Chapter 104: Where Are the Crystals?

To be honest, Zhao Hai was feeling a bit uncertain. The last time he saw Chen Luo, he displayed some impressive bullet-dodging skills, but Zhao Hai knew nothing about his other abilities.

And that Jiang Wu, he was no pushover either. The spells he unleashed hardly seemed to harm him. Facing a dozen or so opponents, Zhao Hai felt no pressure at all. Currently, his side had more manpower than Jiang Wu’s.

If they didn’t deal with Jiang Wu in the next couple of days, morale would surely dissipate. Zhao Hai was feeling a bit frustrated. Why were there so many eccentric people, and why did they all seem to cross his path?

Furthermore, Chen Luo didn’t bring his formidable dog along this time. Having witnessed the might of the Thunderbolt King, Zhao Hai believed that having that dog around would have provided some much-needed stability.

Zhao Hai comforted himself, thinking that Chen Luo wouldn’t come alone without some trump cards up his sleeve. Last time there was a dog, and this time he brought a beautiful cat. Could it be that this seemingly cute cat was also a deadly assassin in disguise?

Chen Luo said, “Where’s Jiang Wu? I’m in a hurry.”

Hearing Chen Luo’s confident tone, Zhao Hai felt more at ease. He quickly responded, “Brother Chen, please wait a moment. I’ll gather some people and track down Jiang Wu for you.”

Chen Luo nodded, thinking there was no need to face hundreds of enemies alone. With Zhao Hai’s men serving as cannon fodder, he could bide his time, blend into the crowd, and launch a surprise attack – well, not exactly a surprise, more like cleaving Jiang Wu with a single sword strike.

Five minutes later, Zhao Hai’s team had assembled, comprising almost everyone available. Along the way, they encountered scattered zombies, some of which fled upon seeing the group.

Zhao Hai sighed, “This is getting strange. Zombies running away when they see people? It feels like these zombies are becoming more formidable. If we don’t clear them out soon, will there be any hope left for humanity?”

Chen Luo just smiled faintly and didn’t respond.

Jiang Wu lived in another nearby residential complex. At this moment, he was in the best-decorated apartment within the complex. Jiang Wu was holding two attractive young women, occasionally caressing them. On the table were four dishes – peanuts, packaged spicy chicken feet, Kung Pao chicken, and twice-cooked pork. There were also a few bottles of chilled beer.

Of course, the Kung Pao chicken and twice-cooked pork weren’t freshly cooked either, and there was no fresh meat involved. Instead, they were made from preserved ingredients that could last a long time, thanks to generous amounts of preservatives. While it couldn’t compare Ma Yu’s culinary skills, it was still quite satisfying.

Jiang Wu was feeling quite content. Even though the food wasn’t top-notch, having two beautiful women in his arms, something he could never have dreamed of before the apocalypse, was a real treat. They were also obedient.

Jiang Wu was a bit chubby with a few acne scars on his face, small eyes, and a rather unremarkable appearance.

Before the apocalypse, Jiang Wu didn’t have many hobbies, but his biggest passion was reading novels. Reading so many novels had its benefits. His imaginative mind connected the dots when the apocalypse first happened – zombies with crystals in their heads, just like in the novels.

Indeed, reading novels could be quite beneficial.

Seeing others with supernatural abilities while he had none left Jiang Wu feeling disappointed. Physical abilities weren’t as mystical as elemental powers, and it was perfectly normal not to notice them when he was weak and powerless.

Then, by a stroke of luck, Jiang Wu came across a strangely shaped zombie lying on the ground. He clenched his teeth and went to extract its crystal.

As he gazed at the crystal, the size of a quail egg, Jiang Wu felt extremely excited; this was a stroke of fortune. Well, having read plenty of novels, especially those about cultivation, he had a decent idea about absorbing crystals. Jiang Wu, despite the discomfort, guessed it couldn’t be forced.

Furthermore, Jiang Wu had ambitious aspirations and was quite daring. He thought, “If it hurts, it hurts. I’ll just absorb it. People die and birds fly, what’s there to fear?”

If the crystal entered his stomach, the immense energy could burst a person, but as long as he didn’t swallow it and held it in his hand, he could stop absorbing when he felt his body couldn’t take it anymore, preventing any harm.

Jiang Wu had learned the secret of the crystals early on and quickly reached the second level. Then, using the crystals in his possession, he steadily advanced to the fourth level.

Jiang Wu realized that the gap between himself and others was too vast. So, he emerged, aiming to become a ruler and dominate. The first person he intended to deal with was Zhao Hai, who was beside him.

