Chapter 326- Cultured Villain vs. Humanoid Weapon (31)
While at Lecheng Base, Pei Zijin had secretly looked for people who resembled him, but most of them were ordinary individuals. He quietly killed them off, handling the bodies discreetly.
In any case, no matter what happens in the future, for now, he was the one by the Emperor’s side, and he was determined not to waste such a good opportunity.
Meanwhile, Mu Jin had ordered the people under him to closely monitor the movements of Lecheng Base’s group. The others naturally didn’t question Mu Jin’s intentions, as they knew that those people were from another base, and it was only logical to be cautious.
After recovering from his fever, Shi Haoyu rested for several days. Only after repeatedly assuring that he was fine did Lou Bin finally allow him to go outside and join the team on some simple tasks.
During this time, Jian Minghui’s abilities continued to grow, especially with the enhancement of his mental powers.
Jian Minghui discovered that not only could he suppress the abilities of ordinary ability users, but he could also directly attack and destroy the brains of zombies. Moreover, he had begun to control the movement of low-level mutated plants.
After the apocalypse, mutated plants also developed strong combat abilities. Compared to mutated animals, whose brain regions were more complex, the consciousness of newly sprouted mutated plants was easier to control, making them more manageable for Jian Minghui to use in combat.
Once Jian Minghui gathered some powerful mutated plants around him, mastering this new ability effectively doubled his fighting strength.
After he became proficient with his new skills, Jian Minghui immediately told Mu Jin. As expected, Mu Jin showered him with praise and even sent him a lot of affectionate kisses and hugs.
Sometimes, Jian Minghui didn’t quite understand why, even though Mu Jin was so powerful, he always seemed so delighted and full of praise whenever Jian Minghui made progress.
He could sense that Mu Jin genuinely admired him from the heart. What man wouldn’t enjoy being noticed and even revered by the one they loved? Mu Jin’s behavior deeply satisfied Jian Minghui’s vanity.
As a result, Jian Minghui became even more determined to improve his abilities, vowing to make his beloved Xiao Jin proud of him.
Ever since the group from Lecheng Base had arrived, they frequently wandered around Pingcheng Base, gathering information. However, the man in the hoodie and mask was peculiar—he didn’t engage with others, merely observing the people coming and going.
Even when someone tried to start a conversation, he remained silent. At first, Mu Jin was cautious of him. Yet, seeing that the man exuded no hostility, Mu Jin couldn’t quite figure out his intentions.
The Zombie Emperor had, in a short time, observed almost everyone in Pingcheng Base, except for those who rarely left their residences. Even so, he hadn’t found the person he was searching for, leaving him deeply disappointed.
At this moment, Pei Zijin stepped forward at the right time, once again urging the Zombie Emperor about the benefits of quickly taking over Pingcheng Base. He explained that as Lecheng Base expanded its territory, more people would be under their command.
When that happened, it would be much easier for the Zombie Emperor to find whoever he was looking for.
Hearing Pei Zijin’s argument, the Zombie Emperor finally nodded and instructed some of his higher-level zombies to drive nearby low-level zombies toward Pingcheng Base. The goal was to amass them around the base within a few days.
When the zombie siege began, it would coincide with Pei Zijin’s ambush of ability users lying in wait near Pingcheng Base. Together, they would launch an assault, making it easy to capture the base.
Ecstatic at receiving the Zombie Emperor’s approval, Pei Zijin immediately went out to contact the ability users already stationed near Pingcheng Base.
The stated purpose of Lecheng Base’s visit was to exchange supplies, but in reality, they aimed to assess Pingcheng Base’s situation. If the base proved weaker in strength, they intended to seize it in one swift move.
Unfortunately for Pei Zijin and his team, upon arriving, they discovered that while Pingcheng Base had fewer ability users than Lecheng Base, the strength of its elites was formidable.
During their stay, Pei Zijin managed to gather detailed intelligence about Pingcheng Base. Its leader, Jian Zhengqing, had two sons who were notable but not the main concern. What stood out was the unexpectedly high number of ability users at level three and four.
Above all, there was Mu Jin—a figure celebrated as a hero. Despite not having any abilities, Mu Jin was even stronger than most ability users, a figure of unfathomable depth and power.
