Prison Sovereign and Red Dragon Daoist from the past.


    Upon his sess, Elijah immediately unleashed his full essence, energy, and spirit, attempting to tear through the void.


    The space where Elijah struck opened a slight rift, revealing the chaotic void behind it, but the rift quickly closed as if nothing had happened.


    However, Elijah knew that he could now break through the void and traverse to another world.


    Despite this breakthrough, Elijah refrained from further action, aware that he was still unable to withstand the chaotic void currents to travel safely to another realm.


    After this attempt, Elijah officially ended his seclusion.


    Having sessfully formed his Golden Core, it was a time to celebrate!


    The women were all overjoyed to hear that Elijah had finished his seclusion and achieved the Golden Core stage, and they celebrated with him for several days.


    During these fifty years, Elijah hadn''t stayed in seclusion the entire time; he emerged every few months, so he hadn''t be distant from the women.


    However, as time passed, the women were no longer as young as before.


    Fortunately, because they all practiced cultivation techniques and had sessively advanced to the Foundation Establishment stage, they hadn''t aged, and their appearances remained at their most beautiful, albeit more mature.


    Only Lillian didn''t devote herself to cultivation, remaining at the Chi Refining stage.


    Time had left its mark on her, and about ten years ago, she stopped wanting to see Elijah, saying that seeing his youthful appearance made her feel mncholic.


    Time had also taken its toll on Yello and Whitey.


    Without any special cultivation techniques, they could only advance by consuming spirit nts. Reaching the fourth tier was their limit, and with the gradual disappearance of spiritual Chi in the environment, they even began to regress in their cultivation.


    Ultimately, during Elijah''s thirty years of seclusion, both Yello and Whitey passed away from old age.


    Before his death, Whitey attempted to transform into a dragon but ultimately failed. When Elijah received the news, he was deeply saddened for several days.


    In the end, he buried both Yello and Whitey on Azure Isle.


    The passing of Yello and Whitey profoundly reminded Elijah of the relentless passage of time, and he understood that this was just the beginning of life''s inevitable changes.


    Not long after Yello and Whitey''s deaths, Fiona returned to Azure Isle.

 Chapter 282 The EndThis place no longer belongs to us

    As the spiritual Chi continued to dissipate, the impact of the virus on humans gradually decreased, and even awakened individuals found their abilities weakening.


    The power of technology began to rise again, leading to a resurgence in the human poption.


    Fiona realized that her era had ended, so she handed over all her responsibilities to Nora and returned to Azure Isle to enjoy the remainder of her life.


    At this time, Azure Isle was the only ce in the world still retaining sufficient spiritual Chi, thanks to the spirit-gathering formation that continually concentrated the world''s remaining spiritual Chi.


    When the spiritual Chi in this realm eventually vanished, Elijah set up an additional barrier formation to prevent the loss of spiritual Chi from Azure Isle.


    Using spirit stones embedded in his ring, he ensured that Azure Isle remained densely filled with spiritual Chi and that none of it leaked into the outside world.


    For the next hundred years, Elijah asionally practiced and celebrated with the women, observing the changes in the outside world.


    A hundred years was enough for several generations to pass away.


    Many of Elijah''s acquaintances, like Gabriel, Emily, Xavier, and Vincent, all eventually died.


    After all, Chi Refining cultivators have a maximum lifespan of fifty to a hundred years.


    Although the Azure Isle provided some relief by purging the umted virus, it couldn''t extend their lifespans beyond their natural limits.


    Even Lillian eventually left Elijah.


    Only the people on Azure Isle, benefiting from the spirit stones and spiritual Chi, continued to live long lives.


    Due to the protective formation covering Azure Isle, it gradually became unknown to the outside world over the following century.


    After a hundred years, Elijah''s cultivation progressed to thete Golden Core stage.


    Among the women, only Daisy continued to advance after reaching the Foundation Establishment stage, eventually breaking through to the early Golden Core stage.


    The others, whether due to innate limitations or limited aptitude, saw their progress stagnate after the Foundation Establishment stage.


    Seeing this, Elijah chose not to break through the void but instead decided to remain there.


    Time passed slowly again for another hundred years.


    By then, the spiritual stones in Elijah''s spatial ring were nearly exhausted, and they could no longer maintain the barrier around Azure Isle.


    Elijah and the women returned to the now-thriving city and bought a vi in the suburbs, beginning to experience the life of ordinary people once more.


