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墨書 Inktalez
The ground was a chaotic mess, charred black by the flames, with nothing escaping their onslaught. Dozens of people were using fire tongs to pick up Zombie Crystal s from the ground, their faces filled with joy.
For every 100 Zombie Crystal s collected, one would be counted towards their Military Merit. This was like finding money on the street; such opportunities were rare. The battle ahead was still ongoing, but the Third-Stage Zombies posed little threat to Zheng Yifan now. Once he became familiar with his Wildfire Spreading technique, the fight became much simpler.
He only needed to avoid the initial wave of the most intense attacks to shake out the Zombie Crystal s from the Zombies.
The adhesion of the Zombie Crystal s on the necks of the Third-Stage Zombies had not yet reached complete integration. It was believed that as their level increased further, they would fully merge with the Zombies. At that point, fighting them would become significantly more challenging, and the power provided by the Zombie Crystal s would become even stronger.
Of course, that time was not now. With a light shot, flames erupted, and the Third-Stage Zombie before Zheng Yifan slowly collapsed to the ground. Others began to clean up the battlefield; the melted liquid from the Zombies made excellent nourishment, especially from Third-Stage Zombies.
In recent days, Zheng Yifan had also harvested six Essence Fruits, fused five bottles of A-Level Essence, and one bottle of B-Rank Essence. With just one more fruit, he could exchange for another bottle of A-Level Essence.
The military achievements had been tallied up, and Li Ning stood out as the first place winner by a wide margin—truly deserving of his rank. He looked like a demon risen from hell, lying almost motionless on a stretcher. If it weren't for his occasional breaths, one might think he was dead.
"We must wait until we return to camp to use it. The Essence requires a long adaptation period after consumption; during that time, movement is impossible as the body needs to be reshaped," Zheng Yifan said seriously as he placed a bottle of A-Level Essence into Li Ning's arms.
"Thank you!" Li Ning replied with a comforting smile before drifting off to sleep. He was exhausted and needed rest. After taking some anti-inflammatory medication and having a bit to eat, he could no longer hold back.
Even in sleep, he clutched that bottle of Essence tightly, afraid it might sprout legs and run away.
"There's only this last area left to clear; once we deal with them, everything will be over."
Looking at the Short and Stout Building ahead, Zheng Yifan spoke earnestly. He could already smell something unusual inside—a fragrant aroma that was both enticing and pleasant.
This scent was delightful but absolutely should not be present here since there were only Zombies around—no flowers or plants.
"Could there be Mutated Plants or Mutated Flora?" The two terms essentially referred to the same thing; one was used in Howling Wind Gathering Place while the other was known in Hansui City.
"Let's unify our terminology as Mutated Plants from now on. Regardless of what lies within, we must go in; this is the very center of Gathering Place and cannot be overlooked." Zheng Yifan strode forward confidently while other warriors attempted to stop him but were all pushed back by him.
This was a moment of transcendence—a transformation in facing danger—from an ordinary citizen into a warrior.
Facing the Zombie, there was no fear, for he understood what a Zombie was. However, when confronted with the Mutated Plants, he felt a sense of dread.
The Mutated Plants were all different; no one knew how terrifying they could be or what kind of disaster—or perhaps fortune—they might bring.
This was an opportunity bestowed upon humanity. Those who seized it would soar to great heights.
The entrance of the Short and Stout Building bore massive white letters spelling "Hercules," alongside an introduction to the entire architectural complex.
The main gate was a colossal Metal Gate, or rather, a door wrapped in metal—grand and imposing. At that moment, it was firmly shut, and no sounds from within could be heard. Gently pushing the door, it slowly creaked open.
Below the gate were pulleys, which had their own tracks that gradually folded away, revealing a magnificent hall.
But that was not the most important part; the centerpiece of the hall was a fountain, from which a strange green liquid gushed forth.
Above the fountain stood an even more peculiar plant, resembling a structure that encircled the fountain while leaving ample pathways around it.
Countless stems plunged into the fountain, merging seamlessly with it.
Yet this was still not the most crucial detail. The most significant aspect was that the interior of this plant trembled incessantly. At its midsection, transparent fibers formed a cage containing thirty to forty Zombies, most of which were Third-Stage Zombies. Their tails relentlessly battered against the fibrous walls, but the plant remained unmoved.
In the very center sat a Zombie with its head bowed, seemingly unaware of its surroundings. However, its unique appearance caught Zheng Yifan's attention.
This Zombie possessed intelligence; upon noticing Zheng Yifan, it propped its face up and began to observe him slowly. Behind it extended a tail that resembled a Chainsaw; the tip was a tail hammer while the front connected to the tail transformed into a Chainsaw that vibrated continuously. The muscles on its face had solidified into a mass, with scales dotting its skin as if they were glued onto its visage.
