A week passed peacefully within the Duong Nam Safe Zone. Every day, Thuong Sinh spent his time either going out to collect blood or gathering other necessary resources. He cultivated throughout the entire week; besides raising his cultivation base, he spent most of his spare time practicing his combat skills.
Thanks to this, his Phantom Steps had reached the Minor Accomplishment stage, making him much faster than before. Notably, instead of leaving only a faint afterimage when moving, Thuong Sinh could now leave up to three afterimages simultaneously in different positions.
At the Minor Accomplishment realm, he could be charging forward and suddenly pivot at a 90-degree or 180-degree angle without losing speed or momentum. This made it appear as if he were "teleporting" within a confined area.
At this moment, he was in his room practicing Sword Kinesis: Gale Transformation. He could now masterfully control the sword according to his will, as naturally as eating or drinking, with no more sensation of hesitation mid-way through his control.
He glanced at the blue interface before him.
[ Thuong Sinh ]
[ Cultivation ]: 820/1000
[ Realm ]: Essence Gathering (Early Stage)
[ Combat Skills ]: Blade Wind (Minor Accomplishment), Phantom Steps (Minor Accomplishment), Sword Kinesis: Gale Transformation (Entry Level)
[ Accumulated Points ]: 14
His week of cultivation had not been in vain. Every time he ran out of blood, he would go down to the medical sector to retrieve more. Since that first day, the researcher met Thuong Sinh as frequently as one has meals; some days he came once, others as many as three times.
This led to Ly Hong Quan calling him to his office to complain several times, though he did nothing to punish him. He merely told Thuong Sinh to take less in the future and asked what he was using it for. Thuong Sinh had answered with a straight face: "It's just an experiment."
Thus, he was let go. He intended that after breaking through to the Middle Stage of the Essence Gathering realm, he would leave this place for a while—perhaps never to return—but he had not voiced this intention yet.
Once he could cross that threshold, he would request to leave the safe zone, possessing enough strength to travel to Nam An on his own and face the terrifying things that lay ahead.
Thuong Sinh recalled his sword and took a deep breath. The Vile Blood Heart-Corroding Art within his body slowed its circulation; the toxic force in his blood had stabilized like a still lake. But he knew that was only the surface. Beneath that stability, something was accumulating, waiting for the right day to erupt.
Just then, the communication device on the table vibrated lightly. Thuong Sinh went over and picked it up.
Van Thieu's voice came through, low: "There's a mission. It's not mandatory, but I think you'll want to hear it."
"Where?" Thuong Sinh asked directly.
"The outer perimeter. A scavenging team lost contact. It doesn't look like ordinary zombies." Van Thieu paused. "There are signs similar to the old factory phenomenon."
Thuong Sinh's eyes flickered. "How soon do we leave?"
"One hour."
"I'm going."
Without further questions, Thuong Sinh cut the connection, went to the rack to take his Gale Leather Armor, put it on, and headed out the door.
One hour later, the outer gate of the Duong Nam Safe Zone opened.
It was not a large formation, just a small unit of five people. The nominal mission was "reconnaissance and situational verification." But everyone understood that this was a trip that would not be in the public reports.
Thuong Sinh approached the gate. The others were strangers, with the exception of one person he knew: Lam Thanh Moc.
Lam Thanh Moc watched Thuong Sinh approach. Her gaze lingered on him a beat longer than on the others.
"Taking the lead again?" she asked in a normal voice, as if asking a question to which she already knew the answer.
"Yeah," Thuong Sinh replied concisely.
Lam Thanh Moc didn't continue immediately. She adjusted the strap behind her shoulder, her movements slower than usual. A moment later, she spoke, her voice slightly lower: "You seem a little different."
Thuong Sinh was surprised but did not deny it. He gave a slight nod. "Some progress."
Lam Thanh Moc looked directly into his eyes. In that moment, she seemed to want to say something more, but in the end, she only let out a very faint breath.
"Progressing too fast... isn't always a good thing."
Thuong Sinh remained silent. He understood what she meant, but he did not explain. On certain paths, explanations are futile.
She looked away first, as if cutting off her own thoughts, and continued in her familiar teammate tone: "I'll be in the support position behind you. If combat occurs, don't separate too far."
"I know," he replied.
But immediately after, he added in a lower voice: "Don't push yourself too hard either."
