Fang Chang thought of the horrifying consequences. No wonder the woman had said he was a serious liability. If he went back to the Present World while still craving flesh, he’d be a walking disaster.

He couldn’t bear to imagine what might happen if his mind became muddled and he went home and ate his parents and little sister.

The woman’s appearance was like life-giving rain after a long drought. Fang Chang didn’t want to become a flesh-eating monster, so he had to cling to this lifeline. “Senior, do you have a way to cure my zombie virus?”

The woman nodded. “I have plenty of ways to deal with the virus. But in exchange, you have to help me complete a mission.”

Fang Chang understood that nothing in life came for free. Even someone as kind as Senior wouldn’t help him for no reason.

But Senior looked like a high-level player. Could he really get involved in a high-level player’s mission?

Before he could ask, the woman continued, “Besides, are you sure you want to have the virus removed?”

“What do you mean, Senior?”

The woman said, “There are many survivors in this world. One group is known as Evolutionaries. Their bodies mutated while resisting the virus, giving them abilities similar to those of evolved zombies. I’m confident I can fuse your blood with an Evolutionary’s serum. It’ll greatly improve your physical abilities, and permanently eliminate the virus’s side effect—the craving for flesh.”

By now, Fang Chang was tempted. He shoved his earlier concerns to the back of his mind. In the world of God’s Game, strength mattered too much. If he had the chance, he didn’t want to pass it up.

So he asked again, just to be sure, “All I have to do is help you complete your mission?”

The woman nodded calmly, not the least bit ruffled by Fang Chang’s hesitation. “That’s all. But my mission is somewhat dangerous, so I’ll deal with your problem first. I’ll modify and strengthen your body, boosting your power and giving us a better chance of completing it.”

Fang Chang’s eyes lit up. “If that’s the case, then that’s great!”

The woman smiled faintly. “You’re eager for power?”

“I’m even more eager for…” Fang Chang blurted out, starting to make a dirty joke. Luckily, he caught himself halfway through and hurriedly changed course. “Uh, yes. I’m eager for power.”

The woman nodded as if she understood. Fang Chang let out a quiet breath of relief. What if he’d said those last two words and offended Senior?

She was as flat as a plain!

Girls didn’t like people saying that part of them was small, just like guys didn’t like people saying that part of them was small, right?

“I can give you even more power. But there’s a good chance something could go wrong. Do you want it?”

Still rattled, Fang Chang hadn’t been paying attention to her at all. He only caught the first half of what she said, so he nodded emphatically. “I want even more power!”

That feverish smile seemed to flash across the woman’s face again. “You look like a newcomer. Your main mission is probably to survive, right?”

“Mm-hmm!” Fang Chang replied. “Survive for three days. Thirteen hours have already passed.”

The woman thought it over for a moment, then her face blossomed into a gentle smile that felt like a warm spring breeze. Fang Chang realized that if her body below the head weren’t mechanical, she’d probably be a gentle big sister next door.

Her smile rubbed off on him, and his voice dropped without him realizing it. “Senior, what’s your mission?”

The woman explained her mission and the problem she’d run into as if it were the most natural thing in the world. “I need to pick a Corpse-Bloom Flower, but there’s a high-level evolved zombie near it. I’m not afraid of it, but if I fight it, I won’t be able to pick the flower.”

Fang Chang immediately understood. While the woman kept the zombie occupied, he had to risk picking the flower. With her there, the danger wasn’t too great. The real challenge was having the nerve to do it.

Become a man-eating monster or face a test of courage? Fang Chang didn’t hesitate. He chose the latter. “I accept your offer, Senior. I’ll help you complete your mission, and you’ll deal with my virus.”

The woman was delighted. Her body was built differently from a human’s, so when she became extremely excited, she didn’t smile. Instead, she floated in the air and spun around and around, the lights on her external armor flashing one after another. Fang Chang instinctively shielded his eyes.

A moment later, the woman steadied herself and turned her gaze on Fang Chang.

Being stared at by a pretty girl made Fang Chang’s face grow warm, even if her whole vibe was a little bizarre.

A mission panel quickly appeared, and the system’s voice rang out in his mind, snapping him back to his senses.

[Player 5487 has issued you a side quest: Pick a Corpse-Bloom Flower. Complete the quest to receive 500 reward points. Accept?]

“Accept!”

Fang Chang tapped Yes.

A box appeared beneath the main quest on the mission panel, labeled Side Quest: Pick a Corpse-Bloom Flower.

“Good. Now that you’ve accepted the mission, it’s time for me to keep my promise.” A cheerful note crept into the woman’s synthesized voice, making it sound much more pleasant. “Come on. Let’s go to my lab!”

“Your lab?”

Fang Chang was astonished. Was this what a high-level player could do? She’d only been through one mission, yet she’d managed to set up a lab in the mission world. He still had a long way to go.

“That’s right. It’s in the barren hills nearby. There are all kinds of good things I’ve collected from different worlds in there. Even if this world doesn’t have a way to cure your craving for flesh, I might find something from another world that can!”

Fang Chang was instantly filled with anticipation about the lab she’d mentioned. He really wanted to see what kind of unusual things were inside.

Peerless secret manuals? Magical items? Immortal swords and treasures?

His anticipation carried a trace of wonder at his good fortune.

Life was so much easier with a Senior like her around. He could get stronger without spending reward points. If he gained enough from this, his future missions should be a lot easier too. He’d already gotten a head start.

“By the way…” Fang Chang suddenly realized they’d been talking for a while and he still didn’t know the woman’s name. “What’s your name, Senior?”

“Li Zirong. Li as in ‘wood’ and ‘son,’ and Zirong as in ‘new sprouts holding purple buds.’” Senior answered casually. “You’re Fang Chang, right? Fang Chang, as in ‘the road ahead is long’?”

Fang Chang’s face darkened. “Senior, don’t say it like that. It makes me feel like I’m about to get my ass pounded…”

Li Zirong didn’t reply. She looked him up and down, thought for a moment, then scooped him up around the waist.

“Whoa, whoa, whoa!”

Fang Chang was completely stunned by how this story was going.

He didn’t dare move a muscle, afraid he might touch some part of Li Zirong and get beaten up by the offended Senior.

“Senior, isn’t this a little inappropriate?”

Li Zirong thought for a moment, then shifted Fang Chang from her arms onto her shoulder.

The metal digging into his shoulder made Fang Chang wince in the worst possible way. He tentatively asked, “Senior, this position is also…”

As soon as he finished speaking, Li Zirong shifted him from her shoulder to under her arm.

Fang Chang looked utterly defeated. “Can’t you just carry me on your back?”

Li Zirong refused outright. “No.”

Fang Chang grew curious. Was there some deeper meaning behind it? Some unforgettable experience, maybe?

Was there someone special who was the only person allowed on her back?

Or did she hate having someone press down on her?

“Why?”

“There are blades on my back. They’d stab you to death.”

“…Oh.”