Chapter 676: The Silent Zombie City

This method was similar to the self-destruction of the mental energy inside the underground command center.

Whatever controlled these zombies did not want Chu Miao investigating their minds.

Ye Xuan looked across the silent city.

"Then it already knows we are here."

"Most likely."

"Should we change locations?"

Chu Miao shook her head.

"If we leave whenever it discovers us, we will never find a suitable place."

Moreover, City K contained more zombies than they had expected.

Using her tribulation here could eliminate another enormous army.

However, they could not choose the breakthrough location carelessly.

If Chu Miao released her suppressed cultivation near the outskirts, some zombies might escape before the tribulation clouds marked them.

She needed to reach the center of the city.

Chu Miao opened the map of City K.

Several locations could serve as the battlefield.

There was a large stadium in the eastern district, an open public square in the city center, and a military training ground in the west.

The stadium provided space for arrays, but its surrounding buildings could shield fleeing zombies.

The military training ground was open, but it was too close to the edge of the city.

Chu Miao pointed at the public square.

"This place."

Ye Xuan examined its position.

"It is surrounded by high-rise buildings."

"That will help draw more zombies toward us before the tribulation begins."

"If they obey whoever is controlling them, they may not approach."

"Then I will make it impossible for them to remain hidden."

Chu Miao stored the map.

She and Ye Xuan flew toward the city center without attacking the zombies inside the buildings.

As they traveled deeper, they discovered more hidden hordes.

Every residential building, shopping center, office tower, and underground parking area was filled with zombies.

There were far more than twenty million.

The survivors who had fled to City K from surrounding regions had probably all died there.

The city had become an enormous nest.

Yet, despite the arrival of two humans, not a single zombie stepped onto the road.

The silence was unnatural.

When they were halfway to the public square, Chu Miao suddenly stopped.

Ye Xuan stopped beside her.

"What is it?"

She looked at the buildings around them.

Curtains moved behind several windows.

Doors that had been open a moment ago slowly closed.

The zombies were not merely hiding.

They were repositioning themselves.

"Ah Xuan," Chu Miao said quietly, "we did not choose this battlefield alone."

A cold wind moved through the empty street.

From somewhere deep beneath City K, a low roar echoed.

The sound spread from one building to another until the entire city seemed to answer.

Whatever controlled the zombies had allowed them to enter.

And it was waiting for them in the center.

The roar echoed through the city for several seconds before slowly fading.

The buildings returned to silence.

Chu Miao and Ye Xuan remained in the middle of the empty street, looking toward the city center.

Neither of them appeared worried.

They had already expected the intelligent zombies to notice their arrival. The only surprise was that the other party had remained patient for so long.

"Was that supposed to frighten us?" Ye Xuan asked.

"Maybe it was welcoming us," Chu Miao replied.

Ye Xuan turned to look at her.

"What a hospitable city."

"Indeed. The residents are even waiting inside their homes instead of crowding the streets."

The corner of Ye Xuan’s lips lifted.

Since Miaoer could still joke, the pressure inside her dantian must not be unbearable yet.

Even so, he reached out and held her wrist.

Chu Miao did not resist as he sent a thread of spiritual energy into her meridians.

Her cultivation was still suppressed, but the barrier had become thinner.

It was like a dam holding back a river during a flood. It might look stable from the outside, but one crack would be enough for the water to break through.

"Can you still reach the public square?" he asked.

"It is only a few kilometers away."

"We can find another place if you are uncomfortable."

Chu Miao took back her hand.

"Ah Xuan, you have asked me the same question several times."

"I’m concerned about you."

"I know." She smiled at him. "But I am truly fine. If I cannot endure even this much, how will I face the lightning tribulation?"

Ye Xuan had nothing to say to that.

He could only remain close to her as they continued toward the center of City K.

They did not fly this time.

Since something inside the city was waiting for them, there was no need to rush into its trap.

Walking also gave them time to observe the surroundings.

The streets were surprisingly clean for a city overtaken by zombies.

There were still abandoned vehicles, broken windows, and faded bloodstains, but no corpses or loose rubbish blocked the road.

Someone had pushed the cars to the sides.

Even the bones left from dead humans and animals had been collected.

Chu Miao stopped beside a small flower shop.

The glass door was broken, and the plants inside had withered long ago.

However, several dried bones had been piled neatly in one corner.

"They cleaned the streets," she said.

Ye Xuan looked around.

"It seems the intelligent zombies dislike disorder."

"They were once human. Maybe some habits remained after their intelligence recovered."

Ye Xuan did not think it was that simple.

The intelligent zombies in City S had worn clean clothes and stayed inside buildings. Those actions could be explained as habits left from their human lives.

But organizing millions of zombies, clearing roads, and repairing barricades required planning.

They were doing more than remembering how humans lived.

They were building a place for themselves.

Chu Miao seemed to reach the same conclusion.

"Do you think they consider this their city now?"

"Probably."

"And we walked in without permission."

Ye Xuan looked at the dark windows surrounding them.

"Then the owner should come out and complain."

As if responding to his words, a soft sound came from the building beside them.

Tap.

Tap.

Tap.

A zombie was striking the window with one finger.

Its face had almost returned to human appearance, but its grey skin and red eyes revealed its identity.

It wore a clean dark suit.

If not for the large piece of flesh missing from its neck, it might have passed for a sick person from a distance.

It looked at Ye Xuan before shifting its gaze to Chu Miao.

The hunger in its eyes was obvious.

Yet, it did not break the window or rush toward them.

"Level seven," Chu Miao said.

Ye Xuan nodded.

The zombie raised its hand and tapped the window again.

Tap.

Tap.

Tap.

The same sound soon came from another building.

Then another.

Within moments, countless fingers were tapping against the windows on both sides of the street.

The sound was not loud, but it spread farther and farther until the entire road seemed to be surrounded by it.

Chu Miao glanced around.

"This welcome is becoming noisy."

"Should I ask them to stop?"

"Politely."