Chapter 751, Zombie Evolution Physique
"Uncle, no sign of the Corpse King."
Xiaoxiao returned from scouting and shook her head.
Wu Heng said, "Share the visuals with me, let me see the situation inside."
"Oh!" Xiaoxiao responded and dove directly into the body.
The shared visuals appeared in Wu Heng's mind.
Xiaoxiao flew forward, with dense zombie hordes below.
She passed through several buildings but saw no sign of mutated zombies.
Indeed, there was no light pillar indicating a Corpse King.
Releasing Xiaoxiao again to float nearby, she said, "There isn't one, right? We're so close, how could I lie to you!"
"I'm afraid you overlooked it."
"Hmph! You're the careless one, Uncle, super careless." Xiaoxiao muttered nearby.
While they talked, Glenda and Beni also returned.
"No Corpse King on my end," Glenda said.
Beni followed, "Same here, no signs."
All three specters found nothing?
Was Qi Hancai's analysis wrong?
"Uncle, did we search the wrong place?" Xiaoxiao lay on her back in mid-air and asked curiously.
"Not necessarily. Maybe it's hiding where we haven't checked." Wu Heng replied.
Modern cities are much larger than the cities in the other world.
The specters only conducted a rough search nearby. If a large gathering of zombies was spotted, they would then search the buildings more thoroughly.
They hadn't found traces of the Corpse King or any hordes guarding buildings.
There was indeed a high possibility the Corpse King wasn't here.
"Share your visuals with me." Wu Heng said.
Glenda and Beni entered his body and transmitted their visuals.
After viewing, Wu Heng released the two specters again.
He said, "There's something wrong."
"What is it?" Glenda asked.
"From the visuals you three shared, the zombies here are densely packed, but there are very few evolved and mutated ones. That doesn't add up," Wu Heng voiced his doubts.
Over time, evolved zombies should be increasing.
But these zombies resembled the early outbreak phase—just ordinary zombies.
"Now that you mention it, that does seem to be the case," Glenda recalled.
Beni said, "Shall we search more then?"
"No need. We're already here. Let's kill the zombies first. If any unusual activity occurs, it means a Corpse King is nearby. We'll search again then," Wu Heng decided.
"Alright!" the three specters nodded.
...…
After confirming the next step.
"Send in the Skeleton Hound!" Wu Heng ordered.
Clatter~!
The Skeleton Hound dashed out of formation and sprinted ahead.
As it neared the zombies, the city in the distance erupted with snarls and roars. The zombies swarmed, forming a black wave charging toward them.
Whoosh~!
Arrows from the Skeleton Archers rained from above, and the Spear Skeletons crouched low, ready for impact.
Meanwhile, the Skeleton Pigeon with a [Soul Capturing Jade] in its chest flew to a rooftop.
The jade's formation projected downward.
In the next second, the zombie wave crashed into the spears, the area filled with snarls, tearing, and stabbing sounds.
In the battlefield, lingering souls floated skyward.
"Beni, go devour them!"
"Okay!"
Beni nodded and flew upward.
...…
"The zombie wave is changing direction," Glenda said mid-air.
Wu Heng frowned.
He immediately activated [Divine Descent] and transferred his consciousness to the Skeleton Pigeon on the rooftop, observing the distant horde.
The zombies in the rear had begun to spread out, entering buildings and using them as cover to circle around toward them.
There was definitely a Corpse King.
Ending [Divine Descent], Wu Heng said, "Go find the Corpse King. They'll surely leave some zombies guarding its hiding spot."
"Alright."
"Okay, Uncle."
The two specters answered and split off to both sides, flying away.
Wu Heng commanded the skeletons, "Block the side routes, stop the flanking zombies."
The team adjusted. Rear skeletons moved to block the side passages.
Soon, footsteps echoed from both flanks. Zombies charged from the side alleys.
Crack crack~!
Crashing noises erupted as zombies smashed through windows from above, falling into the skeleton formation.
Axe-wielding skeletons reacted swiftly.
They hacked at the invading zombies.
