Chapter 432 - Mutated Zombies

The locusts turned ravenous once they received Han Wu’s order. Due to the effects of the Law of Gluttony, they were like miniature black holes that could never be satisfied.

The zombies paid them no mind, perhaps seeing them as nothing more than flies. In reality, the locusts were tearing off huge chunks of decayed flesh. Within moments, they stripped the zombies bare and reduced them to piles of bones.

When they were done with one of the zombies, three out of the thirty locusts reached the Elite rank. The rest hovered on the brink of advancement.

Han Wu found the fastest path to power and ordered his locusts to hunt for the next group of zombies.

With each kill, the swarm grew stronger. Their evolution accelerated at a shocking rate, and Han Wu collected more crystals than before. Seeing how vital his units were, he chose to forgo unlocking new options. Instead, he repeatedly selected the cheapest upgrade to summon additional Common locusts. As they emerged from his divine realm, each received the same order: devour every zombie in sight.

It didn’t take long for the zombies on Han Wu’s floor to be completely devoured. To boost their efficiency, he divided the swarm into two groups, each led by a Unique locust. One group would fly upward, the other downward, with a single purpose: to eat any zombies they encountered. The Unique locusts would be in charge of collecting the crystals.

With no need to fight personally, Han Wu found some food and water before resting for the night. The next morning, he woke up and spread his senses to locate his locusts. They brought back both good and bad news.

The good news was that they had cleared all zombies within three floors above and below him, and every locust had reached the Elite rank.

The bad news was that a powerful zombie lurked at the top of the building, only three floors above Han Wu. Several Elite locusts had already fallen to it.

Han Wu recalled what he had learned in class about the Zombie Civilization. Among the numerous infected, a few would inevitably mutate. The mutated zombies were usually more powerful, sometimes possessing enhanced strength, speed, or size, and others even wielded elemental powers such as fire or frost. In the Zombie Civilization, anything was possible, and the unpredictability of these mutations was what made this civilization so dangerous.

Still, Han Wu didn’t panic. Instead, he calmly absorbed the crystals that his locusts had gathered and gained 1,000 Energy Points in the process. Now he could unlock new options from his list.

[Skill: Flash Kick – 500 Energy Points]

[Summon Locust (Heroic) – 500 Energy Points/unit]

[Skill: Spectral Dash – 700 Energy Points]

[1-Star God Weapon: Steel Blade – 1,000 Energy Points]

...

Han Wu studied the list carefully since he needed something strong enough to defeat the powerful mutated zombie. In the end, he selected the 1-Star Steel Blade. With a proper weapon and his combat experience, he could easily take down opponents stronger than himself. Ordinary zombies were now as fragile as paper before him.

He ascended the stairs with the weapon in hand. Even though his clone’s parameters were low, the aura he had forged through conquering worlds merged with him seamlessly. Each step he took radiated confidence and overbearing force.

At the top of the building, the mutated zombie was just about to rip apart one of the locusts when it heard footsteps rising from below. Moving with extreme speed, it rushed toward the stairwell and glared at the man ascending.

Han Wu raised his head and glared back at the mutated zombie. From its wavering eyes, he sensed a trace of intelligence. Even the faintest spark of thought made a zombie a hundred times more difficult to deal with than the ordinary kind.

Han Wu’s glare made the mutated zombie falter and take a step back. Seizing the moment, he charged up the stairs and brought his Steel Blade down toward its head.

At the last possible moment, the mutated zombie reacted and avoided the blow.

Han Wu chuckled. “A smart zombie is worth more dead than alive!”

He swung again, this time in a horizontal arc. The mutated zombie stepped back to avoid it, but the air pressure alone sliced open its abdomen. Rotten flesh and organs spilled across the floor from its wound.

The Steel Blade was covered in rotten blood, and Han Wu grimaced at the stench. He would have discarded it if not for the 1,000 Energy Points he had spent on it. He kept slashing at the mutated zombie, putting more force into each swing.

The mutated zombie was fast, but it couldn’t escape forever. Three minutes later, Han Wu found an opening and struck down with full power, cutting the mutated zombie down. He then severed its head, ending it once and for all.

Han Wu summoned his locusts to devour the remains, then cracked open the skull to search for a crystal inside. When the locusts finished stripping the flesh, he reached inside and pulled out a pale blue crystal. At its center was an image of a figure in mid-run.

Recognizing its unusual quality, he realized it was a rare crystal and absorbed it without any delay. Instantly, he gained 200 Energy Points and felt his body grow lighter, his movements quicker, as if all weight had left him.

“To think that the mutated zombies’ crystals could have such an effect. Not bad,” he remarked.

As he carefully experienced the changes in his body, his locusts finished eating. Apparently, a mutated zombie’s corpse was more nourishing than that of an ordinary zombie. After feeding, many of the Elite locusts reached the Unique rank, and four of the Unique ones evolved further into Heroic ones.

All of them transformed differently. One became a Heroic Locustman that could use the weapons granted by the Sacred Object: Sixfold Artifact. The second turned into a Heroic Primal Locust, growing tenfold until it reached the size of an aquarium. The third evolved into a Heroic Dark Curse Bug that could fly, hide in the shadows, and fire deadly Shadow Nails. The last one turned into a Heroic Locust Dragon.

Each species possessed distinct strengths. The Locust Dragon alone could easily overpower the other three Heroic locusts combined. If Han Wu had a Locust Dragon earlier, he wouldn’t have needed to face the mutated zombie alone. Still, this was a promising start. He studied the four Heroic locusts and planned his next move.