Ch 203: Is There Really Such a Good Thing? [QT]

Shen Yunxuan moved much faster using her qinggong skills. Every time she leaped forward, she would first scan the surroundings with a thermal imaging device to confirm there were no living humans before swiftly weaving through malls, hotels, office buildings, and other densely populated structures.

These buildings were filled with zombies. Her sudden intrusion disturbed many of them, but the low-level zombies reacted slowly. Before they could take a few steps, Shen Yunxuan had already moved to another floor, making them lose their target. Whenever she encountered a Level 2 zombie, she swiftly eliminated it.

From her previous fights with zombies, she estimated that her combat level was roughly equivalent to a Level 4 zombie. She had managed to defeat that Level 5 zombie because it was of the psychic type, lacking other offensive abilities. Its only attack targeted her mind, but she was able to protect her consciousness with spiritual energy.

Moreover, the barrier she set up negated the psychic zombie’s advantage of controlling other zombies, allowing her to finish it off with a gun. If she had encountered a Level 5 fire-type zombie instead, it would have been a much tougher battle—she might even have been burned.

Now that she had a clearer understanding of her own strength, Shen Yunxuan fought more boldly. When she encountered a Level 3 zombie, she handled it within minutes since she was not being besieged by multiple enemies like before. However, she still hadn’t found a place with a high concentration of advanced zombies and had yet to encounter anything stronger.

If her previous speculation was correct—that this entire area was the “hunting ground” of that base—then it made sense that there weren’t many advanced zombies. If any did exist, they would likely be found in a “breeding ground.”

Shen Yunxuan ran far in one direction but found no such breeding ground. She climbed a tall building to get a better view and suddenly spotted a city rail track. Following the track, she located the nearest city rail station.

A station would naturally be a place where people had once gathered. She rushed over and, as expected, found the station doors sealed.

Unlocking the entrance, she stepped inside. After walking some distance, she encountered only two zombies—similar to what she had seen in the mall. However, upon hearing something approaching at high speed from afar, she immediately withdrew and locked the door again.

Her teammates needed to practice their newly awakened abilities, and this breeding ground was the perfect place for them.

Returning to the restaurant where her teammates were, she found that two hours had passed since she had left. Those who had been in a fever-induced coma had just woken up.

Seeing her, they immediately spoke up:

“Captain Shen, thank you!”

“Thank you, Captain Shen!”

“If it weren’t for you, we might not have made it.”

Shen Yunxuan waved a hand. “Alright, no need for that. It’s good that everyone woke up safely. How do you feel? Have you awakened any abilities?”

Everyone nodded, their expressions turning excited. Zheng Lin said, “I awakened a fire ability, but I don’t know how to use it yet. I can just feel a force running chaotically inside my body, and I can’t control it.”

Li Xue added, “I awakened a water ability, but I can’t control it either. My hands have been constantly wet, with water seeping out.” She raised her hands to show Shen Yunxuan the droplets dripping from her fingertips, as if she had just washed them without drying.

Others also stepped forward excitedly. Some had awakened enhancements in strength or speed, while others had elemental abilities in gold, wood, water, fire, or earth. Every single one of them had gained a power, though none knew how to control it. At best, they could produce tiny flames or small water droplets at their fingertips. Before Shen Yunxuan had returned, they had been gathering together, trying to figure out how to use their newfound abilities.

Gao Lang had even asked the six captive individuals about it, but since they were ordinary people, they only knew about ability-related combat techniques, not how to control abilities themselves. They couldn’t offer any guidance. Those six captives were also shocked—just a while ago, over a dozen people had been in a fevered coma, and now so many had awakened abilities? That was way too fast! Normally, it would take an entire day of high fever before results showed.

Since those six were locked in a separate shop, they couldn’t see what was happening on this side. Gao Lang also didn’t reveal that everyone here had gained abilities.

Shen Yunxuan sat among her teammates. “I believe these abilities share similarities with cultivation. Try practicing with the cultivation technique I taught you. First, close your eyes and meditate. Carefully sense the spiritual energy—the force inside your body. Once you find it, attempt to guide it along a predetermined path.”