Wu Heng kept watching the distant battlefield in silence.
Soon, Glenda returned, "Found the Corpse King. It's a humanoid with a deformed head."
"Where is it?"
"In a tall building over there. Some guards are nearby. Give me the Evil Sword, I'll go kill it," Glenda said.
Before Wu Heng could reply, Xiaoxiao also flew back from the other side, excitedly saying, "Uncle, I found the Corpse King!"
Hm?
Wu Heng and Glenda exchanged glances.
Xiaoxiao also found a Corpse King.
"Where?" Wu Heng asked.
"In that residential area," Xiaoxiao pointed in another direction.
Two Corpse Kings!
And they were so close together.
Xiaoxiao looked at them curiously, "What's wrong? Is there something wrong with the Corpse King?"
Glenda said softly, "I found one too, so there are two Corpse Kings here."
"Wow, we get to kill two!" Xiaoxiao exclaimed. "Oh right, Uncle, the zombies in the area I scouted are gathering too. Seems like they're preparing to move."
At that moment, Glenda flew back into the sky.
She said, "They're on the move, and in large numbers, but not heading our way. They're charging toward the Corpse King I found."
Wu Heng was stunned and used [Divine Descent] again, viewing through the Skeleton Pigeon.
From the left, a zombie horde charged toward Glenda's Corpse King.
Zombies from the other side began to support them.
The zombies facing the skeleton army decreased significantly.
They were really fighting each other.
Canceling [Divine Descent], Wu Heng frowned.
He'd never seen this before.
Zombies turning on each other and seizing the opportunity to attack.
Incredible.
"Uncle, should we attack now?" Xiaoxiao asked.
"Let them fight first. Otherwise, the souls will be too scattered to collect," Wu Heng said, then instructed the big-headed skeleton, "Have the Skeleton Pigeon deploy the formation above the battlefield."
The Skeleton Pigeon on the rooftop flew above the zombie battle.
From a tall building, it projected a circular formation over the area.
Waves of souls rose into the sky.
Beni glanced back, then flew to the battlefield to devour the souls.
"Uncle, what do we do now?"
"Watch from the sidelines and enjoy the show."
"Oh! Is that a proverb?" Xiaoxiao asked.
...…
Night fell.
The battling zombie hordes had a victor.
The Corpse King Xiaoxiao discovered was clearly stronger. Its zombies overwhelmed the enemy and stormed their building.
The large-scale battle ended.
Beni flew back from the battlefield.
"A lot of souls today," Wu Heng said.
"Yes, I was so busy. I was afraid the souls would disappear if I wasn't fast enough," Beni replied.
Wu Heng opened Beni's panel. Her EXP was already one-third full—she had absorbed quite a bit.
"Almost there. In a few more days, you'll reach level 20," Wu Heng smiled.
"Thanks! I'll protect you too then."
"Sure, you and Glenda can go attack headquarters."
"Mean!"
Just then, Xiaoxiao flew back in a hurry.
She said anxiously, "Uncle, one of the Corpse Kings won and ate the other's core. I think it's about to evolve."
"Evolve? You mean its level increased?"
"I think so. Aunt Glenda told me to tell you. She's watching it over there," Xiaoxiao said urgently.
"Let me see first."
Xiaoxiao entered his body, and the shared visuals returned.
...…
Inside a dark, damp room.
Two different types of mutated zombies were grappling with each other.
One was shaped like a rhinoceros beetle, while the other had a deformed human head.
The two Corpse Kings were locked in a fierce struggle, tearing and biting at each other's decayed flesh.
Thick, dark red blood splattered everywhere.
As time passed, the battle grew fiercer. Objects in the room were knocked over.
Suddenly, the insect-like zombie tightly grabbed its foe and crashed through a window, falling to the ground below.
Splat~!
Both Corpse Kings slammed into the ground.
The insect zombie bit down on its enemy's neck, gnashing and shaking violently.
It bit through the sinew and muscle, tearing the head clean off.
