Chapter 93: Chapter 93: Can You Accept Zombies Being Like Humans?
The team of five appeared in the same spot where they had last left the Dungeon: a dilapidated factory, long since abandoned.
A system prompt appeared instantly.
[Your squad’s progress from your last visit to the zombie Dungeon: Zombie kills at 30%, Investigation of human infection origin at 40%. To clear this run, choose one of the following methods: 1. Increase zombie kill progress to over 60%; 2. Increase investigation of human infection origin to over 50%; 3. Survive safely within the Dungeon for 3 days.]
[BEEP~ The system has detected that team leader Faye Yardley made investigation progress in Dungeon 1. The squad’s investigation progress has been updated to 45%.]
All eyes snapped to Faye Yardley. She just shrugged. "I ran into a key character for the zombie Dungeon back in Dungeon 1. The mission objective jumped forward by 5%. I don’t know the specifics, though."
Zachary Pierce marveled at her luck and gave her a thumbs-up. "You’re something else, Yardley."
Finn Ford immediately went to scout the surroundings. Caleb Colby came up to Faye Yardley, gave her a formal salute, and then broke into a smile. "Words can’t express my gratitude. If you need anything, Yardley, just give the order."
Gavin Donovan stayed close to Faye Yardley’s side and thanked her in a low voice. "Thanks for the suggestion, Boss. The plan went smoothly. It’s just... my Second Senior Brother got so pissed he blocked me."
"It’s no big deal. He’ll come around and add you back eventually." Faye Yardley figured his Second Senior Brother would come around pretty quickly. After all, once he got over being mad, he could still get free stuff out of Gavin Donovan.
’Only a fool passes up a free lunch, and a man as shrewd as his Second Senior Brother wouldn’t let an opportunity go to waste.’
’Expressing his anger was just a way to get a better deal later.’
"Not many zombies in the immediate area," Finn Ford reported, returning from his scouting run. "We need to find a vehicle to get to the next location."
There were indeed abandoned vehicles inside the factory. Finn Ford and Caleb Colby found a large truck, and though no one knew how, they managed to get it started.
Caleb Colby poked his head out of the driver’s side. "Get in."
The roads were a wreck, but thankfully the truck had a high enough chassis to just plow through most of the debris.
"So, where are we headed?"
Zachary Pierce got his bearings. "Head southeast. We’re going to University City."
"Actually, the city museum is closer," Gavin Donovan pointed out.
Zachary Pierce grunted. "But the roads in that direction are more heavily damaged. If we have to take detours, University City ends up being closer."
The three of them in the truck bed watched the devastated landscape pass by, finding they had already grown somewhat accustomed to the sight.
"Mr. Pierce, Boss... you guys say the air is full of this stench, but why isn’t it carrying the zombie virus?"
Faye Yardley glanced at Gavin Donovan. "Because we’re protected by the System."
’She wasn’t wrong. Without the System’s protection, they probably would have been infected the moment they entered the zombie Dungeon.’
’The worlds might be different, but human genetic makeup was bound to be fundamentally similar.’
’If the zombie virus could destroy this world, how could it possibly fail to destroy them?’
’The only explanation for why they were completely immune was the System’s protection.’
’Dying in a Dungeon meant your luck had run out and you weren’t strong enough.’
’Besides, Dungeons weren’t mandatory missions; everyone had the choice to enter.’
"Oh, I see." Gavin Donovan gave an awkward laugh. "I was wondering if it was just because we’re in better shape. I was even hoping we might awaken a superpower. Don’t all those old web novels say that the zombie virus doesn’t just turn people into zombies, but that it can also unlock human potential and give them all sorts of superpowers?"
Zachary Pierce looked at him, puzzled. "Then why didn’t you ask this last time?"
"Last time, I was too focused on killing zombies and protecting the Boss," Gavin Donovan said, looking a little sheepish. "I only started thinking about all this after we got back."
Faye Yardley clapped him on the shoulder. "Good thinking. Now, stop thinking. The System protects us from the virus, which means there’s no way it would let you gain a superpower from that same virus inside a Dungeon. Unless, of course, the System holds a special event with that kind of reward."
’In reality, the zombie virus didn’t just turn humans into zombies—it also gave the zombies a wide array of superpowers.’
’They had developed their own culture, their own people.’
’This inevitably made her think of Yvonne Lynch, with her Healing Ability. How on earth did she become the princess of the Zombie Clan?’
’She was just like a human, with such rich emotions.’
’If emotion wasn’t the sole distinguishing factor, then there really wasn’t much difference between humans and the Zombie Clansmen.’
"Yardley, what are you thinking about?"
Faye Yardley turned to Zachary Pierce. "Mr. Pierce, if zombies keep evolving and upgrading, improving themselves until they finally gain consciousness... what’s the difference between them and humans?"
Zachary Pierce seemed to recoil internally at the idea of those rotting, foul-smelling zombies eventually becoming beings just like him. He couldn’t help but frown, having never seriously considered the question before.
Others had voiced similar theories, but in the end, they were just theories.
"Yardley, have you met a High Level zombie?"
Gavin Donovan froze, then blurted out in surprise, "Boss, really?"
"Yes, really." Faye Yardley sighed. "Sometime ago, I was on an island and visited a very prosperous port. There were beings from all sorts of races. Skeletons, Merfolk, Catgirls, Zombie Clansmen, and so on. The Zombie Clansman I met was a General Level expert from the Zombie Clan named Zane."
"Are they really exactly like humans?" Zachary Pierce pressed.
"Their skin is a bit grayish, and their eyes are a lighter shade. Other than that, you can’t see any difference. Oh, right," Faye Yardley added, "with even High Level zombies, you can’t even tell a difference in their skin or eye color."
’If Yvonne Lynch wasn’t a zombie, her being the princess of the Zombie Clan could only mean her parents were incredibly powerful.’
Zachary Pierce fell silent. He needed a moment to process this information.
"Oh, and the coming crisis I mentioned? It’s related to the possibility of all these different races coming to this survival game world."
Gavin Donovan looked completely lost. "What? What crisis? So those weird races actually exist?"
BANG, POP, CRASH~
The sounds were followed by a violent lurch, and the truck tilted sharply.
The truck had blown several tires in a row!
"Fuck!"
Caleb Colby slammed his fist on the steering wheel, furious. He had done his best to swerve around the debris, but the tires had blown anyway.
Finn Ford nearly fell on top of him, grabbing a handle to steady himself. "We’ll just get out and find another— Son of a bitch, we’ve got zombies! Get out of the truck, now!"
By the time the two of them had scrambled out of the cab, Faye Yardley and the others were already in position, prepared to meet the zombie assault.
Faye Yardley chose a slightly elevated position with some cover, perfect for shooting. She had a pistol, an Arm Crossbow, and a Longbow, making her better suited for long-range kills.
Gavin Donovan stood to her front and right, long spear in hand.
There weren’t many zombies, but their movements were noticeably more agile, and they closed the distance far more quickly.
’So the zombies in this Dungeon were evolving in real time?!’
