Chapter 182 - 181: Graveyard Demon Pilot

Chapter 182: Chapter 181: Graveyard Demon Pilot

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After successfully activating the two gunner Talents, Gu Su had planned to immediately tackle the issue of finding a driver.

He was well aware that the difficulty of controlling the Graveyard Demon had plagued him all night. If he delayed any longer and a new enemy appeared, he would have to scramble into the cockpit and wrestle with those difficult levers all over again.

But just as he was about to turn and leave, the Vampire called out to him.

"Lord, there is one more matter."

Gu Su stopped and looked back at the Vampire.

"What is it?"

"Lord, we have gunners, but if I’m operating the Artillery alone, the rate of fire will be much slower.

Normally, a single artillery piece requires at least three operators: a gunner to aim and fire, a loader to handle the shells, and an assistant gunner to adjust the angle and relay commands.

Without that support, my rate of fire will be at least halved if I’m operating it by myself."

Gu Su paused. He hadn’t thought of that.

After a moment’s thought, he didn’t hesitate. He raised his hand and waved to a few idle Skeletons nearby, beckoning them over.

Several Skeletons, which had been standing there blankly, immediately lurched into motion. They marched forward with stiff yet orderly steps and waited silently for Gu Su’s command.

"You few, go and support the artillery team. You’re responsible for loading and assisting with aiming. Let’s just get the basic crew structure in place for now. We can optimize it later."

Gu Su issued the order calmly. The immediate priority was to complete the artillery team’s configuration. Matters like Talent enhancement would have to wait until he had spare Resources.

With the artillery crew’s affairs settled, Gu Su was finally free to address the problem of the driver.

Without further delay, he turned and headed for the Graveyard Demon’s cockpit.

By now, the sky outside was beginning to lighten. Through the cockpit’s patchwork glass window, he could see the distant horizon tinged with the pale white of dawn.

The light was still faint, but it was enough to make the scene inside the cockpit clear.

The glow from the Fluorescent Vines on the ceiling was slowly fading. Their once-eerie green halos receded, and the leaves curled slightly, as if entering a state of dormancy. Light filtered in through the glass window, casting dappled shadows across the floor.

Gu Su sat down in the main driver’s seat and rested his hands on the rough levers. His gaze swept over the row of hastily scrawled labels before him.

Left Propulsion, Right Propulsion, Yin Qi Doubler, Emergency Acceleration.

He was, in fact, a little disappointed.

He had originally wanted the Vampire to be the driver. After all, it was a High Tier Undead—intelligent and capable of thought. After activating a Talent, it would surely be far more clever than an ordinary Undead and would learn the controls quickly.

But the Vampire had chosen to be a gunner, and he didn’t want to force the issue. Forcing things never ends well. If he made it drive, its reluctance might just make things worse.

Besides, the driver’s position didn’t actually require much intelligence.

Gu Su leaned back in his seat, gazing at the brightening sky outside the window as he slowly organized his thoughts.

The most crucial trait for a driver wasn’t intelligence, but obedience.

Ultimately, he was the one who decided where the Graveyard Demon went.

The route, direction, and speed all had to follow his commands. A driver’s job was to execute those commands with precision, not to make decisions for themselves.

They also needed a steady hand.

Those levers weren’t like a steering wheel that could be turned with a light touch. Each one required considerable force to move, and they were extremely sensitive to the angle of input.

Pull too hard, and it would veer wildly. Push too gently, and it wouldn’t turn enough. He had tried it a few times himself, and each attempt had ended with him wrestling with the controls for ages just to get it pointed in the right direction. It was exhausting.

So, a driver didn’t need to be smart. They just needed to be obedient and have a steady hand.

The Walking Dead fit these requirements perfectly.

They were slow and dim-witted, but their strength was their obedience. They did whatever they were told, would never talk back, and wouldn’t get any bright ideas about messing with the levers on their own.

Moreover, the Walking Dead had flesh, so a Flesh Talent Writer could be used on them. After activating a driving Talent, they should be more than capable of handling the job.

Having made up his mind, Gu Su immediately summoned two idle Walking Dead.

They were dressed in tattered clothes, their skin a deathly gray. They moved sluggishly, and their eye sockets held only a chaotic, spectral glow. Upon reaching Gu Su, they simply stood there dumbly, awaiting his command.

Gu Su produced two clumps of Flesh Talent Writer he had set aside for the drivers. He stood, walked over to the two Walking Dead, and pressed a Writer onto the top of each of their heads.

The moment the Writers touched the Walking Dead’s skin, they began to squirm.

Translucent tendrils frantically burrowed into their facial orifices.

Eyes, nose, mouth, ears. Both Walking Dead began to tremble violently, letting out suppressed, low growls. The spectral glow in their eye sockets flickered erratically, as if it might extinguish at any moment.

But the trembling soon stopped. The Writers disappeared completely inside them, the tendrils dissolving into nutrients and melting into the Walking Dead’s very flesh.

The Walking Dead’s physiques showed no obvious change, but a faint, almost imperceptible glimmer of light now flickered within their once-chaotic eyes.

They raised their heads to look at Gu Su, awaiting his inquiry.

"How do you feel? What Talent did you get?" Gu Su asked.

The Walking Dead on the left remained silent for several seconds, as if struggling to form the words. After a good while, it finally managed to speak, its voice so hoarse it was nearly inaudible as it haltingly spat out a few words:

"Steady... driving. Can make... vehicle... steadier. In future... will not... flip."

Gu Su listened to the broken speech and eventually understood the situation.

Both Walking Dead had successfully activated their Talents.

One of the Walking Dead had acquired the Steady Driving Talent.

Once activated, any vehicle it controlled would move with exceptional stability, minimizing bumps and lurches to the greatest extent possible, even over rugged terrain. According to the creature, as the Talent’s Level increased, it could eventually reach a point where the vehicle would be incapable of flipping over.

The other Walking Dead had acquired the Rapid Turn Talent. This Talent directly reduced turning time by 30%, making the massive and cumbersome Graveyard Demon far more agile when changing direction. This Talent could also be upgraded; as its Level increased, its turning efficiency would improve even further.

Gu Su was delighted to hear this.

This was exactly what he wanted. His primary reason for getting two drivers was to solve the Graveyard Demon’s difficult handling and sluggish turning.

And these two Talents—one to ensure smooth travel, the other to solve the turning problem—were a perfect match for his needs, as if tailor-made for him.

"You," he said, pointing to the Walking Dead on the left with the Steady Driving Talent. "You’ll be the primary driver. You’re responsible for normal travel and maintaining stability."

Then he pointed to the one on the right. "You’ll be the co-pilot. You’re responsible for turning. When we need to adjust our course, you’ll be the one to do it."

The two Walking Dead nodded silently, accepting their orders.

Gu Su had them sit in the driver’s seats and briefly taught them how to use the levers.

Although the Walking Dead were slow to react, they were earnest learners. They pushed the levers again and again, getting a feel for the changes in angle and force.

Gu Su watched for a while. Once he confirmed they had grasped the basics, he turned and left the cockpit.

He pushed open the iron door. The sky outside had brightened even more, and on the distant horizon, a purple hue was once again spreading across the sky.

Gu Su stood at the cockpit entrance, took a deep breath of the cool morning air, and then issued his first official command to the two Walking Dead inside:

"Return to our initial position."

The words had barely left his lips when a faint tremor ran through the ground beneath his feet.

The Graveyard Demon had begun to move.