NOVEL SIMPLE CHAPTER 35
CHAPTER 35: The Awakening Plan
The morning sun beat down mercilessly as Wang Xiong and Zhang Chengcheng finally reached their destination. The air hung heavy with a sickening stench, and the ground was a grotesque tapestry of strewn limbs and ruptured torsos. This was the grisly scene that greeted them —the resting place of Zhang Ye.
The raw destructive power of a Tier 2 Zombie, a creature they called the "Hunter," was evident in the carnage. Though Zhang Ye hadn’t managed to slay the Hunter, the battlefield bore witness to his valiant stand. Numerous Tier 1, hulking zombies lay incinerated, a testament to his desperate struggle the night before yesterday.
But amidst the devastation, a different kind of tragedy unfolded. Scattered across the blood-soaked ground were translucent, shard-like crystals —corpse crystals. These held immense power, a fact seemingly unknown to most survivors. Perhaps the sheer brutality of the scene had deterred scavengers, leaving this treasure trove untouched.
Wang Xiong, however, wasn’t focused on immediate gains. He stood in somber silence, the weight of the situation pressing down on him. Finally, he turned to Zhang Chengcheng, her face etched with a raw and painful grief.
“My condolences,” he offered, his voice heavy with empathy.
Zhang Chengcheng closed her eyes for a moment, picturing the horrors her brother must have faced in his final moments. When she opened them again, the grief had been replaced by a steely resolve.
“If he had Brother Lu’s strength,” she murmured, a flicker of despair momentarily clouding her eyes, “maybe things would have been different.”
Wang Xiong could only offer a helpless shrug, unable to voice the harsh realities that hung in the air.
He then observed a flicker of determination replacing the despair in Zhang Chengcheng’s eyes. With a forced smile, she announced, “Alright, let’s get to work.”
The living had to press on, even in the face of such loss. As Zhang Chengcheng so aptly put it, there was “work to be done,” a grim necessity for survival.
Hours bled into the afternoon as they meticulously collected the scattered crystals. Finally, after a grueling search, they managed to gather a total of nineteen. Combined with the Level 1 crystals Wang Xiong had previously collected, their total haul amounted to 1 Level 2 and 34 Level 1 crystals. This was enough, for now, to fuel their individual needs.
But collecting crystals was only part of the equation. Without further delay, Wang Xiong and Zhang Chengcheng set off for the original stronghold of the Zhang family. The outcome was a foregone conclusion —a place devoid of life. Ever since Zhang Ye fled with them, the stronghold’s fate had been sealed.
The presence of walls had contained the initial outbreak, preventing a complete dispersal of the infected within. Now, the remaining zombies—a grotesque mockery of their former lives—shambled aimlessly within the stronghold, their numbers bolstered by the very survivors who once called this place home.
A wave of nausea washed over Zhang Chengcheng as she recognized the faces among the shambling horde. There was the gatekeeper uncle, a man of unwavering courage despite his limp. The cafeteria lady, her gruff exterior masking a heart of gold, who always snuck her an extra helping of rice. Even the children, barely a meter tall, the ones she used to play jump rope with—all were now lost, their humanity surrendered to the relentless hunger of the undead.
Zhang Chengcheng exhaled a long, ragged breath. Brushing past Wang Xiong, she pointed towards the eastern corner of the courtyard. “See that? That’s the cellar. Lots of food stored there.”
That, of course, was their objective. But getting to the food meant dealing with the horde of zombies shambling aimlessly within the courtyard.
Wang Xiong pondered for a moment. “Direct assault?” he suggested.
Zhang Chengcheng shook her head. “Too slow. We could try a lure-and-grab tactic, but there’s a better way.”
“Let’s head back for now,” she concluded.
By the time evening settled, casting long shadows across the shelter, Wang Xiong and Zhang Chengcheng had returned. After a meager dinner, Zhang Chengcheng laid out her plan.
“We level up,” she declared. “Both of us. Once we reach Level 2, clearing out the Zhang family stronghold will be a breeze.”
