Chapter 720: Energy Storage Device
With both sides suddenly so close, Xu Shuhan’s nerves instantly tensed up.
Perhaps it was because her vision had been affected by the virus, Xu Shuhan always felt that even under normal circ.u.mstances, Xia Na’s two eyes had some subtle differences.
One eye was deep and dark, while the other shone with a faint Red Glimmer.
Especially in that slightly red-tinged eye, the unique bloodthirsty and Frenzy nature of a Zombie was clearly evident.
Although the Zombie’s innate nature was suppressed, the physical changes it brought wouldn’t easily vanish.
Even so, achieving a state where it’s usually hard to notice was already quite impressive.
Given Xia Na’s personality, very few people dared to get close enough to stare into her eyes.
What truly made Xu Shuhan’s heart race, however, was Xia Na’s whisper as if right beside her ear:
“Do you like Ling-Ge?”
Xu Shuhan was stunned for a couple of seconds before hurriedly waving her hand, “What are you talking about! How is that possible! I… I’m just worried he might fail… No, I don’t want to turn completely into a Zombie… Anyway, it’s not what you think…”
At first, her voice was quite loud, but the more she spoke, the less confident she became.
Without needing to look in a Mirror, Xu Shuhan knew her cheeks must be flushed.
The burning sensation made her wish she could find a crack in the ground to hide in.
She couldn’t help but think, as expected of a Zombie… being Ling Mo’s girlfriend, she could ask such a direct question…
And even after asking, she looked at her with that very gossipy expression!
One would be enough, but even Li Yalin and Ye Lian were curiously staring at her too!
The temperature on Xu Shuhan’s face kept rising. Though she had given an explanation, under the watchful eyes of three Zombies, even she felt her explanation seemed weak and unconvincing.
“I really…”
“Oh, I see…” Xia Na finally nodded.
But just as Xu Shuhan breathed a sigh of relief, she saw a sly smile appear on Xia Na’s face.
Her barely calm heart instantly became fl.u.s.tered again…
Xu Shuhan couldn’t help but sneak a glance at the bedroom door not far away. Could Ling Mo be thinking the same thing?
If he knew what was going through her mind, Xu Shuhan really would want to find a place to hide.
This scene was clearly observed by Mu Chen, who was sitting by the window on guard duty. At this moment, his face was full of tears, “Am I that invisible to you all…”
Whoos.h.!.+
The Jellyfish, which had once again shrunk in size, was caught in Ling Mo’s palm. His face was pale, and fine beads of sweat covered his forehead, yet his expression was quite satisfied.
After storing about one-third of his mental energy into the Jellyfish, he finally reached its limit.
However, it only overflowed a bit before it began compressing the mental energy.
By the time it regained its form, the mental energy inside had been compressed to the utmost, like a ma.s.s of burning high-temperature Flame.
This ma.s.s of energy was no larger than half a palm, but if fully materialized into Tentacles, it could kill hundreds of Zombies.
Of course, this was just an estimate. In actual combat, the amount of mental energy needed to condense a single Tentacle would vary depending on the situation.
Even so, it was enough to indicate the importance of the mental power stored within.
If Ling Mo could pull this out when his psychic power ran out, it would be like getting an extra battery.
“The Jellyfish Absorbs a small amount of mental power each day, but this consumption is totally within acceptable limits. Although it’s better than a recovery Potion, the downside is that it doesn’t enhance physical strength… This can be used for emergencies, but I still need to find Potions,” Ling Mo thought, stuffing the Jellyfish into his inner pocket and zipping it up.
Even if someone saw it, they wouldn’t think it was a living thing just by looking at its appearance.
But this wouldn’t fool a superhuman with a mental ability.
So, rather than putting it in his backpack and drawing the attention of a mental ability superhuman, it was better to keep it close…
By noon the next day, the rain had stopped.
Bright sunlight enveloped Heishui City, and in the shadow of an inconspicuous apartment building, a group of people stood together.
Ling Mo and Mu Chen each carried a backpack, their clothes speckled with mud and bloodstains. Coupled with their slightly fatigued expressions, they indeed looked like they had gone through a lot to reach Heishui City.
