Apocalypse King System

The two men nodded. Although leaving the main group was risky, for hired mercenaries like them, there was no place in the apocalypse that wasn't dangerous.

One held a torch, leading the way, while the other pulled out an old-fashioned shotgun, vigilantly scanning their surroundings. They retraced their steps along the path they had taken earlier, and the muffled footsteps gradually faded away, leaving the remaining group in silence.

Under the dim light of the torch, the surroundings seemed eerie and hollow. The twisting vines on the corridor appeared to come alive, transforming into bloodthirsty beasts ready to devour the group in one gulp.

"Wen, did you hear anything unusual?" The woman turned her gaze towards a slender and pale-faced young man in the middle of the group.

Others also looked at the young man. If there was anyone in the group who could perceive the movements of the missing girl, it was Wen.

This was because he possessed a unique pair of ears. Similar to what he had demonstrated at the entrance of the botanical garden, his mutated hearing allowed him to pick up subtle sounds that ordinary people couldn't hear, even including infrasound.

This was the reason why the woman was willing to pay a price to hire Wen. Due to the widespread outbreak of the zombie virus, almost all survivors had to rely on bases to evade the zombie tide and barely survive.

Under this pressure, many people took desperate measures, attempting to evolve, much like the mutated zombies. According to a theory in Wen's base, some humans could also evolve more perfectly, similar to those mutated zombies, by ingesting the crystals found inside the bodies of mutated zombies.

Of course, the cost associated with this process is extremely high. Setting aside the price of killing a mutated zombie, the act of ingesting the crystallized essence of a mutated zombie has a 95% chance of infecting individuals with the zombie virus, turning them into mindless monsters.

For the remaining 5% of people, they might, by chance, withstand the viral infection due to some unknown power within the zombie crystal, evolving into beings with various unimaginable abilities. Depending on each person's unique constitution, the evolved abilities can vary significantly. Some individuals experience a significant improvement in physical attributes, becoming quasi-superhumans, while others might develop tails or acquire peculiar abilities.

Enhanced vision comparable to that of a falcon or the ability to breathe underwater are just a few examples of the diverse abilities that may emerge. Wen is one such individual who underwent this process.

However, directly ingesting the zombie crystal, even if one manages to survive the viral infection, can result in the probable loss of certain abilities. In Wen's case, he lost the ability to speak. Subsequent research suggested that, during the ingestion of the zombie crystal, although the internal power helped him resist the virus invasion, the potent destructive force of the zombie virus still altered some of his genes, leading to a mutation.

Despite losing the ability to speak, gaining such a practical skill was considered worthwhile for someone like him. With the evolutionary hearing ability, he had the chance to be hired and could earn more rewards, at least avoiding the struggle for survival within the base or the perilous quest for food like ordinary people.

Compared to those who perished after ingesting zombie crystals, Wen considered himself fortunate. Haven't we seen many individuals taking such risks to consume zombie crystals only to transform into those monstrous beings, neither truly human nor entirely otherworldly?

Upon meeting the gaze of the woman who hired him, Wen hesitated for a moment, nodded, and then shook his head again.

"What does this mean? Did you hear any sound or not?" The woman furrowed her brow, evidently dissatisfied with his response.

Seeing the woman's displeasure, he quickly waved his hand and gestured a few times.

"Captain Han, Wen means that he faintly heard a subtle sound, like something twisting together with a creaking noise. However, it quickly disappeared, and with the footsteps of everyone passing by, he couldn't make a clear judgment."

A man spoke in a low, appeasing tone, wearing a deferential smile as he addressed the woman.

"Why didn't you report this important matter earlier? In such a dangerous place, you only tell me after something happens?" Han Yan was getting agitated, and her dissatisfaction with Wen was evident.

The slender youth shivered, his face displaying fear, and everyone else fell silent, taking a few steps back to distance themselves from the scrutinized Wen.

"Captain Han, please don't be impulsive. Wen just made a momentary mistake, and with the footsteps of so many people, it was difficult for him to discern. Please forgive him. Besides, in a place like this, we still rely on his ears to assess the situation!"

A man beside them quickly spoke with a placating smile.

Han Yan, with a stern expression, cast a deep glance at Wen before speaking with a somewhat unfriendly tone.

"We'll settle this later. Now, listen carefully to the movements of Qian and Song. It's quiet now, don't tell me you can't hear clearly."

A man pulled the somewhat stunned Wen, quickly making him lie down to listen. Before long, the youth stood up, shaking his head with a terrified expression, and carefully observing his demeanor, it seemed like his legs were trembling in nervousness.

"What's going on?"

"Bang, bang, bang..."

Several deafening gunshots echoed in the corridor. They were very familiar sounds of a shotgun. The expressions of the people changed instantly. The hired mercenaries took out their weapons, looking around for any threats, awaiting Han Yan's command. The remaining survivor cannon fodders, however, trembled with fear, regretting their decisions.

"Stay close behind us and let's go back together. I want to see what's going on."

Han Yan's face was dark as the bottom of a pot. This mission had yielded no clues, and now, without even a glimpse of their target, such an incident occurred.

But now was not the time for hesitation. She drew her handgun from her waist, charging to the front. Behind her were the mercenaries armed with various weapons, and lastly, the cannon fodder survivors.

Following the direction of the gunshot, the group advanced. However, since those gunshots, the two mercenaries sent to find the missing girl had gone silent, with no sign or even a cry for help.

"Stop, something's not right!"

After running for a few minutes, Han Yan waved her hand, and everyone stopped, panting heavily.

"The gunshots were very close just now. We've run quite a distance and are almost back to the previous experimental greenhouse. How is it possible that there's no trace at all?"

Han Yan instinctively sensed that something was amiss. Considering the short time they entered the corridor, the hired mercenaries shouldn't have gone too far. Yet, there was no sign of them now.

Wen's expression was a bit odd. He poked Han Yan's arm and pointed to a dark spot about ten meters away.

Taking a torch, Han Yan directed it toward the spot Wen indicated. In the dim light of the torch, there seemed to be nothing unusual, just like the rest of the corridor, covered in thick vines.

As they approached the spot Wen had pointed out, Han Yan suddenly noticed a blackened mark on the vines beside the corridor. It looked like something had been burned, accompanied by a faint smell of gunpowder.

At the same time, the nearby mercenaries skillfully searched the area, picking up a few small fragments from the ground and handing them to Han Yan.

"No mistake. The shotgun used by Qian and Song uses these bullets. Rough craftsmanship. It looks like they definitely fired shots here just now."

Han Yan took the shattered eggshells, still feeling a bit of warmth on them, indicating they were freshly fired. Coupled with the blackened marks on the vines nearby, the source was quite evident.

Waving her hand, two men each held a long machete and directly chopped at the wall of the corridor where the incident occurred.

Creak, thud.

The muffled sound of the machetes striking echoed, cutting through the vines bit by bit. Han Yan's worries seemed unnecessary, and she felt a slight sense of relief.