Rover saw Billy die and immediately lost interest in teasing Selina. He gently tapped her forehead, then let her go, his gaze shifting to Billy's corpse.
"That is…" Rover froze when he saw that beside Billy's corpse, there was not only a room key, but also a card and a scroll radiating a dazzling golden light, like a miniature sun.
He put the key into his backpack, then picked up the card to look at it.
[Card: 2 of Diamonds.]
There was only a name, no description at all. Rover did not think too much about it and put it into his backpack. He believed this card definitely had some kind of use.
Next was the dazzling golden scroll.
[Devour]
[Type: Passive Skill]
[Rank: S - 18]
[Description: Every time you kill a monster, you will obtain a number of free attribute points depending on that monster's strength. The stronger the monster, the more free attribute points you receive.]
[Note: When a "Tenant" kills a monster, you can also benefit from this skill's effect.]
[Special Effect: You can distribute attribute points to your Tenants if you want.]
[Limit: 500 free attribute points.]
[Upgrade Requirement: 50,000 Omni Points.]
When Rover saw the information displayed by this scroll, his expression shifted from shock to overwhelming joy.
"Hahahaha…" Rover laughed out loud, laughing so hard he forgot what situation he was in. He was so happy that Billy's corpse no longer looked disgusting or made him nauseous.
Selina and Nanoe also understood that the scroll Rover was holding had to be something incredible, which was why he was laughing so happily. They felt happy as well.
For them, the stronger Rover became, the safer and more comfortable their lives in this world would be.
Rover was the pillar holding up their sky.
At that moment, Rover immediately learned the skill.
[Successfully learned skill "Devour".]
He handed the key to Nanoe, then said, "Let's go. We'll kill every Zombie in this building."
Nanoe and Selina were a little surprised, but they did not ask much and simply followed Rover's words.
Right now, Rover felt as if his soul were floating in midair, drifting through soft clouds.
Reclaiming monster corpses gave him Omni Points. He had thought that was already amazing.
Now, killing monsters could also give him free attribute points. Did that not mean he could level up just by killing monsters?
Even though the limit of this skill was 500 attribute points, Rover had the ability to Upgrade this skill. So…
Those 500 points were not the true ceiling.
Even better, the free attribute points could be shared with "Tenants". Everyone would benefit.
They began heading down to the lower floor. At this moment, things seemed more chaotic than they had expected.
The moment they stepped into the corridor, the stench of rot slammed into their faces, so thick it felt like it was scraping their throats raw.
"Ga… ga…!"
The growling echoed from both ends of the hallway, no longer sparse like the previous floor. This floor… was far more crowded.
The zombies were packed together, jostling, their bodies rotting, the stench foul to the extreme, eyes milky white, mouths hanging open as if they wanted to bite someone.
Rover swept a quick glance, confused, silently wondering why there were so many zombies here.
Some doors were cracked open. Inside were muffled sobs and ragged breathing. The living were still there, but they only dared to peek through tiny gaps, trembling in fear as they held their nearly shattered doors in place.
Nanoe raised her gun, voice low but resolute: "Even if there are many of them, they're still just target practice."
BANG! BANG!
Two gunshots cracked through the air, muzzle flash flaring. The nearest zombies collapsed, heads blown apart, thick black blood splattering everywhere.
Selina did not wait a second longer. She stepped forward half a pace, the Foil Sword in her hand gleaming coldly.
She held a defensive position beside Nanoe, not allowing any zombie to get close to Nanoe.
The Strength boost from the sword made every movement of hers faster and far more powerful than before.
PHUP! PHUP!
The thin blade pierced into an eye socket, punched through the temple, then withdrew so fast the blood did not even have time to gush out. Zombies toppled like torn sacks of meat.
Rover did not just stand still, he kept scanning the surroundings and even behind them. He knew there were still zombies on the upper floors, and he also had to stay alert in case a Zombie Licker appeared.
He wanted zombies for points, but he was not stupid enough to gamble his life and fight without watching his surroundings.
Nanoe took half a step back, standing slightly behind Rover. Every time Selina forced the zombies aside, Nanoe immediately finished them off with clean shots to the head.
BANG! BANG!
Bodies dropped one after another, the corridor carpeted with twitching corpses. The dense "ga… ga…" gradually turned into broken, gurgling wheezes.
Suddenly… a door burst open.
BANG!
Three or four survivors charged out like they were fleeing hell. They did not even look at the piles of zombies.
Their eyes locked onto the scattered drops in the corridor, canned food, water, bandages… and a few faintly glowing items like bait on a hook.
"Damn it!" Rover frowned and stepped forward, about to stop them. He saw the way they rushed out, greedy, frantic, not observing anything at all.
But before he could finish…
The corridor trembled.
THUD… THUD…
A gigantic black shadow stepped out from around the corner.
