Inside an abandoned building in the heart of the city, a spark of light flickered. In the middle of the silent night, a group of six sat around a small fire, the flames reflecting in the eyes of each member.
A girl wearing glasses was currently sketching something on a large sheet of paper spread before her. Everyone watched intently until, after a moment, she stopped her pen and exhaled a long sigh.
"This is the next area we need to mark..."
Thanh Dao set the pen down, tapping the tip lightly on the paper. On the rough sketch were blocks of buildings, streets crossed out with Xs, and several circles heavily emboldened.
"The eight-hundred-meter radius around here used to be an old residential district." She pushed up the bridge of her glasses, her voice regaining its usual calm.
"According to old records, the density of zombies here is very high, but they are mostly scattered. The problem is..."
She paused, moving the tip of her pen to a corner of the map.
"...within the last two days, there have been unusual fluctuations."
The fire crackled nearby.
Van Thieu squatted down, one hand resting on his knee as he leaned in to examine the paper.
"It's unstable!" Thanh Dao paused for a moment. "There are times when it is completely silent, but then sudden gathering points appear and move. It looks very much like they are being led."
So Sinh leaned against the wall, gazing out at the city, arms crossed over his chest. The firelight hit his face, creating an interplay of light and shadow.
"It's like the one from this morning. A Signal Zombie."
Van Binh raised an eyebrow, using a wooden stick to poke at the burning embers.
"Tch, this city really doesn't let a person sleep in peace."
Lam Thanh Moc sat quite far from the fire, the palms of her hands pressed against the cold cement floor. Slender vines crept through the cracks, moving slowly as if listening to something. After a moment, she opened her eyes.
"To the southeast... there is a very unpleasant smell. These aren't normal zombies."
The atmosphere grew heavy. Everyone's gaze instinctively turned toward Thuong Sinh at the same time.
He sat to the right of the fire, back against a concrete pillar, his sword resting across his thighs with his hand still gripping the hilt. The firelight illuminated half of his face, while the other half remained submerged in darkness.
"Tomorrow, we will take a detour," Thuong Sinh said slowly. "It isn't necessary to go straight through that area."
Van Thieu spoke up: "But taking a detour will slow our progress."
Thuong Sinh only looked at the map, his gaze resting on the bold circle Thanh Dao was pointing at.
"Better to be slow than to be held back."
No one argued.
Thanh Dao nodded, quickly revising the route on the map.
"Then we rest for two hours. We depart near dawn."
In front of Thuong Sinh, a blue interface was displayed:
[ Thuong Sinh ]
[ Cultivation ]: 450/500
[ Realm ]: Body Tempering (Late Stage)
[ Combat Skills ]: Blade Wind (Minor Accomplishment), Phantom Steps (Entry Level)
[ Accumulated Points ]: 132
This morning, he had killed quite a few zombies, especially that mutated one, which granted him over thirty additional points. Over the past two weeks, he had practiced relentlessly; notably, his Blade Wind had become proficient and advanced to the Minor Accomplishment stage.
He had unlocked the second form of the ultimate technique:
"Blade Wind · Slash"
The Essence takes shape, creating a sword path accompanied by a violent gale that can tear through everything in its way.
His realm was now nearly a half-step into the Essence Gathering stage. He could mobilize far more Essence than when he was at the middle stage, which was why this morning he was able to—albeit with difficulty—manifest the solidified sword intent to kill that mutated zombie.
He glanced at his accumulated points and mentally clicked on the Shop. He scrolled down and began selecting the next item to purchase.
Tomorrow, they might encounter an enemy even stronger than the one from this morning. He needed protection. Since he had not yet reached the Essence Gathering stage, he lacked the protective True Qi to shield his body. If he took a single blow that was strong enough, it would be over for him.
If not for his movement technique, a single hit from the mutant this morning would have cost him dearly.
His eyes stopped on an item: a thin, dark green suit of armor.
[ Green Snake Skin Armor ]
[ Quality ]: Common Rank - Middle Grade
[ Effect ]: Slightly increases defense, reduces poison damage.
[ Price ]: 60 Accumulated Points
[ Description ]: The skin of the Green Snake is as thin as silk, carrying a faint chill. When worn, it provides a cool sensation, suitable for long-term combat actions.
Thuong Sinh looked at the price for a moment, then without hesitation, clicked to confirm the purchase.
A cool sensation spread along his spine as the leather armor appeared on his body. It wasn't heavy or restrictive; it was a perfect fit.
The fire dwindled.
Outside the abandoned building, the night wind whistled through the broken window frames, carrying a faint shriek like the breath of a dead city.