“Hold a crystal core while you do this and see if it helps.”

Everyone immediately sat cross-legged and began meditating. Gao Lang and Dong Yue joined in as well. Though they already possessed spiritual energy, they had never attempted to manifest elemental abilities like gold, wood, water, fire, or earth, and they weren’t sure if they could.

To Shen Yunxuan, this system resembled the cultivation world’s concept of “spiritual roots.” If someone had multiple spiritual roots, the strongest one would determine their awakened ability. Those with a single spiritual root would have a stronger, more focused ability. If someone lacked spiritual roots, the serum that forced an ability awakening would instead grant enhancements in speed or strength.

Out of the 48 people who had used the serum, 15 had developed speed or strength enhancements, while the rest had awakened elemental abilities. That was quite lucky—it had significantly boosted the overall power of their team. Since these individuals had been selected from elite soldiers, many likely had strong latent potential, which explained their outstanding performance in the military.

Still, speed and strength weren’t weak abilities. Even if they weren’t as flashy as elemental powers, when pushed to the limit, they could still be deadly. The last time she encountered a zombie in the ghost realm, it had no attack skills—only exceptional speed and brute strength. Yet, that alone had made it a formidable opponent.

The level 2 crystal cores collected earlier were quite abundant. Shen Yunxuan planned to distribute them later, hoping her team could improve quickly. As for that subway station, she hoped there would be plenty of zombies inside.

Another three hours passed as everyone continued cultivating. The crystal cores in their hands had all shattered like broken plastic, but they had successfully guided their internal energy according to the cultivation technique!

The group looked at each other and began testing their abilities. Those with strength-based abilities could lift tables with one hand and even toss them around like pebbles. The speed-based ability users ran out and back in the blink of an eye. Shen Yunxuan advised them to integrate their new abilities with their qinggong training, and sure enough, they vanished and reappeared in an instant.

The fire ability users could now throw small fireballs the size of walnuts, while the earth ability users could form earth spikes as thick as a pen.

Shen Yunxuan advised them, “When I fought high-level zombies, I noticed that although their fireballs were large, they weren’t particularly powerful. Even if they hit me, they would only cause burns. I think you should focus on keeping your fireballs small. As your level increases, concentrate on condensing their power, making the temperature rise higher and higher. This way, if you hit someone, it won’t just be a minor burn.”

“The same principle applies to earth spikes and similar abilities. If your enemies underestimate you because your attacks appear weak, they’ll let their guard down, giving you a chance to land a critical strike.”

Everyone immediately understood her point and nodded in agreement. Playing the weak while secretly preparing a lethal attack was the safest strategy, especially if they ever had to face the people from that base.

Water ability users, at this low level, lacked offensive power. However, they could now produce water like a faucet, making it drinkable and useful for washing off dirt. Since everyone wore raincoats, a quick rinse left them completely clean.

Shen Yunxuan thought for a moment before suggesting, “The air contains moisture, and human blood is also a liquid. You should experiment with this. If you can control someone’s blood, extracting or coagulating it, they would die instantly. Even if you only altered their blood flow slightly, they would suffer immense pain.”

“If you could remove moisture from the air in front of someone, they might suffocate on the spot. Try experimenting with it. If it doesn’t work, we’ll come up with other ideas.”

She then suggested that metal ability users attempt techniques like Pear Blossom Needles, control enemies’ metal weapons, manipulate metallic objects on their bodies, or even redirect bullets. Wood ability users could command plants, making them grow thorns, toughen their structures, or even find medicinal herbs and amplify their properties to create tranquilizers or poisons.

But these were plans for the future. After roughly determining their cultivation directions, Shen Yunxuan retrieved two trucks from her system inventory.

“I found a city rail station filled with zombies, likely including high-level ones. We’re going in to clear them out,” she said while distributing more weapons. “This serves two purposes—helping you practice and familiarize yourselves with your abilities and combat style, and collecting high-level crystal cores.”

