The blinding white-blue light exploded from deep inside Yuan Shenzi's chest with terrifying force.
It erupted outward like a violent supernova, bathing the entire abandoned plaza in radiant white-blue brilliance. The four zombies that had been moments away from tearing him apart staggered backward as if struck by an invisible shockwave. Their rotting claws stopped inches from his face. Shenzi gasped sharply, his entire body convulsing as an overwhelming surge of pure energy flooded every cell, every nerve, every fiber of his being.
The burning pain in his injured arm vanished in an instant. The deep scratch closed rapidly, leaving only faint pink lines that quickly faded. His muscles swelled with new strength. His mind sharpened dramatically. The heavy exhaustion from the desperate chase melted away, replaced by a refreshing wave of power that made him feel truly alive for the first time since his first awakening.
"What… is happening to me?!" Shenzi thought, eyes wide with shock and disbelief. "This isn't Insect Control… something completely different is waking up inside me!"
The light pulsed brighter and brighter before beginning to stabilize. A majestic series of system notifications flooded his vision in glowing, perfectly formatted blue panels that felt far more authoritative than anything he had seen before.
[Critical Life Threat Detected!]
[Second Awakening Sequence Activated!]
[Talent Reconfiguration Complete!]
[Congratulations! You have undergone a hidden Second Awakening!]
Talent Rank: SSS (God Tier)
New Talent Acquired: Mutation Link
[Talent: Mutation Link (SSS Rank)]
Description: You can establish a permanent link with any mutated/zombified creature whose level is lower than your own. Once linked, you gain full control over the creature and can guide its evolution using System assistance and required resources.
Current Limits: Control Capacity: 5 | Eligible targets must be below your current level.
[Additional Rewards]
Level Increased to 5
All Base Stats +15
Basic System Energy: 500
Mutation Link Interface Unlocked
Shenzi stood frozen, breathing heavily as the reality of the notifications sank in. He immediately pulled up his updated status panel, his hands still trembling from the earlier fear and the new rush of power.
[Status Panel]
Name: Yuan Shenzi
Level: 5
Talent: Mutation Link (SSS Rank)
[Stats]
Strength: 23 | Agility: 24 | Vitality: 25 | Spirit: 22
Control Capacity: 5/5
System Energy:** 500
The difference was staggering. The pathetic Level 1 panel with its worthless F-Rank Insect Control talent felt like a distant nightmare now. Power coursed through his veins like liquid fire. His body felt lighter, stronger, sharper. The despair that had gripped him only moments ago was rapidly transforming into something colder and far more dangerous, excitement mixed with burning resolve.
The radiant light finally dimmed and faded completely. The four zombies, three human and one zombified dog, shook off their momentary stun and lunged forward once again, jaws wide open and claws extended with mindless hunger.
Shenzi didn't hesitate for even a second. He instinctively activated his new talent, directing a sharp mental command toward the closest human zombie.
[Mutation Link Activated!]
Target: Low-Level Human Zombie (Lv. 3) – Eligible
Link Established!
You now have full control over this creature.
The zombie froze mid-lunge as if someone had flipped a switch. Its cloudy, lifeless eyes suddenly glowed with a faint crimson light. Without any hesitation, it turned away from Shenzi and slammed violently into the second zombie, its hands tearing into rotten flesh with brutal efficiency.
"Attack the others!" Shenzi commanded mentally, testing the link.
The controlled zombie obeyed instantly and without question. It grabbed the head of the second zombie and twisted with surprising strength, ripping through decayed muscle and bone. Black ichor sprayed across the cracked plaza ground.
The zombified dog, clearly stronger at Lv. 6, was still too high-level for Shenzi to link right now. It snarled viciously and charged straight at him. Shenzi snatched up the bent metal pipe from the ground. Thanks to his boosted stats, the weapon felt light in his hands. He swung it with full force. The pipe whistled through the air and smashed into the third human zombie's skull with a sickening crunch, caving it in completely. The creature dropped like a sack of rotten meat.
His newly linked minion continued its relentless assault on the remaining human zombie, tearing it apart piece by piece with clumsy but effective movements. Shenzi focused on the dog zombie. "Distract it!" he ordered mentally.
The controlled zombie immediately threw itself at the dog, grappling with it in a violent tangle of limbs and teeth. The two undead creatures crashed into an overturned stone bench, buying Shenzi the opening he needed. He charged forward and brought the metal pipe down hard on the dog zombie's exposed spine. Bone cracked loudly. The creature howled in rage, but Shenzi struck again and again with increased power, each swing stronger than the last until the dog zombie finally collapsed and stopped moving.
Silence returned to the small plaza, broken only by Shenzi's heavy breathing.
He stood amid the defeated corpses, the metal pipe still dripping with thick black fluid. His newly controlled human zombie stood motionless a few steps away, waiting obediently for new orders. It was slow and stiff, its movements clearly mechanical and mindless, like commanding a heavy, broken puppet. Yet it was completely under his control.
"It worked…" Shenzi whispered, a wild, exhilarated grin slowly spreading across his face. "I actually controlled a zombie! Just like that…"
A powerful rush of emotion surged through him. The public humiliation at the Awakening Hall, his father's cold expulsion, his siblings' mocking laughter, the desperate chase through the night — all of it burned away in this single moment of pure, undeniable power. For the first time since turning eighteen, he wasn't the helpless victim anymore. He was something new. Something dangerous.
A fresh system notification appeared in his vision.
[Mutation Link Tutorial]
Basic Evolution Available for Linked Targets.
To evolve your controlled zombie, gather specific resources and expend System Energy.
Current Available Evolution (Simple Strength Boost): Requires 2x Low-Grade Mutation Crystal + 100 System Energy.
Would you like to view detailed Evolution Paths? (Y/N)
Shenzi's eyes lit up with interest. Evolution? He could actually make this creature stronger?
He quickly knelt beside the defeated zombies and searched their remains. On the strongest human zombie, he found a small, faintly glowing shard, 1 Low-Grade Mutation Crystal. He pocketed it carefully. He still needed one more crystal and 100 System Energy before he could attempt the simple strength boost. Resources were clearly going to be important. He decided to hold off for now and conserve what he had.
He tested the link further with simple mental commands. The zombie took a few slow, obedient steps forward, then stopped exactly where he willed it. It turned its head when ordered. The movements were clumsy and slow, but the obedience was absolute and instant.
A cold, determined smile formed on Shenzi's lips as memories of the day's humiliations flashed through his mind once more. "They called me trash. They threw me out like worthless garbage. Let's see how they react when I return with an army at my command."
He ordered the zombie to stand guard at the edge of the plaza while he caught his breath and assessed the situation. The creature moved into position without hesitation, facing the direction of the earlier fight like a silent sentinel.
Then, from the surrounding darkness, more low groans echoed through the night. A larger group of zombies was approaching, drawn by the noise and scent of the recent battle.
Shenzi glanced at his status once again.
Control Capacity: 4/5 remaining
System Energy: 500
[Warning: Multiple Mutated Creatures Approaching]
Recommended Action: Retreat or Link Additional Targets.
The shuffling footsteps grew louder. At least six or seven new figures were shambling into view at the far end of the plaza, a mix of human zombies and what looked like a couple of smaller mutated beasts moving among them.
Shenzi looked at his single controlled minion standing obediently nearby, then back at the incoming threats. His eyes gleamed with newfound confidence and a cold, calculating resolve.
"One is not enough…" he muttered quietly, tightening his grip on the metal pipe. "But this is only the beginning."