Just as he was reveling in his plans, a subordinate suddenly knocked on the door forcefully, looking flustered. He said, “Boss, Zhao Hai is here with his people.”

Jiang Wu was initially taken aback and cursed, “Damn, I didn’t seek him out, but he’s here to find trouble. Must be tired of living.”

Jiang Wu wasn’t a reckless person. Facing a 1v10 situation was intentional, meant to show off to Zhao Hai’s group. At the same time, he wanted to send a message, inviting Zhao Hai’s people to join him without holding grudges. After all, even if they killed each other, where would he find subordinates afterward? Strength in numbers.

Jiang Wu was also cautious, knowing that Zhao Hai wouldn’t be able to sneak attack. The two groups of people quickly faced off at the entrance of the residential complex.

Chen Luo observed Jiang Wu from behind the crowd but couldn’t discern his specific power level. Regardless, as long as he wasn’t at the seventh level, he couldn’t withstand a single strike from me. At the seventh level, ability users started developing some defense against the Void Blades.

Both sides were tense, reluctant to risk their lives needlessly. They just wanted to survive and find some support. Nobody wanted to engage in a battle where many would die unless they had a clear numerical advantage. With food and drink available, there was simply no need for that.

Of course, if the other side initiated the fight, they would have no choice but to resist or flee for their lives.

Jiang Wu pointed at Zhao Hai and cursed, “Zhao Hai, I thought you were someone of substance. I gave you a chance, but you’re shameless. I was thinking of taking you in, but who knew you’d come looking for death.”

Zhao Hai’s face turned unpleasant. Before the apocalypse, he wouldn’t even have had a chance to interact with such a punk, let alone endure being cursed at.

Before coming, Zhao Hai had already thought about how to deal with Jiang Wu. He spoke up, saying, “Jiang Wu, you think you’re tough, right? Well, I can bring over a dozen more people. Are you willing to face that? If you can handle it, I’ll respect you and become your underling.”

Jiang Wu sneered, “Why wouldn’t I dare? You said it yourself.”

Zhao Hai chuckled inwardly, realizing he had successfully provoked Jiang Wu. He then loudly declared, “Who dares to step forward and face Jiang Wu? I’ll reward them with a pound of sausages each.”

This was quite a tempting offer, and there were always a few daring souls willing to risk their lives for meat. Even someone like Chen Luo, with his personality, would dare to fight a few years down the line if there was a chance for a pound of sausages.

Zhao Hai’s core brothers were the first to step forward; they knew they had to take charge in situations like this. A few more people hesitated but eventually joined in.

Chen Luo placed the rice into the Bentley that had arrived with them, locked the car door, and quietly followed the others.

They had agreed on this plan before coming. Zhao Hai had to create an opportunity for Chen Luo.

Song Ling gritted his teeth and, along with a few of his comrades, rushed forward. He had a physical ability and figured that Jiang Wu, a fourth-level physical ability user, wouldn’t be able to take him down in an instant. They didn’t blindly charge but raised their steel clubs in unison, targeting Jiang Wu’s head.

Jiang Wu sneered, thinking, “Is this going to work on me? Perfect, it’s time for everyone to witness my power.”

Chen Luo followed behind, raising his Void Blades. Under the intense sunlight, the blades were nearly invisible.

The sound of “thud, thud, thud” rang out as the steel pipes struck Jiang Wu’s head. The pipes bent, but Jiang Wu seemed completely unaffected.

Chen Luo shook his head. Was he this overconfident?

He blended into the crowd and approached, then thrust his sword through the gaps in the crowd towards Jiang Wu’s waist.

Jiang Wu instinctively lowered his head but saw nothing.

“What are you doing, pretending to attack me to claim sausages?” he thought.

It wasn’t until his upper and lower body separated that Jiang Wu realized…

He had encountered Lao Liu. ^[1]means that Jiang Wu had encountered someone with formidable abilities, and in this context, it refers to Chen Luo. In this situation, Jiang Wu initially underestimated Chen Luo and didn’t … Continue reading

Ignoring the shocked expressions of the others, Chen Luo first searched for any crystals that might be on Jiang Wu’s body. He went through all the pockets but found nothing. Could it be hidden in the bedroom?

After recovering from their initial shock, Song Ling, who was experienced in such matters, reached for Jiang Wu’s crotch area.

Watching Song Ling retrieve a crystal from Jiang Wu’s underwear pocket, Chen Luo was stunned.

So, that’s where he hid it.