“Everyone must be cautious. Gao Lang and Dong Yue will work in pairs. The rest of you will form teams of four, protecting each other and keeping close. Watch your backs and avoid exposing yourselves. If necessary, use grenades or other weapons—safety first.”

“Understood, Captain Shen!”

With their abilities awakened and not a single one of the fevered turning into zombies, the morale of the entire team soared. The grim determination they had felt before, prepared for potential sacrifices, was completely swept away, replaced by a burning fighting spirit.

As Shen Yunxuan boarded the truck, she glanced at the six captives still locked in the other shop. “You can either stay locked in here for three days or come with us. You’ll be released once the time is up.”

The six men counted the team’s numbers and were shocked to find that not a single person was missing. They stared in disbelief, momentarily forgetting to respond.

Shen Yunxuan repeated her question. The long-haired man quickly stood up. “We’ll go with you! Don’t leave us behind—being locked in here is too dangerous. Please, take us with you!”

Originally, Shen Yunxuan had planned to set up a formation around them, preventing them from escaping or being discovered by others. After three days, the formation would disappear, and they would be free to leave. However, their fear made her reconsider—if anything unexpected happened, it could be problematic. It was simpler to bring them along.

The six men climbed into the rear truck, and once everyone was seated, Shen Yunxuan led the convoy toward the city rail station.

Their vehicles were specially designed by the government, the result of extensive research by experts. They produced minimal noise, attracting only a few zombies. Since Shen Yunxuan had already cleared out the Level 2 and Level 3 zombies earlier, the Level 1 zombies that approached were too slow. Before they could get close, the trucks had already driven past, making the journey relatively smooth.

Shen Yunxuan deliberately placed the metal and wood ability users in the front. When they encountered obstacles like abandoned vehicles or corpses, the metal ability users flipped them aside, while the wood ability users manipulated tree branches to drag the bodies away, clearing a path.

When their spiritual energy ran low, they replenished it with crystal cores. This process rapidly improved their control over their abilities, making them increasingly adept.

Although the six captives sat in the rear truck, they could still hear what was happening in the front. The more they listened, the more astonished they became. Previously, they had seen these people fighting zombies with nothing but brute force—faster and stronger than usual, but without any abilities. Now, they were witnessing something completely different.

Why were there suddenly so many metal and wood ability users? And from the way they were practicing, it was clear they had just awakened their abilities. Could it be… that those who had been feverish earlier had all gained abilities?

But how was that possible? Forget the fact that it usually took a full day for a fevered person to show results—even if they did awaken abilities, there shouldn’t be so many with elemental powers. And not a single one had turned into a zombie? How was that even possible?

Their minds were overwhelmed with disbelief. No matter how they thought about it, it made no sense—it was so absurd, almost like something out of a fantasy novel.

Before they could make sense of it, the truck suddenly stopped. They looked out and saw that they had arrived at the city rail station. Their faces instantly turned pale, their voices trembling.

“Y-you… why did you come here? There are… so many zombies here!”

Gao Lang chuckled. “We’re here to kill zombies, of course. Didn’t we tell you? We need crystal cores.”

“But this place…” The long-haired man looked at him as if he were crazy. “This is a city rail station! There were way more people here than in that mall. And this is a transfer station—there were huge crowds here!”

Gao Lang casually called for everyone to get off the truck. “Captain Shen said this place is ideal. That means it definitely is. The zombies on the streets were nothing in comparison.”

The six captives were stunned by his arrogance. He was acting as if the zombies weren’t even a threat! But thinking back, these people had already cleared an entire street, and after opening that mall, not a single zombie had come out—it had probably been wiped clean by their “Captain Shen.”

Such terrifying strength!

The six captives fell silent, only managing to ask nervously, “W-what about us?”

If all these people went inside and got killed, the six of them would still be handcuffed inside the truck, waiting for death.