    Without the sustaining spiritual Chi, even though they didn''t use their mana regrly, the women''s realms gradually fell.


    First was Grace, whose appearance aged quickly after falling back to the Foundation Establishment stage.


    Then Katherine, Sophia, Jasmine, and others followed in their decline.


    Elijah and Daisy, with the highest cultivation and supplemented by the purified soul crystals from corpse cores, were less affected.


    However, they still changed their appearances, growing old alongside their beloved ones and sisters with whom they had spent hundreds of years.


    Years passed, and after more than a decade, Elijah and Daisy returned to Azure Isle. They buried Fiona''s remains there.


    Alongside Fiona, they also interred the remains of others such as Hannah, Katherine, and Grace, who had spent hundreds of years on the ind.


    This ce held their youth and their lives.


    Standing before the graves, the two looked at the tombstones in silent contemtion. Now, only the two of them remained.


    "Daisy!"


    "Yes, Elijah!"


    "This ce no longer belongs to us. We should leave."


    "Yes, Elijah, wherever you go, I will follow."


    As the words were spoken, the two elderly figures standing before the tombstones gradually began to rejuvenate. Enjoy exclusive content from empire


    One became a handsome youth, and the other a youthful maiden. They held hands, and the youth made a sweeping gesture with his finger.


    In the blurred vision, one could see a small, infant-like figure within him making the same gesture.


    The void in front of them was suddenly torn open, revealing the chaotic void beyond.


    The youth did not act immediately but instead sensed something and said, "I''ve found Charlotte''s location!"


    In his consciousness, a faint thread connected to an unnamed distant ce.


    "Let''s go!"


    The two transformed into a streak of light and plunged into the void.


    Inside an ancient stone building, a graceful woman sat cross-legged, practicing her cultivation. Nearby, an old man observed her with a satisfied nod.


    "This girl''s innate talent is her spiritual consciousness, a power that only cultivators beyond the Foundation Establishment stage possess. With this foundation, breaking through Foundation Establishment is indeed effortless!"


    However, his brow soon furrowed.


    "But this girlcks spiritual roots. Cultivation after Foundation Establishment will be challenging. She needs a new cultivation method!"


    The old man pondered for a long while until the graceful woman opened her eyes.


    "Master, I''ve seeded in Foundation Establishment!" the woman said happily.


    "Very good!" the old man nodded in approval. Then he continued, "Now, use your innate talent to show me."


    "Certainly, Master!" The woman replied, immediately activating her spiritual consciousness and directing it towards the old man.


    The old man was startled, feeling as though he was being observed by a peer at his own level.


    "Spiritual consciousness?" the old man asked in astonishment.


    Spiritual consciousness was a technique possessed only by Golden Core cultivators.


    Unlike the spiritual consciousness of Foundation Establishment, which can only perceive a few meters around oneself and is mainly used to aid in cultivation, spiritual consciousness can cover several miles, or even tens of miles.


    Ate-stage Golden Core expert like the old man could extend it across dozens of miles.


    Beyond its extensive range, spiritual consciousness is also powerful in exploration, aiding in artifact refinement, alchemy, and evenbat.


    Despite the fact that her spiritual consciousness was still weak, it was indeed unmistakably spiritual consciousness.


    "An innate talent indeed, quite mysterious. Although people from your worldck spiritual roots and are not suited for new methods... Perhaps ancient cultivation methods from the predecessors might suit you better!"


    "Ancient immortal cultivation methods?" The woman''s eyes were filled with curiosity.


    "Never mind, I will go to the sect''s Scripture Pavilion to find one for you. If it''s not avable in our sect, I will go to other sects and get one for you, even if it means begging," the old man said, then transformed into a streak of light and vanished into the sky.


    Watching her master depart, the graceful woman felt a sudden pang of nostalgia for her homnd.


    "Sixty years have passed in the blink of an eye. I wonder how Daisy and the others are doing now..." she sighed, then used her spiritual consciousness to check herself.


    She felt a cluster of energy, huddled together near the back of her head, as if it were very afraid of her.


    "The Seed of Consciousness is still there, meaning that fellow is safe. I wonder when they wille..."


    At that moment, as she retracted her spiritual consciousness, the Seed of Consciousness in the back of her head suddenly stirred, as if sensing something, but it quickly settled down again.


    "Mm? Is that... Elijah?"


    (The End)


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