The others, though expecting this proposal, still felt a tremor of unease. The memory of the devastation wrought by Zhang Ye’s ascension to Level 2 was still fresh. While not directly his fault, they had all been witness to the horrific aftermath. Now, the mere mention of another awakening sent shivers down their spines.
Sensing their apprehension, Zhang Chengcheng quickly interjected, “It’s alright. Brother Lu will handle it.”
One of the survivors, his voice barely above a whisper, countered, “But this is different from before.”
“Remember where we are,” Zhang Chengcheng countered, her voice hardening. “And remember who else is here.”
The weight of her words sunk in. The silence in the room deepened, then gradually lifted. The tension dissipated.
Wang Xiong, after a moment of contemplation, nodded. “Zhang Chengcheng’s right. It’s doable.”
Dr. Meng Jie chimed in, her voice resolute. “Doable? It’s necessary. We can’t stay stagnant, paralyzed by fear.”
Not advancing due to fear of the undead that was a recipe for disaster. Even without Lu Ming, any awakened individual with the potential to level up should do so. In this unforgiving world, playing it safe was akin to surrendering to death.
A silent understanding passed among the seven survivors. Seeing their unified resolve, Zhang Chengcheng rose to her feet. “Then it’s settled. I’ll talk to Brother Lu.”
At half past six, the after-dinner lull in Lu Ming’s house was broken by the insistent buzzing of the doorbell. He rose from his reading material and descended the stairs, activating the electronic screen to reveal Zhang Chengcheng’s face.
“Good evening, Brother Lu,” she greeted politely.
“Hello, Miss Zhang,” Lu Ming replied, a hint of formality in his voice.
“Brother Lu, just call me Chengcheng,” she insisted, a touch of playfulness in her tone.
“Alright, Chengcheng,” he conceded, feeling slightly awkward. The term felt overly familiar, and he wasn’t quite comfortable with it yet.
Undeterred, Zhang Chengcheng dove straight into the reason for her visit. “Wang Xiong and I went back to our original stronghold today...”
She proceeded to recount their day in detail, detailing their discovery of the food cellar, the obstacle of the shambling horde, and finally, their proposed solution: simultaneous advancement to Level 2 Awakened.
Lu Ming listened intently, his brow furrowing in contemplation as she spoke. A weighty silence descended upon the room after she finished.
“So,” he began after a thoughtful pause, “your advancement will attract the zombies, and you want me to handle the horde while you and Wang Xiong go through the awakening process?”
Zhang Chengcheng offered a confirming nod. “Yes, Brother Lu.”
Lu Ming pondered for a moment, then spoke. “Approximately how many zombies are we talking about?” he inquired.
Zhang Chengcheng provided a rough estimate. “A few hundred, maybe. There could be a couple dozen giant zombies and a few hunters in the mix as well.”
Lu Ming mulled over this information. Having slain hundreds of zombies just the other day, his fear of the horde had lessened considerably. The hunters held even less fear for him – he’d managed to take one down even without a proper ranged weapon. Now, equipped with the new and improved slingshot, he felt even more confident. Additionally, with Zhang Chengcheng and Wang Xiong reaching Level 2, they would become formidable allies.
A flicker of relief washed over Zhang Chengcheng’s face upon hearing his response. “I can help you with that, but,” Lu Ming continued, “I think we can be even more prepared.”
“Such as?” Zhang Chengcheng prompted, her interest piqued.
“Let’s establish a basic defensive formation,” Lu Ming suggested, “centered around my house.”
“The priority should be securing the doors and windows,” he elaborated. “We don’t want the horde breaking in and jeopardizing everyone’s safety.”
A warmth spread through Zhang Chengcheng’s chest at his words. Setting up a defensive perimeter around Lu Ming’s house? It made perfect sense. This way, Lu Ming could ensure the safety of the other survivors while they underwent their awakening.
“I understand,” she responded with a firm nod.
On the other side of the screen, Lu Ming offered a gentle smile. This woman, he thought to himself, was quite intelligent.
End of Chapter 35