Just then, Shen Yunxuan approached and had someone clear out a bubble tea shop. She ordered them to get off the truck and go inside, then set up a formation and an illusion before saying, “Just stay here. Neither people nor zombies will be able to see you, so don’t worry.”

She turned to leave, but the six panicked. “Wait, how can no one see us? This place has huge glass windows!”

They tried to chase after her, but the moment they reached the doorway, they felt as if they had hit an invisible wall and were bounced back. The force wasn’t strong, but it was clear—they couldn’t leave.

The long-haired man was stunned. “What… what is this?”

Gao Lang laughed. “A protective barrier. Just stay put and don’t try anything stupid.”

As he spoke, Shen Yunxuan waved her hand and stored both trucks into her system inventory. Since they had no idea how long they would be inside, she didn’t want to risk someone stealing the vehicles.

The six captives were even more shocked now, their eyes widening in disbelief. This… was a spatial ability?! Their leader had spatial powers? Two massive trucks had just vanished in an instant. And earlier, everyone had changed into new clothes and switched to different weapons—clearly, those were stored in the same space. Just how big was this space?

And more importantly, their “Captain Shen” was the strongest among them, someone who had taken down high-level zombies in the mall. A powerhouse like her… also had a spatial ability?

Where had this monstrous person come from? Why had they never heard of her before? And these people—where had they come from? How had they suddenly appeared on that street?

Their minds were in complete chaos. It felt like they were hallucinating from hunger. But no one offered them an explanation—Shen Yunxuan simply led her team into the station, silently vanishing inside.

The long-haired man stared at the spot where they disappeared for a long time. Only when his eyes became dry and uncomfortable did he finally collapse to the ground, legs weak. “It’s over… No matter how strong they are, there are too many high-level zombies in the station. They’re all going to die. And they haven’t even given us the food they promised yet… The people in our camp are still starving. We found nothing. What are we supposed to do? And now that the trucks are gone and we’ve been brought all the way out here, h-how are we supposed to get back?”

The six of them sank into despair. If they had known this would happen, they would have stayed hidden and never shown themselves.

Meanwhile, inside the station, Shen Yunxuan’s team had already entered battle mode. The one advantage the station had over the mall was that it was a city rail station, not an underground subway—there were plenty of windows, so while it was a bit dim inside, visibility was still good.

As per Shen Yunxuan’s instructions, the team split into groups of four and quickly cleared out the Level 1 zombies near the entrance. Then, they all heard movement—Level 2 speed and strength zombies were approaching!

For the first time since awakening their abilities, they could clearly sense their heightened five senses. Over a hundred zombies were charging toward them, but their numbers were sufficient. The elemental ability users launched ranged attacks, while those with speed and strength enhancements fired their guns, taking down several zombies before the rest reached them.

Then, they drew their weapons and combined qinggong, abilities, and melee attacks to fight back. Shen Yunxuan didn’t participate—she stood a short distance away, overseeing the battlefield. Observing their combat, she said in a steady voice, “Zombies attack relentlessly, but they lack teamwork. You must cooperate and fight together.”

These people were not just skilled solo fighters—they were also well-trained in teamwork. With just a few words from Shen Yunxuan, or even a glance or a hand signal, they could understand each other’s intentions. Once they followed her advice, the initial chaos vanished, replaced by an overwhelming counterattack.

Often, while one person appeared to be confronting a zombie head-on, another would circle around behind it to deliver a fatal strike. Zombies lacked intelligence, relying only on their instinctive danger sense, but even with that, it was difficult for them to avoid an attack when surrounded by multiple opponents.

Just then, another disturbance was heard—several Level 3 zombies were charging toward them from a distance. Before their figures even appeared, a fireball had already been hurled at them.

Shen Yunxuan raised her hand and used her spiritual energy to neutralize the fireball’s attack. Seeing this, Gao Lang and Dong Yue also unleashed their spiritual energy and charged forward, attacking the Level 3 zombies head-on. Meanwhile, the rest of the team quickly finished off the Level 2 zombies, raising their guns to fire continuously at the approaching enemies’ heads while others threw explosive talismans.