Especially Ling Mo, who had deliberately worn a duckbill cap. His spirited eyes were mostly hidden under the brim of the cap, and apart from his tall and straight figure, he looked almost indistinguishable from an ordinary Survivor. He even seemed less threatening than Mu Chen beside him.
Mu Chen’s knife was strapped to his waist, covered in old bloodstains, looking quite intimidating.
This was also Ling Mo’s idea. Without some degree of strength, it would have been impossible to travel all the way from Dongming to Heishui City.
If they had taken a detour, they would have arrived too quickly.
Making Mu Chen appear more formidable while Ling Mo completely hid his own strength, only pretending to be a purely mental ability superhuman with little physical prowess.
“We’re leaving now. I’ll signal you if something comes up,” Ling Mo said.
Mu Chen glanced at him in surprise, just about to ask a question, but Xia Na gave him a fierce glare instead.
“Fine, I won’t ask…” Mu Chen muttered, looking frustrated.
But thinking about it, Ling Mo did have mental abilities, so maybe he really had a way?
Thinking this gave him some peace of mind. If it were really just the two of them walking into the lion’s den
1
, that would be way too nerve-wracking…
Xu Shuhan stood nervously at the back. Although she didn’t know exactly how Ling Mo’s group communicated, she had vaguely noticed that there might be some special method of contact between them over the past few days.
But the clues were too few to a.n.a.lyze anything concrete.
One thing was certain: it was related to Ling Mo’s psychic power. She even wondered if it might be a kind of hypnotic ability…
“Ye Lian and the others don’t seem like they were hypnotized… Could it be brainwas.h.i.+ng…?” Just as Xu Shuhan’s thoughts took an increasingly crazy direction, she suddenly heard Ling Mo’s voice.
“Xu Shuhan, take good care of yourself over the next few days. I’ve given the medicine to Xia Na, and she’ll make sure you take it on time,” Ling Mo said, looking at her.
Xu Shuhan immediately felt a bit out of place, especially when Ye Lian and the three girls’ gazes suddenly focused on her.
This feeling was even more overwhelming than the awkwardness she felt last night. However, under Ling Mo’s gaze, she couldn’t just stand there dumbfounded.
“I… I understand…” Xu Shuhan’s voice was barely louder than a mosquito’s buzz.
Ling Mo looked at her with a hint of puzzlement. Seeing her absent-minded demeanor, he reached out and patted her shoulder, saying, “Don’t worry, I’ll come up with a plan.”
“Ah…” Being suddenly touched on the shoulder by Ling Mo in this situation, Xu Shuhan nearly jumped out of her skin.
She nervously nodded her head, feeling a bit moved inside, “Okay…”
“Remember, don’t let anyone find out. Apart from Niepan’s members, there are probably no other Survivors in Heishui City. If you’re discovered, it’ll be troublesome. We’re heading out now…” Ling Mo smiled slightly at Ye Lian and the others.
He actually wanted to give them all a hug, but he was quite confident in this infiltration mission. There was no need to make it seem like a life-or-death farewell.
Moreover, there’s the psychic link; if he suddenly acted too reluctant, it would only make them worry…
Mu Chen was already somewhat anxious; there was no need to add to his psychological burden.
“Wait…” Xu Shuhan said softly as Ling Mo turned his head with a questioning look, “Don’t push yourselves too hard. If it doesn’t work out, just abandon it…”
Her words obviously took great courage to say, as what she suggested abandoning was not just anything but her last glimmer of hope.
But if she didn’t say it now, Xu Shuhan felt she wouldn’t be able to find peace in her heart…
Although she knew that Ling Mo wasn’t doing this solely for her…
“Okay, I understand.” Ling Mo was slightly taken aback, then smiled and nodded.
“Are you really ready to become a Zombie?” Xia Na said with a smile while waving at Ling Mo.
Xu Shuhan looked up at her, then twiddled her fingers nervously.
“I don’t know…”
Watching the figures of Ling Mo and Mu Chen gradually recede into the distance, Xu Shuhan was at a loss for what she was feeling.
When Ling Mo returns, her fate will be decided…
Footnote:
- Lion’s den (狮穴):
‘Lion’s den’ is a metaphor for a very dangerous place or situation.