With a crazed roar, the insect-like Corpse King reached into its foe's mouth and pulled out the corpse core.
It glanced at the core, then swallowed it whole, flesh and blood included.
Its original body suddenly convulsed, bones cracking audibly.
Muscles squirmed, growing tighter and tougher.
It let out a roar. The scattered zombies nearby moved to shield the building once again, while the Corpse King retreated to a corner to endure the pain of transformation.
...…
Visual feed ended.
Wu Heng released Xiaoxiao.
"Uncle, is that Corpse King evolving?" Xiaoxiao asked curiously.
"Seems like it," Wu Heng replied.
He had seen Corpse Kings devour each other's cores before.
But physical enhancement during the process was new.
Just like Xiaoxiao said—it looked like a level-up evolution.
In other words, both Corpse Kings intended to devour the other to gain strength.
Wu Heng's squad just happened to provide the opportunity.
"Uncle, we should kill it before it evolves!" Xiaoxiao reminded him.
"Let's see what it evolves into first," Wu Heng replied, but still ordered the army to enter the city.
As they marched, Wu Heng activated [Battlefield of the Dead]. Skeletons rose from the ground.
The army grew larger.
It filled all surrounding streets.
As they approached, the ordinary zombies guarding the building and the Corpse King inside sensed the movement.
The Corpse King stood at a first-floor window and roared at the skeletons.
Bang~!
A gunshot rang out. The Corpse King fell back into the building.
Wu Heng put away the sniper rifle. "Open fire with the machine guns. Kill the outer zombies."
Two tall skeletons lifted machine guns and sprayed the zombies guarding the building.
After a barrage of bullets, the remaining zombies were shredded.
"Kashu, Keramu, try to capture it alive. If not, just kill it."
The two figures behind him charged into the building. A fierce battle followed.
...…
The fight ended quickly.
The beetle-shaped Corpse King was dragged out alive with its limbs broken.
It roared in rage.
Squelch~!
Keramu stabbed through its mouth, silencing it.
"Want to study it?" Glenda appeared beside him.
"Yes. I need a test subject. By the way, what level is it?" Wu Heng asked.
"Level 19. It was level 18 earlier. After absorbing the core, its aura got stronger," Glenda explained.
Devouring cores really did raise zombie levels.
Wu Heng handed a few iron chains to Kashu. "Tie it up. Make sure it's secure."
Kashu stepped forward and bound the Corpse King tightly.
Wu Heng then used [Raise Skeleton] on the dead Corpse King. The resulting skeleton was still level 18, but lacked a core.
The remaining ordinary zombies were also converted using [Battlefield of the Dead].
Once everything was handled, he selected a decent-looking building.
He used the portal to return to Serted Fortress.
...…
It was late at night.
Wu Heng didn't disturb Butler Hartl. He washed up and returned to his room to rest.
Lying in bed, he pondered today's discoveries.
Zombies could level up by devouring corpse cores. Xiaoxiao called it evolution.
So theoretically, he could raise a batch of level 20 zombies, then kill them and turn them into skeletons.
"But no, just stat boosts. The effect isn't great."
Zombies fought by instinct. Even a Corpse King was just a commander under Wu Heng.
Their combat strength wasn't as good as Professionals-turned-skeletons.
Kashu, at level 18, could solo a level 19 Corpse King.
With both hands behind his head.
He thought aloud, "But maybe I can raise some level 20 zombie beasts. Their size gives them an edge."
Mutated zombie dogs got several times bigger. Animals received significant enhancements.
Reaching level 20 as an animal seemed more effective than as a humanoid.
"Looks like I need to go back to Gold-Silver Island and finalize the corpse core mass production."
With that thought.
He drifted into a deep sleep.
...…
The next day, in the radio room.
Wu Heng sat before the radio. Shanaila's voice came through.
"Saidu has entered the city. He met with Brittany last night. He wants her to join the Church as the local bishop."
Wu Heng narrowed his eyes.
That old bastard was poaching again in Netalei City.
"What did Brittany say?"
"She hasn't agreed yet."