A loud rumble echoed through the station. The narrow corridors provided little room to maneuver, and the concentrated attack managed to kill two Level 3 zombies outright—there was nowhere for them to dodge, and the sheer volume of bullets overwhelmed them. The remaining zombies closed the distance at incredible speed.

Shen Yunxuan frowned. “Teams of eight—each team will take down one zombie!”

The formation shifted instantly. Their abilities weren’t yet strong enough to match a Level 3 zombie one-on-one, making it a challenging fight. But with eight people working together, the pressure was greatly reduced. Additionally, combining their speed with qinggong techniques proved to be an effective strategy—they were actually able to evade the zombies’ attacks!

With no immediate danger to their lives, they fought with greater confidence. Eight people surrounded each zombie, attacking from all angles. The zombies could only focus in one direction and had only two hands—when they attacked from the front, their backs were left vulnerable, making their necks and heads the most frequently struck areas.

After about ten minutes, one team finally managed to decapitate a Level 3 zombie!

Once a zombie lost its head, its body collapsed, rendered incapable of movement. The detached head, however, continued opening and closing its mouth, snapping at the air as if trying to bite someone.

The eight members let out a sigh of relief and quickly extracted the crystal core. Encouraged by their success, they split up to assist the other teams.

The other groups weren’t far behind. Though slightly slower, they soon managed to eliminate the remaining Level 3 zombies.

Shen Yunxuan smiled in satisfaction. When the team turned to look at her, she gave them a thumbs-up.

In the distance, a few Level 1 zombies were approaching—they had probably been drawn by the noise earlier and were only now making their way over at their sluggish pace. Shen Yunxuan instructed the team to take a short break while she swiftly dealt with them.

They continued using this strategy as they advanced through the station, clearing out wave after wave of zombies. When they encountered a Level 4 zombie, Shen Yunxuan set up a formation and used magical artifacts, leading the group in a coordinated assault. The battle lasted over half an hour before they finally emerged victorious.

Fortunately, there were no higher-level zombies in the station. It seemed that advancing beyond Level 4 was extremely difficult—Level 4 zombies needed to devour multiple other high-level zombies of the same type to evolve further, and this process was purely instinctual, making it highly unpredictable. The psychic zombie in the mall had been an exception—it had intelligence and knew how to orchestrate battles, forcing other zombies to kill each other to help it reach Level 5.

Since there were no psychic zombies here, the highest level they encountered was Level 4.

By the time Shen Yunxuan and her team had completely cleared the station, night had fallen. They had to use flashlights to see their surroundings, so they decided to wear headlamps for convenience.

After six or seven hours of continuous combat, exhaustion was setting in, and their limbs were growing sore.

Shen Yunxuan had the water ability users help clean everyone up, then said, “Let’s find a larger shop outside to rest.”

Dong Yue asked, “Captain Shen, did you choose this place on purpose? Where are we headed next?”

Shen Yunxuan pointed to the name of the city rail station. “I saw that the main train station is only one stop away from here—it shouldn’t be far. Our next step is to head there. But since it’s already dark, we’ll rest and cultivate for the night, then set off in the morning when we’re fully recharged.”

Train stations usually had map vendors, and Shen Yunxuan’s next plan was to clear out the train station and use a map to locate nearby hospitals or schools. If they made significant gains over the next three days, they would actively seek out the base and negotiate a deal.

Of course, there seemed to be something off about the nearby base, and she needed to determine if there were any other bases in the area. This was something she intended to question the six captives about—maybe they had more information.

Meanwhile, the six captives were still sitting on the ground, holding their heads in despair. Suddenly, they heard movement. Looking up, they saw Shen Yunxuan and her team walking out of the station!

They were alive!

The first thing the six men did was rush to the door and frantically count heads—everyone was there, not a single person missing!

They felt as if they were dreaming. How was this possible? What happened to all the zombies in the station? Had they really been wiped out again???

🌸˚˖𓍢ִ໋🌷͙֒✧🩷˚⋆