Lam Thanh Moc paused slightly. She turned her head to look at him, the corner of her mouth curving very slightly—not quite a smile, but an expression reserved for a rare private moment.
"I'm not that weak."
The two said no more.
The outer gate of the safe zone swung wide, the heavy metal emitting a low grinding sound. Cold wind blew in from outside, carrying the familiar scent of desolation. The remaining members took their positions.
A large armored vehicle pulled up in front of the members. The driver nodded, and the group began to board. The vehicle only held about six people, enough for a small squad.
When Thuong Sinh and Lam Thanh Moc entered last, the only remaining empty seats were two side-by-side. Thuong Sinh sat down without a word. Lam Thanh Moc approached and sat beside him; she hadn't expected the vehicle to be so cramped.
"Senior, you're the 'Madman,' right?"
The speaker was a young man who appeared to be around the same age as him. His voice carried curiosity mixed with excitement; it wasn't too loud, but in the enclosed cabin, it was clearly audible.
Thuong Sinh glanced over. The person who had asked was a lean but wiry male with a neatly cut hairstyle and a thin, faded scar on his forehead. His eyes were very alert—the type of person accustomed to observing rather than charging blindly ahead.
Beside him was a middle-aged man, large-framed with broad shoulders, his arms resting on his thighs like blocks of steel. He had said nothing from the start, but his breathing was steady and deep—clearly someone accustomed to frontal combat.
Across from them was another young woman with an ordinary, unremarkable face, but her hands were always placed near the hilt of the daggers at her hip, her eyes occasionally glancing at the vehicle door as if calculating an escape route.
The last person sat close to the door, wearing a half-enclosed protective helmet, a simple reconnaissance device strapped to his shoulder. He rarely looked at people, spending most of his time looking down to check his equipment—a logistics and scout type.
None of them were rookies.
As the question rang out, there was a very short beat of silence in the vehicle.
"Madman?" Thuong Sinh repeated in a calm voice, neither denying nor admitting it.
The young man chuckled and scratched the back of his head. "Ah, I just heard it through word of mouth from previous teams. They said there's a guy who uses a sword and fights recklessly, unlike a normal person."
The middle-aged man let out a soft snort, his voice deep: "Rumors are often exaggerated."
Lam Thanh Moc had remained silent the entire time. Upon hearing the title "Madman," her eyelashes fluttered slightly, but she did not turn to look at Thuong Sinh.
Thuong Sinh leaned back in his seat, eyes looking straight ahead where the armored glass reflected the dim light. "I only do what needs to be done. You can call me whatever you like."
The young man was slightly taken aback, then nodded and asked no more. He was clearly someone who knew when to stop.
The armored vehicle began to roll. The engine rumbled low, and the chassis vibrated with every bump on the rugged road outside the safe zone. The interior lights flickered once before stabilizing.
The atmosphere in the vehicle gradually shifted into the familiar state prior to a mission: silent and focused. Each person performed a final check of their weapons and mental state.
Lam Thanh Moc lowered her head to tighten her gloves. She said nothing, but her knee accidentally brushed lightly against the edge of Thuong Sinh's seat. It was very slight. Thuong Sinh didn't move, only adjusting his posture slightly so the distance wasn't too awkward.
Outside, the Duong Nam Safe Zone receded into the distance. Ahead lay the unverified wilderness and a "reconnaissance" mission that no one in the vehicle believed was as simple as its name suggested.
Over an hour later.
The armored vehicle slowly decelerated. Outside, the headlights swept across a ruined street; high-rise buildings leaned precariously, the road surface was torn apart, and scorched vehicles lay in heaps like metallic corpses. There were no roars, no movement—it was unnaturally quiet.
"Point ahead," the scout sitting by the door said quickly, eyes still glued to his device. "Two-hundred-meter radius, no detected gatherings."
The vehicle came to a full stop. The rear door opened, and cold air and a metallic stench blew in.
"Dismount, maintain formation," the middle-aged man spoke, his voice possessing the familiar tone of a commander.
The group dispersed quickly. For the four of them, this was clearly not their first time coordinating.
The broad-shouldered man stomped hard on the ground, his physical enhancement Ability erupting as his muscles bulged; he stood at the front. The woman with the daggers glided to the left, her form blurring—a short-term stealth Ability. The young man with the scar on his forehead raised his hand, and a weak shockwave emanated outward, searching for movement in the immediate radius. The scout set up his equipment, its pale blue light flickering.
