Chapter 24: Substitute Savior in the Apocalypse (Part 1)

Alright, in truth, there was no real difference—regardless, the original host would succumb to infection in three days, die, and mutate into a zombie. Clearly, the original host lacked any antibodies, at least against the zombie virus. As for the previous plague, it was obvious that it had nothing to do with what now plagued the world. Now that Mu Yin had arrived, she could not change the reality of her vulnerability to the zombie virus. It seemed she needed to leave this place as soon as possible to protect herself.

Having determined her next course of action, Mu Yin began to pack. First, she gathered some portable food, a few changes of clothes, and essentials like a hat, mask, and gloves. Goggles would be best, too; after all, with a virus that could infect through skin contact, proper precautions were necessary. Fortunately, even if the zombie virus penetrated the skin, there was a window of time to act—as long as she washed it off within half an hour, there would be no problem. Moreover, the mission data indicated that people in this world possessed supernatural abilities.

Although she sensed no spiritual energy here, spiritual energy was only a resource for cultivation, while the source of supernatural abilities lay in genetics or even in the soul—a latent talent that could be awakened in moments of crisis. The apocalypse, clearly, was a place fraught with peril. External stimuli could also trigger these abilities—like that insect hero from certain American stories, who gained powers after being bitten by a bug.

Yet even with supernatural powers, there was no energy source to enhance physical strength. As a result, those with abilities were still struggling to survive the apocalypse. The former heroine, now dead at the hands of the reborn woman, had possessed a golden finger—a space brimming with spiritual energy. According to the original trajectory, she would have used this space to nurture a group of powerful supernaturals, ultimately ending the apocalypse, and the space would have become the nourishment for this world, ushering in a resurgence of spiritual energy.

Unfortunately, circumstances had changed. The heroine was dead, her space seized by the reborn woman—a cold and indifferent soul who cared only for herself and a handful of trusted confidants, far fewer than the heroine would have nurtured. Because of her temperament, those she raised would never save humanity from the zombies; instead, they would use their powers to benefit only the remaining humans, leading inevitably to extinction.

Mu Yin’s mission was to replace the heroine, cultivate a group of strong individuals, eliminate the zombies, and resurrect the world’s spiritual energy. Devoid of any golden finger aside from her own supernatural abilities, Mu Yin’s only options seemed to be seizing the space from the reborn woman or venturing into the earth’s core to extract some primordial energy. But the latter was fraught with risk—this world surely had its own pests lurking about, and though she would not damage the core’s protective barrier, she would still leave traces, providing her enemies with an opening.

Therefore, reclaiming the space from the reborn woman seemed safer—provided, of course, she could first determine the woman’s location.

As she pondered her next steps and packed her clothes, she donned the original host’s raincoat, zipped it up to her chin, pulled on rain boots, and strapped on a full-coverage helmet—safety first. After making sure everything was in place, she slung her backpack over her shoulders and stepped outside. The backpack was heavy, and the original host had not been particularly strong, so her stride was a bit unsteady.

There were no zombies in the hallway. The original host had died three days after her food ran out; starving, she ventured out and ran into a zombie from next door. Yes, the original host had lived alone in a small detached villa, her family wealthy, though such things were useless in the apocalypse. Her parents were both from powerful families—a business marriage that ended in divorce. The original host had lived here alone, receiving regular allowance from both sides for five years.

When the plague broke out, the housekeeper and cook were dismissed, and the original host stocked up on food, managing to hole up at home for two months thanks to solid defenses that kept intruders at bay. But even the most abundant supplies eventually ran out, forcing her to go out for more—only to meet her end at the hands of a zombie, whether from next door or wandering in from elsewhere.

Mu Yin opened the villa’s security door and went to the garage, where she rolled out the motorcycle the original host had bought during a rebellious phase. She crossed the garden, opened the security gate—its noise loud—and peered outside. As expected, zombies had already heard the sound and were shambling over.

She mounted the motorcycle and shot off. The original host had ridden before, and Mu Yin had ridden in her past life as well. Compared to a car, a motorcycle was more convenient—except for the deafening noise. Riding along, the thunderous roar of the engine made Mu Yin’s face flush with regret—she’d forgotten this particular flaw, especially since this bike was built for racing, making it even louder.

As she sped through the area, she attracted more and more zombies. The ones ahead began to converge, forming an encirclement. If not for the fact that this neighborhood had relatively few zombies—some already lured away—she might have met her end then and there.

With no other choice, Mu Yin pulled over, took out pen and paper, quickly wrote a sigil of sound isolation, and stuck it to the motorcycle. Only then did she finally leave the villa district and enter the city.

She discovered that after her supernatural ability mutated—or rather, evolved—it was now even more suited to the apocalypse. For example, the sigil was enough to keep her alive. Unfortunately, most of her sigils were defensive or supportive; offensive ones remained elusive. Still, this was sufficient for now.

Upon reaching the city, she found her way to the supermarket the original host often frequented. Unsurprisingly, it had already been raided, but she doubted everything edible had been taken—there was always something left behind. After parking, she wrote a stealth sigil and affixed it to herself, then slipped past the zombies and into the supermarket. Inside, it was dark and chaotic, merchandise scattered everywhere. She turned on her flashlight to survey the scene, only to find the floor littered with useless items—nothing to eat, nothing to wear.

A guttural roar echoed—the zombies, sensing the light, began to gather. Despite their rotting exteriors, their senses—hearing, sight, smell—were actually enhanced. Unhurried, Mu Yin turned off her flashlight. Deprived of a target, the zombies wandered off again. She prepared to leave as well—she still needed to make more preparations, such as acquiring night-vision goggles.