NOVEL SIMPLE CHAPTER 108
Things were proceeding much more smoothly than Gao Junyi had anticipated. He had initially expected the Dragon Mountain Hidden Cultivators Society to be a formidable force, but they turned out to be a group of survivors with a few secrets.
It made sense, considering the official shelter had advanced weaponry, manpower, and resources, yet their progress remained challenging. Dragon Mountain, lacking such resources, could only achieve limited development, even with a few secrets up their sleeve.
For a group of nearly a hundred Awakened individuals, having a Level 4 Awakened among them was already quite remarkable.
"So, the Dragon Mountain Hidden Cultivators Society refers to you all?" Gao Junyi inquired.
A hint of embarrassment flickered across Duan Mei's face. After a brief pause, she confessed, "Yes, it's us. But the name 'Dragon Mountain Hidden Cultivators Society' was merely a fabrication to deceive Chang Yi. He was a lunatic with a bit of a Chuunibyou complex, so we came up with a grandiose name to make him somewhat cautious."
Gao Junyi chuckled. "Clever, very clever!"
He understood the importance of not appearing overly forceful. Offering appropriate praise would foster a better relationship, ease the atmosphere, and encourage open communication.
"Now, let's discuss the information," Gao Junyi continued. "Chang Yi claimed you know many things. May I ask, where do you obtain this intel?"
Duan Mei fell silent once again. It was evident that she was reluctant to answer the question.
Gao Junyi remained unperturbed, taking a sip of his tea without pressing her. The situation was already well within his control. He would eventually extract the information he desired, so there was no need to rush and risk escalating tensions.
After a prolonged pause, Duan Mei shook her head slightly. "I'm sorry," she said, her voice apologetic, "but I can't tell you that at the moment."
Gao Junyi's tone remained gentle. "May I ask why?"
"I can't be certain if you're truly from the official shelter," she explained. "Even if you are, I can't be sure if the current officials are trustworthy or not."
Gao Junyi nodded in understanding. "How about this?" he proposed. "You, or someone you trust, could accompany us back to our base. We can get to know each other better, and then we can..."
His words were cut short by the sound of hurried footsteps echoing through the corridor. Before the person appeared, a frantic voice reached them.
"Sister! Sister Rose! Something terrible has happened!"
Everyone turned towards the source of the commotion, only to see the gatekeeper rushing into the cafeteria, breathless and wide-eyed. "There's a monster!" he exclaimed, his voice trembling with fear. "Outside... there's a monster!"
The room fell into a stunned silence.
At the foot of Dragon Mountain, a colossal humanoid figure, dozens of meters tall, was lumbering towards their encampment. It was followed closely by a pack of six-legged wolf-bears, resembling monstrous jackal hounds.
The giant was simply too massive and conspicuous to ignore. Its approach had been detected by the Dragon Mountain survivors long before it reached the mountain itself.
From their vantage point atop the mountain, Gao Junyi, Bai Tianyu, Duan Mei, and the others watched the behemoth's approach with growing unease.
"What in the world is that?" Gao Junyi asked, his voice filled with apprehension.
Beside him, Bai Tianyu stared intently at the approaching figure for a long moment before slowly uttering, "A zombie."
"Level 5," he added, his voice grave, "Mutated zombie."
With the enhanced vision of a Level 4 Awakened, Bai Tianyu could clearly discern the mutated zombie's grotesque form. It stood 50 meters tall, its two massive arms reaching down to its knees. Its skinless body exposed raw, pink muscle tissue. A bloody maw filled with razor-sharp fangs gaped open, revealing a pair of enormous eyes with milky white irises, resembling cataracts.
Its eyes lacked any sign of intelligence or sentience, leading Bai Tianyu to conclude that this creature was an evolved Tank, not a Devourer.
Before he could speak, Duan Mei, standing beside him, interjected, "Flesh Mountain. This Level 5 zombie is called Flesh Mountain..."
She seemed to possess some knowledge about this creature, which wasn't surprising given her affiliation with the Hidden Cultivators Society.
Gao Junyi and Bai Tianyu turned their attention to Duan Mei, who continued, "This creature doesn't possess any special abilities, but its sheer size alone makes it a formidable opponent."
Gao Junyi seized the opportunity to probe further. "Why would a Level 5 zombie appear in Nanxiang City?" he asked, feigning ignorance. "While zombies do evolve faster than Awakened individuals, it shouldn't be this fast, right?"
In truth, both Gao Junyi and Bai Tianyu had their own suspicions about Flesh Mountain's origins. Before their arrival, Huo Sheng had briefed them on the possibility of monsters crossing over from the Black Mist Zone.
Gao Junyi's question was merely a tactic to encourage Duan Mei to divulge more information.
As anticipated, Duan Mei was well-informed.
"This creature came from the Black Mist," Duan Mei confirmed, her voice steady. "The Black Mist's barrier weakens after a hundred days. From then on, more and more monsters will emerge, and the Black Mist itself will shrink faster. Soon, it will engulf all of Nanxiang City."
Gao Junyi narrowed his eyes, watching Flesh Mountain's relentless approach. "Let's set that aside for now," he suggested. "Flesh Mountain seems to be heading our way. I wonder if Sister Rose has a plan to deal with it?"
After a brief silence, Duan Mei nodded resolutely. "Yes, we do," she declared.
"What's the plan?" Gao Junyi inquired.
"We run!" Duan Mei replied.
Bai Tianyu was dumbfounded.
Before Gao Junyi or Bai Tianyu could respond, Duan Mei turned to Gao Junyi. "Mayor Gao," she said, "you mentioned earlier that you have a way to deal with Level 5 creatures, didn't you?"
Gao Junyi had indeed revealed that Level 5 Chang Yi had met his end at the official shelter.
He nodded reluctantly. "That's true, but I don't have the means to deal with that thing here. Besides, it seems Flesh Mountain has a specific target. It's likely drawn to a Level 4 Awakened like myself."
With a determined expression, Duan Mei made a decision. "Mayor Gao, if you're truly from the official shelter, I ask that you take the survivors here with you. I'll do my best to delay Flesh Mountain."
Gao Junyi felt a wave of respect wash over him. Duan Mei's character was truly admirable.
Before Gao Junyi could respond, Duan Mei continued, her voice resolute. "As for your earlier question, I'll give you an answer now. All our information comes from one source."
"Who?" Gao Junyi asked, his curiosity piqued.
"Follow me!" Duan Mei replied, her tone urgent.
Time was of the essence. She directed her subordinates to gather their belongings while leading Gao Junyi and Bai Tianyu to the deepest part of the warehouse.
They stopped in front of a nondescript door. Duan Mei knocked gently, and a childish voice responded from within.
"Please come in."
They entered the room, revealing a space that, while small, was adorned with warm, inviting colors. Pink hues dominated the decor, along with a variety of children's toys. A small princess bed occupied one corner, upon which sat a young girl with blond hair, blue eyes, and porcelain skin.
"This is the child where our latest information comes from," Duan Mei clarified, a gentle smile gracing her lips as she looked down at the young girl in her arms. "Her name is Lolita."