Chapter 181 - 119: An Utter Rout

Chapter 181: Chapter 119: An Utter Rout

For his second shot, Xu Mo turned his aim toward another agile zombie that was trying to seize the opportunity to pounce. This time, the bullet struck it squarely in the chest. The agile zombie’s defenses were far inferior to a Strength Type’s, and the moment the bullet hit, its entire upper torso was blown apart, leaving a terrifying gaping hole. The mangled corpse flew backward before slumping limply to the ground.

BOOM!

This time, Xu Mo’s target was the head of the Strength Zombie that was still struggling and roaring on the ground after having its leg blown off. Its massive head exploded like a watermelon, splattering red and white matter everywhere. The roaring ceased abruptly.

BOOM!

The Barrett roared again, sending an Armor-Piercing Bullet into the last agile zombie. The bullet entered through its back and exited its chest, leaving a hole the size of a bowl. Its body twitched twice before it collapsed lifelessly to the ground.

BOOM!

After reloading, Xu Mo dispatched the final Strength Zombie with one more shot. With that, the battle was over. The entire engagement had lasted no more than a few seconds. Lu Chuan and his four teammates, standing to the side, still wore the same shocked expressions from when Xu Mo had killed the first mutated zombie with the Triangular Spike.

From Xu Mo throwing the Triangular Spike to the successive roars of the Barrett, the entire sequence happened in the blink of an eye.

In a matter of seconds, the six Grade-1 mutated zombies that had forced the five members of the Sharp Sword squad into a desperate, life-threatening struggle were now nothing more than mutilated corpses on the ground.

The Superpower Users stood in dead silence, as if they had forgotten how to speak.

All that remained was the wisp of smoke curling from the Barrett’s muzzle, the thick, cloying stench of blood and gunpowder hanging in the air, and the dumbfounded expressions of Lu Chuan and his four teammates, who looked as if they had seen a ghost.

Their mouths hung open, their eyes filled with utter shock and disbelief. Staring at the masked figure who stood amidst the smoke, holding the monstrous rifle in a single arm, their minds went blank.

’What kind of monster is this?! Absorbing the recoil like that? Is that even humanly possible?! With such inhuman strength... could this thing be some kind of advanced zombie we’ve never seen before?’

Xu Mo paid no mind to the shock he had caused. He slung the Barrett onto his back and strode toward the corpse of the agile zombie with the Triangular Spike piercing its skull. With a blank expression, he pinned its head with his foot, gripped the exposed hilt with his right hand, and yanked.

With a soft *SQUELCH*, the Triangular Spike was pulled out cleanly.

Dark red blood dripped down the spike’s specialized blood grooves, but it quickly ran clean, leaving not a trace of filth.

Only after doing all this did Xu Mo turn his head, his exposed eyes calm and placid as they swept over the still-shaken Lu Chuan and his four teammates. His gaze lingered for a moment on the bluish-black wounds on their bodies. His expression remained unchanged, but he took two imperceptible steps back, creating a relatively safe distance.

He didn’t speak, merely stood there quietly, as if he were waiting for something, yet also as if he might melt into the shadows of the ruins behind him and vanish at any second.

Standing his ground, Xu Mo quietly watched as Lu Chuan and his men stared at him with shocked expressions, their gazes sizing him up as if he were some otherworldly visitor.

’In truth, even he was a little surprised. A moment ago, when he had fully channeled the *Thirteen Grand Protectors’ Cross Training*, the qi and blood in his body had surged like a mighty river. An unprecedented sense of immense power had flooded his entire being, making him feel as if he could shatter the ground with a single stomp or punch through a wall with one swing. This feeling of overflowing power, of absolute control, was far more intense than anything he felt during his normal training.’

’Only then did he realize that his strength had unknowingly grown to such an extent. His habitual caution simply meant he rarely had the chance to unleash his full power so unreservedly.’

After a few seconds, Lu Chuan finally snapped out of his profound shock. Gritting his teeth against the pain of his wounds, he took a step forward. His face was a mixture of a survivor’s relief and deep gratitude as he began, "Brother..."

He had barely gotten the word out when Xu Mo raised a hand, clearly signaling for him to stop. His cold gaze swept over their still-seeping wounds as he uttered three words: "Keep your distance."

Lu Chuan froze for a second when he heard Xu Mo’s words, but then comprehension dawned. He glanced at the blackening wound on his own arm, then back at the similar marks on his teammates. "Ah... don’t worry," he explained hurriedly. "We’re, uh... we’re fine." Finished, he immediately turned and barked at his still-dazed squadmates, "Don’t just stand there gawking! Treat your wounds!"

"Yes, Captain!"

The order snapped the other four squad members out of their stupor. Gritting their teeth against the excruciating pain, they began treating their wounds with brutal yet practiced speed. They drew daggers or military knives and, without a moment’s hesitation, began carving away the blackened, rotting flesh around their injuries. They didn’t stop until they saw fresh, red meat, at which point they quickly applied styptic powder and wrapped the wounds tightly with bandages. Not one of them so much as whimpered during the process; they were clearly long accustomed to this cruel form of first aid.

This scene, combined with what Lu Chuan had said, gave Xu Mo pause.

’So, the Jiang City Shelter really does have a method to suppress or even cure the zombie virus infection. That explains why these Superpower Users are acting this way. In this apocalypse, that’s a resource as precious as a second life. But what is this method for preventing mutation? How difficult is it to obtain? Does it work the same for everyone? It would be best if I could get my hands on some, just in case.’