Chapter 68: Learning to Help Others Achieve Their Happiness

In various zombie movies, the viruses that trigger the undead mutations differ, and so do their respective cures.

In the film “I Am Legend,” the vaccine Robert develops requires a low temperature environment to be effective against the virus. In the original movie, Robert only comes up with this solution after another survivor reminds him. But now, with the advantage of foreknowledge as a transmigrator, Li Daniu enables Robert to consider this approach during his very first experiment.

Watching as the female Darkseeker, her entire body covered in ice, begins to display normal bodily data once more, Li Daniu feels an immense joy. This happiness isn’t only because the virus infecting his own body now has a potential cure, but also because, for the first time, he has taken an active role in the plot and steered the story in a direction favorable to himself.

During his first journey into the world of “Overheard,” Li Daniu was little more than a bystander, never interacting with the two protagonists and only managing to secure the priceless necklace at the last moment through deception.

The second time, in the world of “Heavenly Sword,” he gained much more—even more than all the wealth he could scavenge in this world—but that was, after all, a passive theft of Zhang Wuji’s fortune. Moreover, from the beginning to near the end of his second journey, Li Daniu was always anxious and fearful, utterly lacking in self-confidence.

But this third time, now, Li Daniu has truly gained the confidence of a transmigrator. From the despair of being infected, to actively engaging in the plot and assisting Robert in developing an effective vaccine, and with no reservations about looting wealth, Li Daniu’s confidence has begun to grow.

“I am no longer that useless, weakling with a combat power of only five. I now have the ability to protect and change myself.”

Li Daniu glanced down at his fists—those very fists that had just smashed open the vault’s reinforced door—and silently congratulated himself.

“Tarek, we did it! We really did it!” Robert ran over, enveloping Li Daniu in a bear hug.

“Hey, Robert, I’m not into men. I understand how lonely you must’ve felt after three years alone, but if you need to…” Li Daniu shoved Robert away, grinning. “I can go to an adult store and find you an inflatable doll.”

“I’m not into men either!” Robert ignored the joke and pulled Li Daniu over to the female Darkseeker.

“Look, not only are her physical metrics returning to normal, but her appearance is starting to look human again.”

Normally, a Darkseeker’s skin is gray and far tougher than a human’s. But now, after receiving the vaccine, this female’s skin has largely reverted to a normal human color.

“See that butterfly tattoo on her neck?” Robert pointed excitedly. “Before, with their gray skin, you could never see a tattoo clearly. Now, it’s almost back to normal.”

“So, what’s her current viral infection rate?” Li Daniu cared nothing for butterfly tattoos—all that mattered was the treatment’s effectiveness.

“I just checked—it’s down to thirty-two percent, which is about the same as twenty minutes after initial infection,” Robert replied with professional precision. “The vaccine’s rate of killing the virus is slowing now, but the virus’s activity has nearly dropped to zero. As long as we keep administering the vaccine and maintain a low temperature, the virus should be wiped out.”

Robert explained simply, and Li Daniu understood.

“How long will it take?”

“I estimate three or four days to completely eradicate the virus. If she wakes up afterward, we’ll have another companion—and a female one at that!” Robert’s grin was positively lecherous.

“Try your luck with her, then.”

“I’m better looking than you, smarter too—my chances are way higher.”

Li Daniu shook his head and refrained from comment. He knew that the female Darkseeker’s boyfriend was no simple matter; Robert’s romantic hopes might just cost him his life.

“Should we catch another Darkseeker?” Li Daniu figured that when it came to clinical trials, the more subjects, the better—only then would he feel safe injecting the vaccine himself.

“Absolutely. This one’s stable now, so we can definitely grab another for the same experiment.”

Robert was keen on the idea—only a vaccine that works broadly is a true cure; if it only helps a single case, it’s all for nothing.

With their plan set, the two returned to their rooms to rest.

For Li Daniu, rest meant meditation and training—an indispensable daily habit. The satisfaction of feeling the Nine Yang Divine Skill’s internal energy grow within him, little by little, was far greater than sleep. Besides, meditation could fully replace sleep in the short term, and even did a better job of restoring his mental state.

Night passed quickly. After breakfast, Li Daniu and Robert, accompanied by Sam, set off by car to the place where they’d found a Darkseeker the day before, intent on catching another.

Halfway there, Robert suddenly slammed on the brakes and stared out the window, frozen.

“What’s wrong?” Li Daniu followed Robert’s gaze and spotted a mannequin standing in front of a building.

“Why is he here? How can he be here? He shouldn’t be here!” Robert’s agitation grew as he babbled incoherently.

“Him? You mean that… mannequin?” Li Daniu knew why the mannequin was there, but he couldn’t say.

“He’s supposed to be in a video store four streets away—I put him there myself. How could he possibly be here?” Robert, standing by the car, was visibly shaken. “If there are other survivors, why would they move a mannequin here? It makes no sense at all.”

“I’ll check it out.” Li Daniu volunteered, fully aware it was a trap—a trap set by the boyfriend of the female Darkseeker they’d captured, all in a bid to save his mate.

“No.” Robert laughed nervously, then suddenly raised his gun and riddled the mannequin with bullets, shattering it completely.

“He’s my friend. I’ll go see him.” With that, Robert strode toward the mannequin.

Li Daniu watched as Robert’s foot stepped into the puddle at the mannequin’s feet and sighed inwardly—there was no escaping fate.

Sure enough, as Robert shouted at the smashed mannequin, a rope suddenly tightened around his ankle, flipping him upside down.

As Robert’s head hit the ground during the swing, Li Daniu’s heart leapt in his chest. If Robert’s brain was damaged, developing the vaccine would be a real problem.

Truth be told, he remembered Robert being strung up, but forgot about the part where Robert hit his head.

He rushed over, severed the rope around Robert’s ankle, and laid him flat on the ground. Relieved to find his breathing stable and the wound on the back of his head minor, Li Daniu used his internal energy to check—there was no bleeding in Robert’s brain, he was merely unconscious.

“Damn it, the details really do decide everything—I almost dug my own grave.” Cursing quietly, Li Daniu glared at the shattered glass doors of the building before him.

He knew that, hidden in the darkness beyond those doors, was the Darkseeker with intelligence and emotions.

“Today, I’ll play matchmaker for you two.”

He carried Robert back into the car, parked it in the brightest sunlight, left Sam inside to watch over him, then grabbed a travel bag and prepared to do a good deed.

At the entrance, Li Daniu could already hear the heavy breathing from within.

“You little brat, today I’ll reunite you with your woman.”

Snapping off a three-foot length of railing as thick as two fingers, Li Daniu charged inside, excitement blazing in his eyes.