Weak and ordinary.
This was Yi Chen’s intuitive feeling after killing the old man. It wasn’t that he had grown significantly stronger, but rather an objective impression.
The old man couldn’t compare to the unfinished works of Moonscar Lorien at the Twilight Clinic. Even the male doctor with the defibrillator there could easily take down three or four old men like him.
However,
If caught off guard and pounced on directly by the black cat, it would still be quite dangerous. Once the pounce succeeded, the furry old man’s tongue would burrow down the esophagus and into the body, potentially leading to “egg-laying infection.”
As for the memory fragments Yi Chen acquired, they were entirely worthless—just mundane snippets of the old man’s daily life, offering no information about the [New Life Church].
When the wall of trees rose, the old man, limited by his immobility, had no choice but to remain at home.
As the gray mist emerged between the floorboards,
he viewed it as a sign of the arrival of death. Leading his only companion, the black cat, to the attic, he sat in a long-unused rocking chair, awaiting his end.
However,death did not come.
Under the influence of the gray mist, the old man underwent bizarre pathogenic changes, extending his tongue to lick the black cat.
This licking continued without pause, and after about a week, his tongue fused with the black cat, transforming into a grotesque, pathogenic creature.
“The disease spreading through the village and forest seems related to [fusion]... The earlier larvae at the base of the trees were similar—they had human limbs but bore traits of cattle or sheep.
Is this disease brought by the so-called New Life Church?”
While Yi Chen pondered, Jin lightly placed a hand on his shoulder from behind.
“Hey~ You’re quite something, aren’t you? Handling such low-grade pathogens without even needing a weapon.
By the way, why didn’t you strike earlier? Based on my observations, the effective range of the plants inside you should be at least three meters, right? There shouldn’t have been any need for you to get so close.”
“To ensure the corpse remains intact and gather more intel.
If the distance is too far, accuracy drops significantly... If this gets damaged, it won’t be worth it.”
As Yi Chen spoke, he pointed to his head.
“Oh? You can extract nutrients and knowledge from the brain? That’s a terrifying ability~ This behavior is even worse than mine.
How about trying to suck the contents of my brain and see what’s inside?”
Jin’s curiosity got the better of her, and she directly placed Yi Chen’s hand on her forehead.
“Jin, stop messing around.
This guy’s brain holds no useful information. He’s just a lonely old man living outside the village… Let’s move on and head deeper into the village.”
Just then,
Jin suddenly turned her head to look down the stairs.
From beneath mask came a voice brimming with killing intent and slight excitement:
“Is this building a trap? We’re surrounded, William… And it seems like there are quite a lot of them.”
Upon hearing this,
Yi Chen quickly stepped to the attic window.
Without the need for a kerosene lamp,
he could clearly see in the pitch-black forest. Villagers holding torches were pouring out one after another.
Their ‘forms’ further confirmed Yi Chen’s suspicions: the disease infecting and influencing the village and forest was related to [biological fusion].
Starting with the villagers who resembled humans:
Their appearances and body structures were still within human bounds, but they bore additional animal characteristics—
like a woman with antlers, fur-covered skin, and white spots,
or a muscular man with bull horns and a tail.
However, these were in the minority. Most villagers no longer retained the essential label of [human].
For instance:
A figure whose body, from chin to abdomen, was entirely split open, lined with hundreds of sharp teeth, crawling rapidly on all fours.
Or a fully wolf-like bipedal creature holding a hunting rifle.
Some had "Fungal Mountains" growing on their backs, forcing them into a permanent 90-degree hunch. Every few seconds, these fungal mountains would release massive amounts of ash-like spores, stimulating and empowering the other nearby villagers.
The total number of villagers coming to encircle them was over twenty.
The most imposing and dominant presence among them was a Pig-headed Butcher.
His body was the size of at least three adult villagers.
A giant pig’s head was stitched onto his neck, replacing his original head.
The butcher’s apron was stretched taut by his massive belly—or rather, it wasn’t just a belly, but a grotesque sight of three pig heads protruding from his abdomen. Their bloody mouths gaped open, drooling endlessly at the scent of fresh meat.
That wasn’t all.
Four iron chains were hooked onto the butcher’s back, and the other ends were attached to four hounds. These hounds had their skins and heads sewn with pig hides, sometimes barking wildly and sometimes emitting eerie pig-like squeals through their masks.
It seemed that after completing more slaughter tasks and absorbing even more ash-like fumes, this butcher would soon evolve into a "Severely Afflicted Host".
"So many!"
Yi Chen had never encountered such a large group of infected before. His mind immediately started working on a plan to escape the predicament.
"Jin! Once more than half of these people enter the building, target the side wall of the attic for a controlled explosion. If we can damage the structure enough to cause a collapse, that would be even better.
Using the opening created by the explosion, we’ll jump into the forest and retreat at full speed. If any villagers try to block us, don’t engage in prolonged combat—quickly kill them and keep moving."
"NO!"
Jin shook her finger, outright rejecting Yi Chen’s escape plan.
"They’re serving us such a grand feast of infected—why leave without enjoying it?
By the way, earlier when we entered the house, I deliberately let you go ahead, and I let you claim the first infected kill entirely... This time, it’s my turn to call the shots, right?
Didn’t you want to gather intel? See those brains wobbling inside their skulls? Soon, they’ll all be yours."
Just as Yi Chen was about to protest, Jin stepped closer.
Standing on tiptoe, chest pressed to his, she placed her finger against his lips.
"Shhh~"
Calming Yi Chen, she turned and quickly moved to the first floor, taking advantage of the fact that the villagers were still outside.
Pulling out a small metal box from her pocket, she gave it a light flick.
A bright red compressed meat cube dropped into her palm.
Buzz!
A crimson thread of energy flowed from her fingertip into the cube, activating it. She then stuck it to the ground like chewing gum.
With that done, Jin walked back upstairs with light, almost playful steps, whistling as she went. She grabbed Yi Chen’s hand and led him to the center of the attic, pointing at the floor.
"This spot will explode shortly. Our outfits will absorb the shockwave, minimizing physical harm. We’ll use the force of the explosion to propel ourselves out of the building.
Those who think they’ve surrounded us will find themselves surrounded instead."
As she spoke, Jin wrapped her arm around Yi Chen’s waist.
"Of course, if you’re not used to this kind of explosion and can’t control where you land, just hold on tight to me~ I’ll ensure we land in the most strategic spot."
Yi Chen, having no prior experience, wasn’t sure how powerful the explosion would be. He only felt his suit growing thicker and bulkier.
Without rejecting Jin’s suggestion, he stayed in her embrace.
When the sound of footsteps on the first floor grew denser and about ten villagers had entered the building, Jin gracefully raised her right hand and snapped her fingers.
Snap!
A crimson lotus bloomed on the surface of the meat cube.
Boom!
The stone building collapsed instantly.
Amid the red firelight and billowing smoke, two figures leaped out, clinging to each other. They traced a perfect arc through the air and landed right behind the outermost villagers.
Beneath the colorful mask was a bloodthirsty grin.
The slaughter began!
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