No one slept deeply.
The next morning, pale light filtered through the shattered glass, falling in patches on the cold concrete.
The group woke up very early. No words were exchanged; a simple look into each other's eyes was enough to understand that last night was only a temporary break—outside was still the city of the dead.
Thanh Dao folded the map, pointing to the detour route they had discussed the night before, bypassing the main street.
Van Thieu nodded: "According to plan."
Before setting out, Thuong Sinh spoke, his voice not loud but clear:
"I will go first. If a target appears, I will handle it."
The air paused for half a beat. Lam Thanh Moc looked at him, then at the road ahead filled with overturned cars and narrow alleys. So Sinh pushed up his glasses and did not object; Thanh Dao nodded slightly.
Van Thieu looked at Thuong Sinh for a moment, then said decisively:
"Fine. Keep your distance. Do not overextend."
With a powerful person in the team willing to take the lead, no one was foolish enough to refuse.
Only Van Binh was different; he stepped forward and slapped Thuong Sinh on the shoulder with a wide grin:
"Ha! I told you! With someone leading the way, I can just pick up the corpses from behind!"
Thuong Sinh didn't answer him and drew his sword.
—
The detour was narrow and winding, flanked by shops with collapsed roofs and hanging, broken signs. The smell of mold and rotting flesh carried on the wind.
They hadn't gone far when swaying figures appeared ahead.
One, then three, then a whole pack.
About ten zombies wandered in a small intersection, dragging their feet, their heads slumped like shadows.
Thuong Sinh did not turn back; he took a step forward.
The bandages on his sword were slowly unwound. There was no flashy sword intent, no wasted movement. As he approached the lead zombie, it heard a sound and let out a few shrieks, causing the other zombies to turn their heads toward him simultaneously.
One man, one sword in hand, lunged forward with a clean slash from neck to shoulder—the head fell. This provoked the rest like poking a hornet's nest. They moved rapidly toward him, their shrieks enough to make one's scalp tingle.
Thuong Sinh spun around, the tip of his sword piercing straight through the mouth of a lunging zombie; as he pulled it out, black blood splattered onto the ground.
His body blurred as he glided through a narrow gap between two zombies.
"Phantom Steps"
Thwack. Thwack. Thwack.
In just a few breaths, the pack of zombies lay collapsed on the road, their bodies twitching before becoming still.
The sword was sheathed.
Thuong Sinh stood amidst the pile of corpses, his breathing steady.
Behind him, Van Binh whistled: "God... I didn't even have time to gather my lightning."
So Sinh glanced at the clean cuts, and Lam Thanh Moc retracted her vines before they could even spread out, her gaze toward Thuong Sinh deepening slightly.
Van Thieu signaled to continue.
"Move."
The detour remained narrow and winding as the group pressed on according to the marked route on the map.
Van Thieu took the initiative to lead the formation through overlapping alleys, circling the edge of the old residential district. This was the bypass route Thanh Dao had marked last night—longer, but with less open visibility, reducing the chance of encountering gathered swarms of zombies.
After the clean slaughter just now, no one wasted any words. There was only the sound of footsteps treading on shattered glass, echoing through the desolate space.
Thuong Sinh remained at the front.
Thanh Dao followed closely behind, occasionally frowning as she adjusted their direction.
"Ahead is the old park area," she whispered.
"To the left was the secondary square, but the main center is further away. I've avoided that direction."
As they turned the final corner, the view suddenly opened up.
A greyish-green expanse appeared.
The park fence leaned heavily, with weeds spilling out onto the road. Tall, thin, withered trees reached out like claws. Stone benches were overturned, and the central fountain was cracked, holding only stagnant, murky water.
There was no sound—it was abnormally quiet.
Thuong Sinh raised his hand, signaling to stop.
The entire formation instantly froze.
He stood at the edge of the park, his eyes fixed on the dense bushes and the stone paths covered in dry leaves. This place was too open compared to the alleys they had just traversed.
Thanh Dao closed her eyes for a moment, then opened them, her expression turning grim.
"There are scattered fluctuations, not gathered in a swarm, but the numbers are significant."
Lam Thanh Moc clenched her fist slightly. Beneath her feet, a few blades of wild grass trembled.
Thuong Sinh looked directly at the path cutting through the park, his voice deep: "Taking a detour was right, but we have to cross through here."
Van Binh stepped forward with a laugh and stretched:
"Then it's your turn to lead the way, Transcendent."
No one objected. In the silent expanse of the abandoned park, Team 7 began to enter slowly—vigilant and ready for whatever was hiding beneath that layer of weeds.