Only Thuong Sinh... walked straight ahead. He didn't wait for orders.
"Wait—" the young man began.
Zip—!
Thuong Sinh had already vanished from his original position.
Three faint afterimages split off simultaneously, charging into the middle of the ruined street. In the next moment, a hoarse roar erupted from a dark corner. Two low-tier zombies were awakened, but before they could lunge out, sword light flashed.
One strike.
The head of the first one flew to the side; its body lunged two more steps before collapsing. As the second one raised its hands, the sword tip pierced straight through its eye socket. Corrosive toxic Essence flared slightly within its brain; soundlessly, the body fell, and silence returned.
"......"
The remaining four all froze mid-stride.
"Too fast..." the young man muttered.
But just then, from behind a collapsed building, several more dark shadows stumbled out—three of them, scattered. They were low-tier but heading straight for the formation.
"Contact!"
The broad-shouldered man lunged forward, a powered fist crushing the chest of one. The stealthy woman appeared behind the second, her dagger neatly slicing its neck. The scout fired a weak energy bolt, causing the remaining one to stumble for half a second.
Half a second was enough.
"Move aside."
Lam Thanh Moc's voice rang out right behind Thuong Sinh. The ground beneath the remaining zombie's feet suddenly vibrated.
Swoosh—!
Dark green vines tore through the earth, tightly binding the creature's legs before quickly spreading to its waist and arms. The constriction force wasn't massive, but it was extremely precise, locking down all movement.
Thuong Sinh didn't turn his head; he simply took a step forward as his sword descended. The tip of the blade pierced straight through the forehead of the bound zombie. Toxic Essence spread from the wound, destroying its brain instantly. The body convulsed once and then went still.
The broad-shouldered man glanced at the zombie corpse, then at Lam Thanh Moc, and finally at Thuong Sinh. His expression shifted slightly.
"Coordination... quite accurate," he remarked.
Lam Thanh Moc withdrew her hands. Her face remained calm, but her eyes instinctively glanced toward Thuong Sinh once more. This was the first time she had coordinated directly with him in combat—no exchange of words or signals had been necessary.
Thuong Sinh retracted his sword and knelt down. He pulled out an empty blood bag he had prepared and skillfully began extracting blood from the zombie corpse. A faint metallic stench spread.
The remaining four said nothing; only the young man swallowed hard. "Truly a madman."
A moment later, having finally collected enough blood to last him several days, he stood up. Lam Thanh Moc watched him for a while before speaking.
"What are you doing taking blood from the living dead?"
Thuong Sinh looked at her and replied, "It's just for experiments."
"Oh!"
The scout stepped forward a few paces, observing the surroundings, and signaled that it was temporarily safe. This area was the outer edge of the old residential district; the undead were sparse, with no signs of large-scale gathering.
"Continue moving," the broad-shouldered man said in a low voice.
Thuong Sinh tied the blood bag tightly and tucked it into his backpack, his movements so neat they were clearly a habit. He showed no further unusual behavior.
Lam Thanh Moc walked half a step behind him. Her vines no longer protruded from the ground, but her sense of control was always ready, like an invisible web surrounding the formation. She said nothing, only occasionally glancing at Thuong Sinh.
After walking another hundred meters, Thuong Sinh suddenly paused for a beat. It was very short—so short the other four didn't notice. But Lam Thanh Moc did; she felt the vines beneath the ground being avoided by something.
Thuong Sinh narrowed his eyes. In the air, there was something like the smell of fermented blood mixed with a nameless chaos.
Not a low-tier zombie.
He didn't turn his head, merely continued walking as usual. But in his heart, he noted the direction clearly. Something was watching.
It wasn't strong enough to lead a horde like the one in the factory—a mid-tier one, perhaps, or one on the path to mutation.
"Is something there?" Lam Thanh Moc whispered.
Thuong Sinh shook his head very slightly. "Not yet."
She didn't ask further.
The formation continued forward, and the reconnaissance mission proceeded according to plan. Scattered low-tier zombies appeared; most were handled cleanly by Thuong Sinh at the front line, without requiring much intervention from the others' Abilities.
By the time the sun began to dip toward late afternoon, the mission was more than half complete. The broad-shouldered man signaled for a brief rest.
At that exact moment, Thuong Sinh caught the scent of blood and decay on the wind directly ahead.
The creature was moving—not following the formation, but circling the perimeter, as if waiting.