Common Zombies were the most basic monsters in the Apocalypse. They had sharp claws, a putrid stench, and a disgusting appearance. The terrifying Zombie virus infected the severely wounded and those with weak immunity. Their only weakness was average movement speed.
Combat Power: 1–5
Intelligence: 0
Skills: None.
Attributes: None.
"Gurgle gurgle gurgle—"
Crack—
With a flash of the blade, Bai Ling easily chopped off the second Zombie’s head. Blood splattered. The corpse collapsed. Gory spray stained the courtyard soil—a horrifying sight.
Yet Zombies felt no fear at their fallen comrades. They kept advancing. But Bai Ling, blessed with the Perfect Body, was incredibly agile. She dodged repeatedly, darting through the horde like a nimble cat.
Crack—
Another Zombie’s head rolled. Bai Ling’s short blade stayed razor-sharp. Duan Heng had forged these weapons at great cost before the Apocalypse. They were strong, resilient, and effortless to wield—slicing through Zombies like vegetables.
Zombies swarmed from all sides. Bai Ling cut them down with fluid movements. Step forward, kill one. Retreat instantly. Step forward again, kill another. Retreat once more. The clumsy Zombies couldn’t catch this white phantom.
Duan Heng? His speed was slower than Bai Ling’s. But his strikes were precise and efficient. One thrust per Zombie, straight through the skull. His cold eyes held not a trace of emotion—like crushing ants.
‘Zombie killed: 1. Attribute increased by 6%.’
‘Combat Index: 17. Zombies slain: 12. Current Level: 3.’
"Hey hey, I’ve killed ten already!" Bai Ling called out after her tenth slash. Blood gushed from the severed neck, splattering grass and her clothes. The Zombie crumpled lifelessly a second later.
The courtyard was now littered with corpses.
Bai Ling’s attributes kept rising. She’d grown completely immune to Zombie fear. Her expression turned increasingly excited, her mood soaring. A sickly red glow flickered in her clear eyes. A sinister smirk curled her lips…
Then came her villainous cackle:
"Come on! All at once! Let me slaughter you worthless scum! Ahahahaha~"
"………………"
—
"Bai Ling, don’t linger in the courtyard," Duan Heng said flatly after killing another Zombie. He shot her a look, exasperated by her manic grin. "We’ll have to move these bodies later. Too many kills mean too much hauling. And we might attract more Zombies."
"Huh?!" Bai Ling’s eyes widened in shock. She glared at him, mid-swing. "Why didn’t you say that sooner? I’ve already chopped nearly twenty!"
"You drew them in first!" Duan Heng retorted, slicing a Zombie’s head. "I hadn’t even opened my mouth before you charged. When did I get a chance to explain?"
"Uh." Bai Ling’s mouth opened and closed like a fish. ‘Right… the Zombies were all lying outside the courtyard at first. This mess really is my fault…’
‘But seriously, Duan Heng should’ve shared his plan earlier! It’s not all on me!’
‘Ugh!’
She knew she’d messed up. But she refused to admit it. After killing the next Zombie, she shot Duan Heng a resentful glance.
Then she schemed how to fix her mistake. With corpses piling up, she couldn’t keep chopping. Today would be wasted hauling bodies.
A clever idea struck her. She dodged the horde and dashed outside the courtyard, luring them away.
"Hey! Don’t run that far!" Duan Heng yelled, startled.
But Bai Ling was already on the road, deaf to his words. She led thirty clumsy Zombies to the neighborhood entrance—just dozens of meters from the villa. Time for a final stand.
‘Heh heh, I’ll definitely kill more than you now.’
Confidence lit her face.
Just as she braced to fight the approaching Zombies, a shadow lunged from nearby! A Zombie pounced like a starving wolf, tackling Bai Ling.
"Holy crap!"
Bai Ling reacted fast. She swung her blade backward—Crack!
But to her shock, the head didn’t fall. The blade jammed in its neck!
"What?!!"
As she gasped, the Zombie brute-forced the blade away. It wrenched the knife from her grip. Her palm stung from the impact.
No time to nurse her hand. She cursed inwardly and fled.
‘What the hell! Why’s it so tough!’
She sprinted along the neighborhood wall, barely dodging other Zombies’ grabs.
Then she realized—the unkillable Zombie was still chasing her! It sprinted like an Olympian, terrifyingly fast.
‘Seriously?! Are you kidding me!’
Even Bai Ling felt a flicker of terror.
‘Was this guy a personal trainer? How’s it still so muscular as a Zombie? That’s not scientific!’
‘No hard fights. Run first. Let Duan Heng handle it later!’
"ROOOOAR!"
The muscle-bound Zombie roared behind her. It stood taller than others, its swollen muscles bursting through rotting skin. Putrid red flesh glistened. Its mouth gaped, revealing jagged teeth and a slimy, writhing tongue. Enraged by her speed, it howled nonstop while chasing:
"ROOOAR! ROOOOAR!"
‘Damn it! Seriously?!’
Bai Ling rolled her eyes mid-sprint. She could’ve killed it with a few more chops if she hadn’t dropped her knife.
But she was clever. Her escape route circled the neighborhood wall. She’d loop back eventually.
So the chase continued—one human, one Zombie—racing around the perimeter.
Just as planned, the neighborhood gate appeared ahead. Bai Ling’s heart leapt. She sped up, desperate to drag Duan Heng back to kill this monster.
But…
"Hey! HEY!!!"
Bai Ling shrieked in panic.
Duan Heng had just rushed out the gate—right into her path. She couldn’t stop.
"Dodge!"
Bang—
Duan Heng’s eyes widened. He threw his arms out and caught her. Her full-speed charge knocked him flat. They crashed to the ground. Bai Ling landed in his arms, one white sneaker flying off.
Before they could rise, a Zombie’s roar echoed nearby:
"ROOOOAR—"
