Chapter 639 - 609: Eating the Bait (Part 1)

The room fell silent after Zuo Wenya said they would have to sacrifice lives. For a moment, neither of them spoke.

Ultimately, it was Lin Xinghai who broke the silence. "If you need to stall for time, then don’t just foolishly charge in and fight those Mutated Zombies to the death. You’ll be able to delay them for longer if you stay alive."

"You kid... now you’re lecturing me." Zuo Wenya was taken aback for a moment, then chuckled.

After he finished laughing, he composed himself a bit and said, "I came over this time because I saw your squad’s Points have surpassed 300,000. I’m guessing you’ll be taking a Third Level Task next, so I came specifically to give you a heads-up about this matter."

"This latest batch of new Mutated Zombies is still active in the core region of the green toxic fog, but I estimate they’ll soon spread to the outer areas. You’ll likely encounter them. So, when that happens, even if you run into Second Level Mutated Zombies, be extremely careful. Don’t treat them as if they’re just at the Body Shaping Realm Level," Zuo Wenya instructed.

Lin Xinghai nodded, his expression growing serious. ’Before, we only had to be on guard against Third Level Mutated Zombies. Now, we have to be cautious even when encountering Second Level ones. The danger has undoubtedly increased by a huge margin.’

"By the way, the military will be announcing this information soon. At that point, the Levels of these Mutated Zombies will be reclassified. First Level Zombies will remain the same. Second Level Zombies will correspond to the Marrow Tempering Realm, Third Level to the Body Shaping Realm, and Fourth Level to the Divine Demon Realm," Zuo Wenya said.

Lin Xinghai nodded. ’It was only natural for the military to make such a reclassification.’

But that wasn’t his main concern. He thought for a moment, then asked seriously, "I want to know, those Second Level Mutated Zombies—er, I suppose we should call them Third Level Mutated Zombies now—exactly how much stronger will they get?"

"Is it possible for a Mutated Zombie at the Peak of Third Level to reach the Divine Demon Realm Early Stage?"

’This was a very important question. If he didn’t get a clear answer, it was highly likely their squad would wipe out when they took the Third Level Task this afternoon.’

"That’s hard to say. Depending on the individual, they’ll probably get two to three times stronger. But rest assured, this is only a quantitative change, not a qualitative one."

"A Third Level Mutated Zombie corresponds to the Body Shaping Realm. No matter how strong it gets, it’s still within the Body Shaping Realm. It’s impossible for it to reach the Divine Demon Realm," Zuo Wenya said with conviction.

However, as he spoke, he glanced at Lin Xinghai beside him and, perhaps afraid of being proven wrong later, quickly added, "At least, that’s how it is for a normal Mutated Zombie. If there happen to be some with exceptional innate talent among them, then that’s another story."

The tense look on Lin Xinghai’s face relaxed considerably. ’As long as it’s still within the Body Shaping Realm, then it’s manageable.’

"I have one more thing to warn you about. With the appearance of Second Level Mutated Zombies that correspond to the Marrow Tempering Realm, the total population of Mutated Zombies has increased. They’re now slowly spreading outward."

"Starting from around tonight, the density of Mutated Zombies will increase even more. You need to be mentally prepared for that," Zuo Wenya instructed.

"Okay." Lin Xinghai nodded, looked at Zuo Wenya, and said, "If there’s any more bad news, just lay it all on me. I can take it."

"Haha, there is one last piece of news, actually. But it’s not bad news, it’s good news. In fact, for geniuses like you, it’s absolutely fantastic news," Zuo Wenya said with a laugh.

"Fantastic news?" Lin Xinghai was surprised. ’In a situation like this, the absence of bad news is good news in itself. For Zuo Wenya to describe it as fantastic...’ His interest was instantly piqued.

Zuo Wenya had no intention of keeping him in suspense and said directly, "Starting this morning, with the arrival of the newest batch of Third and Fourth Level Mutated Zombies, we discovered something special inside the Abyssal Creatures that came with them."

"The object is located near the Elemental Crystal and is about the same size. It looks like a piece of blood-red amber. Of course, it’s not a crystal—it’s more like a blood sac, as it’s filled with a blood-like substance."

"After some brief research, we discovered that this blood-like substance is actually Blood Qi Power that’s so dense it has become liquid. Moreover, this Blood Qi Power is incredibly pure. It can be absorbed and assimilated directly, without even the need for deliberate Refinement."

"For now, we’re calling these things Blood Bags. The Blood Qi Power contained in a single Blood Bag is equivalent to the sum of ten Nine Yang Blood Pills, but its complete absorption and Refinement takes only ten minutes."

"So? Is that not fantastic news for you all? If you can get enough Blood Bags, ’making a thousand miles of progress in a day’ of Cultivation will no longer be a metaphor. It could actually be possible," Zuo Wenya said with a smile.

Lin Xinghai nodded after listening. "It is good news, but I believe it’s more likely that something like this is a plot."

"Haha! Seeing you remain so level-headed in a situation like this puts my mind at ease." Zuo Wenya couldn’t help but laugh.

After a short pause, he continued, "In fact, the general staff thinks the same way. The appearance of these things is simply too unnatural."

"Besides, both the Mutated Zombies and the Abyssal Creatures have a Cultivation System that is completely different from ours. We cultivate Blood Qi Power, while they cultivate Primordial Qi. That’s why they form a strange substance like Elemental Crystals inside their bodies."

"Now, for these Blood Bags to appear—something diametrically opposed to their Cultivation System—it’s almost certain they were deliberately placed inside their bodies."

"But even if we know it’s a plot, the benefits our enemy is offering are very real. They’ve also implemented a certain mechanism: the Blood Qi Power inside these Blood Bags will gradually lose its effect within half an hour of an Abyssal Creature’s death."

"In other words, to get the maximum benefit, you have to consume it on the spot, right as the Abyssal Creature dies. Only then can you absorb the full potency, equivalent to ten Nine Yang Blood Pills."

Here, Zuo Wenya summarized, "You could call it a blatant scheme."

"Then what is the military’s stance on this?" Lin Xinghai asked cautiously.

"Of course, we’re taking the bait. We don’t have much time. If the situation continues to develop like this, I’m afraid an all-out war will break out in less than three years."

"But we are severely lacking in top-tier Power. Your batch of cadets was born after the Great Cataclysm, and you are the largest batch we’ve ever had. It would be a terrible waste if you had to join an all-out war without enough time to develop your strength."

"What’s in front of us right now is an opportunity—a chance to shorten the time you need to grow."

"Even though this opportunity comes with great risks, you have no other choice. You can either risk it all now—you might die, but your strength could also increase dramatically."

"But if you wait until the Abyssal Plane launches a full-scale invasion of Earth, and your strength isn’t enough by then... all you’ll be able to do is wait to die," Zuo Wenya said.