The most terrifying feature was its neck—completely obscured by thick muscle. Its long black nails were more fearsome than those of Empress Dowager Cixi from historical dramas.
"Hiss! Roar!" The Zombie let out a roar that startled the surrounding Third-Stage Zombies, causing them to huddle in corners like frightened birds.
It regarded Zheng Yifan with a contemptuous gaze, drooling disdainfully. Yet it did not move—not even an inch.
In the blink of an eye, Zheng Yifan realized why he had not moved. Tubes extended from the walls around him, piercing into the bodies of all the Third-Stage Zombies like arrows. Streams of green liquid were being drawn out, while only two tubes were inserted into the Fourth-Stage Zombie.
However, the tubes extracting from him were drawing the most vigorous flow. They almost drained all the green liquid from his body, and the muscles at the back of his neck began to wither slowly.
It was evident that he was lowering in rank, seemingly on the verge of becoming a Third-Stage Zombie. But just as he reached that critical point, the tubes suddenly retracted.
The Third-Stage Zombies all reverted to their newly upgraded state, while the Fourth-Stage Zombie was equivalent to just having advanced.
This strange plant had a remarkably strong control ability. It ensured that the Zombies did not decrease in rank while maximizing the absorption of their power.
Below, as it absorbed the power from the Zombies, the fountain surged even more vigorously. Above the fountain's spout, two vases were held up, and a fruit fell into one of them.
A faint fragrance spread through the air.
The aroma wafting around came from those vases, its enchanting scent intoxicating. Zheng Yifan stared blankly at the vase, his heart racing.
As for the threat posed by the Zombies, he no longer cared because the scattered Zombie Crystal s on the ground indicated that those Zombies had already been completely drained by this plant.
The Zombies above were merely food cultivated by this plant; once their power recovered to a certain extent, they would be consumed by it.
Endlessly, the Zombies could not evolve or escape their cage, as if trapped in the most secure prison.
The entire Hercules Main Tower showed almost no damage, with only that strange plant occupying the center of the hall.
But what surprised him most was not this; it was the notification in his mind and the warm sensation from his tattoo.
"Special Mutated Plant discovered: unnamed. Plant characteristics: cultivates nutrient bodies for consumption; possesses a desire to feed; non-aggressive. Fruit attribute: B-Class Limited Essence Fruit. Designated limited range: Support Class. Production cycle: one week."
This introduction stirred Zheng Yifan's heart with excitement; it was indeed a B-Rank Essence Fruit and a limited type at that. This was far better than relying on luck. With such a plant, it meant he could harvest a fruit almost every week, producing a Support Class talent in just two weeks.
This is a powerful weapon. Among all types, the Support Class belongs to a special category. The number of potential awakenings is already very limited, and at least in the records of Light Fist, there has never been any mention of such an evolved being, nor have they even heard of it.
Now, however, Zheng Yifan can directly catalyze it. Not to mention that the vase contains over a year’s worth of stock; although some of the previous fruits may have rotted, there will still be a harvest.
“Ah!” The crowd behind him gasped in surprise as they stood at the door, ready for anything. The strange plant in front was terrifying. It was so frightening that it astonished them; despite its seemingly harmless appearance, the sealed Zombies within made them fearful. Dozens of Third-Stage Zombies along with an unknown-tier Zombie could easily wipe them out.
Among them, someone who had fled from Hansui City exclaimed, “A Fourth-Stage Zombie!”
After shouting, they even forgot to run away. In their minds, the Fourth-Stage Zombie was an unbeatable nightmare. However, more than that was the military order—no retreat was allowed without command.
Now, although they were terrified inside, their bodies helped them maintain perfect composure.
“Quiet! Everyone stay calm; the plant in front is absolutely safe. I have tested it; those Zombies are contained within it. It is completely secure.” Zheng Yifan demonstrated by walking toward the plant and even gently touching it with his hand.
Only then did others feel reassured and slowly approach. A few warriors initially wanted to assist Zheng Yifan in demonstrating but were all stopped by him.
That mysterious spatial barrier was his greatest trump card; he had no choice but to believe in it.
If he remained half-convinced, his future days would undoubtedly be difficult because that was his ace in the hole, capable of saving his life at critical moments.
“This is a completely safe plant. The Essence Fruits produced will be collected and used to reward deserving soldiers, granting qualified individuals the opportunity for exchange.” With that, Zheng Yifan lightly stepped onto the top of the fountain with his left foot. He waved his right hand and collected all the Essence Fruits stored inside. Then he took out one fruit—a cherry-like fruit—and showcased it to everyone before placing it into his pocket.
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