Chapter 93: A Nest of Zombies

I was filled with confusion as I faced Link, who had transformed into a zombie. When I gave chase, I asked Tu about it, but he was just as clueless.

Link’s speed was faster than any newly turned zombie I had ever seen, and beyond that speed, he possessed a terrifying level of intelligence. Still, I didn't have time to dwell on it; I bolted after him with all the speed I could muster. To my shock, Link, who was running almost like a human, turned his head and grinned at me. His sharp fangs were bared, and I was left speechless. Was this zombie planning to fly? Was he mocking me? For a moment, I was so furious I wanted to strike him down with a single blow of my sword.

Yet, I found myself unable to keep up with him. The thought of the female zombie he had already gutted sent a chill down my spine; this creature had a way of slipping through my fingers that was deeply unsettling. What on earth had turned Link into this? By all rights, a newly turned zombie shouldn't have such terrifying mobility, and even more impossibly, he possessed a sharp, human-like wit. It was utterly maddening.

"Master, the male zombie went in there!"

"There?"

I skidded to a halt. It was an underground parking garage. Why would Link come here? Was he planning to drive away? Unbelievable!

Just as the thought crossed my mind, the sound of a car horn echoed through the garage. Sitting in the driver’s seat was none other than Link. I felt sick to my stomach; I had never seen a zombie like this before. Even more shocking was that he had only just turned.

Without hesitation, I ran to the road and flagged down a taxi. "Driver, follow that BMW in front!"

The driver eyed me with suspicion. I offered a slow smile and said, "I'm actually an undercover officer busting a pyramid scheme. The guy up there is one of the ringleaders."

The driver nodded immediately. My sweat-drenched appearance only added to the credibility of my lie. The cabbie was a skilled driver, but Link was moving fast. Twenty minutes later, the car pulled up along the Riverside Road. The driver expertly killed the engine at an intersection and turned to look at me.

"That guy looked shifty from the start—not a good person. Good thing I’ve got experience tailing people!"

I nodded, pulled out a hundred-yuan bill, and tossed it to him. He grabbed my hand, shoved the bill back into it, and whispered, "The police and the public are one family, officer. Don't be a stranger. Here’s my card; if you need anything else like this, just call. I’m on call twenty-four hours a day."

I gave a bitter laugh. Having no time to chat, I nodded and set off after Link, who had already ducked into a nearby office building.

"Master, be careful. I sense danger!"

Tu’s voice echoed in my mind the moment I stepped into the lobby. I nodded. My heart was racing, and I gripped my peach-wood sword tightly. I had kept it hidden at my side the whole time—it was the only magical artifact I had on me tonight.

The building was deserted. As I entered, I saw a woman standing in the lobby. She was a female ghost with long, blood-red hair, though only half of her face was visible. I kept the sword hidden behind my back, feigning the appearance of a lost intruder as I made for the stairs.

The ghost began to drift toward me. I noticed a faint smile on the half of her face that was visible. I felt a cold sneer forming inside me. *Come closer, just a little closer.* I prayed silently, knowing that was the only way I could subdue her without drawing attention.

I drew a circle on my palm. Even without biting my middle finger to draw blood, a simple soul-locking charm was enough to bind a minor spirit like her. She finally reached me, wearing a look of triumph; she clearly thought I couldn't see her.

As she reached out with blood-stained fingernails toward my throat, I made myself tremble—a convincing performance.

"Lock!"

Before she could reveal her true, hideous form, I slapped my palm onto the top of her head. She didn't even have a chance to shriek or struggle before Tu instantly enveloped her.

"Master, the male zombie went up to the thirteenth floor!"

The thirteenth floor? This place felt ominous, and my heart began to pound.

I stepped into the elevator and traced a hand seal, stepping inside. An icy, malevolent aura surged out from the elevator.

*Thirteenth floor!*

*Ding!*

The floor was deathly silent. The sound of the elevator bell made my heart jump. I stepped out and immediately spotted a woman standing by the window. Her silhouette and her clothes looked painfully familiar.

"Li Lina!" I almost shouted her name.

"Master, get out of here! This place... this place..."

Tu didn't need to finish. I saw them—a horde of zombies, all shuffling toward me. At the sound of my voice, Li Lina slowly turned around.

*Wasn't Li Lina busy attacking Zhou Ming? Why would she suddenly appear here? Is something fishy going on? Have Xiao Le and Zhou Ming turned into zombies too? And what about Zhang Ningning, who stayed back? Did she turn as well?*

I scanned the swarm of zombies emerging behind Li Lina, but I didn't see Zhou Ming or the others. Where could they be?

On the other side of the room, Link stepped out of a side chamber. He held a glass of blood, offering a slight, innocent smile before draining it in one gulp. So that was his secret: Link’s agility and intelligence came from gorging on fresh blood. It was hard to believe. I looked at Li Lina; she appeared more alluring and charming than before, her hair now a cascading waterfall of black. If she walked out into the street now, no one would ever suspect she was a zombie.

Blood allowed a zombie to evolve rapidly. As the dozen or so zombies closed in on me, I couldn't help but realize that I had gotten myself into serious trouble.