Rover's expression changed the instant he saw it. He roared, "Fall back!"
Nanoe and Selina also saw the shadow and retreated slowly, backs against the wall. The staircase leading up was right beside them, ready for escape at any moment.
It did not stagger like an ordinary zombie. It walked like a slab of iron hammering into the tiles.
The closer it came, the corridor lights revealed a body nearly two meters tall, muscles swollen to an unnatural degree.
Its "skin" was no longer skin, it was a glossy black layer like polished stone, mottled with gray veins, like a massive granite boulder carved into the shape of a man.
One greedy man still tried to clutch the food on the ground, but then…
CRACK!
It squeezed his head like an apple.
CRACK… CRACK…
The sound of a skull splitting made the entire corridor go silent. Blood sprayed out, splashing onto its hide, then sliding down like water over stone. The young man's body went limp and collapsed with a dull thud.
"Ah! A monster!"
"Don't! Wait for me!"
"Help! Monster! Monster!"
The others screamed, rolling back into their rooms and slamming the doors shut. The doors shook violently under their frantic pounding, as if one beat too slow meant death.
"Tanker…" Rover narrowed his eyes, fear rising in his chest. "Another Zombie, straight out of the R.E game."
"Nanoe, be careful. Selina, don't gamble your life," Rover said, voice sinking. "Test it with shots first."
Nanoe tightened her grip and fired immediately.
BANG! BANG! BANG!
Three rounds struck the Tanker's chest.
BOOM! BOOM!
The bullets detonated the moment they touched its hide, but when the smoke cleared, everyone saw its skin was only slightly scorched—barely affected.
Nanoe gasped, "It won't penetrate…!"
The Tanker let out a hoarse roar and charged.
At that moment, Selina suddenly felt no fear at all. She dashed straight at the Tanker.
"Selina!" Rover jolted, shouting, but it was already too late.
When Selina and the Tanker were less than a meter apart, she suddenly shifted her body. The foil blade swept across its abdomen, throwing off a shower of sparks.
CLANG!
But at the same time, Rover saw a tiny scratch appear, and delight flashed in his eyes.
'The bullets barely affect its hide, but the foil can cut it.' he thought.
GRAA!!!
The Tanker stalled for half a beat, then roared, turning to crush Selina, when suddenly…
Rover thrust out his hand. In his mind, an invisible wire snapped taut to the limit.
[Psionics]
Not lifting its whole body. He could not. But at least… he could restrict its movement.
At the exact moment the Tanker's hand was about to grab Selina's head, it stopped, as if something invisible had yanked it back.
Just one second.
One second was enough for Selina to twist free and slide back, her shirt brushing past black claws by a hair's breadth.
Rover's temples throbbed. Cold sweat spilled down the back of his neck. He clenched his teeth, holding that invisible force as if he were bracing a collapsing iron gate.
"Nanoe! The wound!" Rover roared.
Nanoe instantly switched targets. She did not spray blindly anymore. She waited for the exact moment Selina carved another crack.
As Selina flashed past the Tanker, her blade slashed its neck again.
SLASH!
The Tanker roared and broke free of Rover's restraint. A cut had opened on its neck, not large, but deep. Black fluid seeped from it.
BANG!
Nanoe fired straight into the newly opened gap.
BOOM!
GAA!!!
The Zombie Tanker howled in pain, staggering back one step, then roaring in madness.
GAA!!! GRAOO!!!
On its neck, the wound had blown wider. You could even see its throat within.
Rover spun, shielding Nanoe. Both hands rose as if he were pushing an invisible wall.
The Tanker slowed, but still pushed toward Selina. Every step felt like someone was smashing a hammer into Rover's skull, yet he clenched his teeth and endured.
Selina was strangely fearless now. She lunged at the Tanker again, the tip of her blade stabbing into its throat.
CLANG!
A piercing metallic ring exploded. She drove in with nearly all her strength, but the blade was immediately bent by the Tanker's hardened hide, and then—
CLANG!
The foil sword snapped in half. Selina jolted and retreated quickly, trying to keep distance from the Tanker.
GRAOO!!!
The Tanker roared, its face twisting to the extreme.
Seeing the large opening on its neck, Nanoe began aiming into it, firing again and again.
BANG! BANG!
BOOM! BOOM!
No one knew how many shots were fired. Nanoe only knew she kept buying more ammo, buying a huge amount with silver coins.
The entire corridor sank into black smoke from the explosions of Nanoe's bullets.
Rover frowned. He reached out and grabbed Nanoe's wrist, startling her.
"Enough." Rover let out a long breath and said softly.
He knew the Zombie Tanker was dead because a System notification appeared in front of him.
[Congratulations, you have successfully killed Zombie Tanker and received 5 free attribute points.]