This discovery left Pei Zijin wary of making any rash moves. Instead, he focused on persuading the Zombie Emperor to help him.
Now, with the zombie siege in motion, Pei Zijin finally felt confident enough to start directing his subordinates more boldly. Backed by the Zombie Emperor’s power, he saw Pingcheng Base as already within his grasp.
Once he seized the base and its arsenal of weapons, those obstinate old men in Lecheng Base would have no choice but to step down from power.
In the days that followed, Pei Zijin became so busy he barely had a moment to rest. Meanwhile, the Zombie Emperor remained indifferent to it all. Although he felt deep down that the person he was searching for was unlikely to be in Pingcheng Base, he lingered there regardless.
Each day, he stayed near his residence, basking in the sunlight and lost in thought, unsure how long it would take to find his target. The absence of the one he sought made him feel as though his entire existence as a zombie was losing its meaning.
One day, during one of his moments of dazed reflection, the Zombie Emperor suddenly heard the commotion of voices nearby. It was Luo Bin and Shi Haoyu’s team returning from a supply run.
The members of Jian Minghui’s team were exceptionally capable, so Mu Jin and Jian Minghui didn’t need to accompany them on every mission.
Lately, due to the arrival of people from Lecheng Base, although Jian Mingyuan and Jian Minghui’s teams continued to venture outside the city, they mostly chose locations close to the base as a precaution.
With Luo Bin and Shi Haoyu leading the group, there was naturally little to worry about.
Luo Bin, a lively and talkative character, enjoyed the hustle and bustle of activity. During their latest supply run, the team passed by a villa, where they discovered a large stash of fine liquor in the basement.
Alcohol, while not a primary necessity, was considered a rare and valuable commodity in the apocalypse due to its high caloric content. Since they had driven a truck, they loaded it all and brought it back. Luo Bin was already planning to send some of the liquor to their boss and his “sister-in-law,” knowing it would certainly please them.
The Zombie Emperor casually glanced up as the group returned. However, that single look froze him in place.
Among the returning group, he noticed a tall and upright man walking beside the talkative human. The man had neatly trimmed short hair and sharp, defined features. Though his face was expressionless and his demeanor quiet, he exuded a natural aura of reliability and trustworthiness.
This man’s presence wasn’t overtly commanding—he often seemed to blend into the background. Yet, when someone truly focused on him, they couldn’t help but recognize his exceptional qualities.
From his appearance to his bearing, everything about him was captivating. His brilliance seemed deliberately subdued, as though he hid his strengths, but even so, it was enough to etch his image deeply into the Zombie Emperor’s mind.
The Zombie Emperor clenched his fists, his gaze locked onto Shi Haoyu without wavering. He realized, with a mixture of relief and shock, that he had nearly overlooked this man despite being in the base for so many days. He had almost missed him entirely.
For some reason, even though this person’s appearance was completely different from the one in the fleeting image in his mind, the Zombie Emperor just knew that this was the person he had been searching for. The moment he saw him, his long-dead heart seemed to start beating rapidly again.
His originally black eyes, which he had altered to hide his identity, now couldn’t help but reveal a strange red hue.
Shi Haoyu, not far away, keenly felt a hot, burning gaze locked onto him. He looked up and saw a strange man with his features obscured, standing in the direction of the villa where the people from Lecheng Base were staying.
So, was this person from Lecheng Base?
As he noticed the man’s unmasked gaze directed at him, Shi Haoyu furrowed his brow and chose not to look back at the strange man. Silently, he followed the group and left the area.
Initially thinking it was just an unimportant person, Shi Haoyu didn’t pay much attention. After completing the task of exchanging supplies for mission points, he returned to their residence with Luo Bin.
Once back in his room, Shi Haoyu took a quick shower. As the sky darkened, he changed into his night clothes and lay down on the bed, hoping to rest. However, not long after lying down, he felt as though something was watching him.
Shi Haoyu was always cautious. Since the apocalypse, he had maintained a high level of alertness, even sleeping lightly. So, even though the room was quiet and still, his instincts immediately tensed, and his nerves were on edge.