“Interesting? What the heck…”
Ling Mo was still feeling a bit dazed. It wasn’t because of exhaustion but the mental strain he’d endured in such a short period. Controlling three Zombie Puppets simultaneously-two of which were constantly in high-alert mode-was no small task. If he hadn’t temporarily “let go” of his main body control, it would’ve been nearly impossible to hold out until now.
However, this grueling experience wasn’t without its upside. As the aftereffects gradually subsided, Ling Mo felt as if his psychic light cluster was “unwinding.” His mind had never felt so clear. If he had to describe it, it was like holding one’s breath until the breaking point, then taking a deep, relieving gasp of air.
The strain from overloading seemed to have triggered Ling Mo’s potential, subtly enhancing his control abilities. Once these changes accumulated to a certain level, they would undoubtedly trigger a qualitative transformation-one even he couldn’t foresee.
But now wasn’t the time for introspection. Just as he rubbed his temples, Yuwen Xuan pulled him to the window.
This sudden yank caused the question Ling Mo was about to ask to get stuck in his throat, though he couldn’t help but grow curious about what these two were up to.
Mu Chen, pushed aside, kept staring out of the window without so much as blinking. Without turning his head, he asked, “Did you detect something?”
“A little chaotic. I’ll explain in a sec,” Ling Mo replied vaguely.
“Exactly, don’t rush with questions. Let’s fill him in on what’s happening first,” Yuwen Xuan added from the side.
Mu Chen sighed reluctantly, stretched out his hand, and peeled the curtain open a bit more. “See that?”
“There’s someone over there!” Yuwen Xuan said eagerly.
Narrowing his eyes, Ling Mo took a glance and immediately frowned.
Sure enough, there was someone… The figure was pressed against the corner of an alley, cautiously peeking outward.
His first thought was the person outside the vent earlier. But considering the densely packed Zombies on the street, he quickly dismissed the idea.
Judging by the timeline, there was no way someone could have made their way from Rosen Company to this location so quickly. Ling Mo’s ability to switch perspectives gave him speed far superior to someone on foot. Unless that person had the power of teleportation.
But thinking further, even if this wasn’t the person Li Yalin had seen, they must still be from the same group. In such a small area, it was highly unlikely to have three separate groups of Survivors all at once. Like Yuwen Xuan and Mu Chen, Ling Mo also silently ruled out the possibility of these people being Falcon members. In fact, the likelihood of them being from Niepan was just as slim.
“Since they keep approaching the Rosen Company and even found such an entrance, it means they must have been here for a long time. I’m guessing they’re probably the group Xiao Yue Er mentioned, right? That means not only did they manage to get close to the Rosen Company, but they also successfully captured the zombie Huahua at some point. The two human gestation pods I saw earlier must have been their companions… After multiple failures, are they at it again today? Could it be because they’ve figured out our intentions?”
As Ling Mo was lost in thought, he heard Mu Chen mutter softly, “I noticed this guy before, once already. A few minutes ago, he reappeared and started sneaking around… Look, he’s moving again.”
Sure enough, the person lingered for a moment, then timidly emerged from his hiding spot. After sprinting a few steps, he ducked into a shop along the street. A few seconds later, he peeked out again, cautiously glancing in the direction where Mu Chen and the others were hiding. Then, his gaze turned toward the Rosen Company building.
“Captain, what do you think?” Mu Chen asked. “I’m sure he has companions, and they’ve already spotted us. Yuwen said their target might be us, but now I feel like they’re observing and guarding against us, while their real focus is on the building.”
“That’s possible…” Yuwen Xuan said, rubbing his chin. “But it’s kind of odd, isn’t it? They’ve been here for quite some time, haven’t they? Why wait until now to be interested in the building? I think it’s because they know our target is that building, so they want to take the lead and secure a position before us. Then they could use it to bargain with us. A head-on confrontation isn’t worth it; extorting some leverage is the smarter move.”
“Your line of thinking is dark…” Mu Chen muttered with a click of his tongue. “But… you might have a point.”
“Mu Chen’s right,” Ling Mo finally said, startling the other two.
Especially Mu Chen, who instinctively blurted, “I was just guessing…”
“They’re targeting the company. As for us, our presence might be an unexpected opportunity for them.” This explained why they were peering cautiously at the building but hadn’t entered. Most likely, this was a preliminary probe of the area. Their real operation would only begin after Ling Mo and his group made their move.
As for the person tasked with ‘observing’…
“Look, the nearest Zombie is less than thirty meters from him. There’s nothing between them except a small flowerbed, no real obstructions. How could someone move so quietly and seamlessly under the Zombies’ noses, yet somehow be easily noticed by you two? His actions might seem flawless at first glance, but that alone is enough to raise suspicion,” Ling Mo explained. ℝᴀN𝐎βÈ𐌔
“What does that mean?” Yuwen Xuan asked, frowning. Both he and Mu Chen looked puzzled, unable to make sense of Ling Mo’s confident conclusion. How could he glean so much just by observing? It almost felt like he was making wild assumptions. However, the two of them shared one common trait-a sort of implicit, even blind, trust in Ling Mo. So despite their confusion, they didn’t question him. Instead, they chose to probe further.
“It means,” Ling Mo said with a cold chuckle, “he deliberately let you notice him. His goal is to make you speculate about their movements, and in doing so, force you to act prematurely. Seeing us retreat here to rest is probably making them anxious right now.”
His tone carried a hint of malice. After all, only Ling Mo had gathered enough insight about this group, thanks to the information he had indirectly extracted from the Zombies at the Rosen Company. He hadn’t anticipated encountering this group so soon, let alone that they’d make the first move to approach.
Mu Chen, visibly annoyed, raised his gun and said, “Then why don’t we go ahead and deal with him now? If you don’t want him dead, I can bring him back alive.”
Ling Mo quickly stopped him. “Don’t act so rashly. They’re trying to use us, but who says we can’t use them in return? Besides, making such a bold move means they’ve likely been observing us for quite some time. They know we’re well-armed and capable of moving through the city with ease, yet they still decided to act. That level of confidence in their abilities means they’re not to be underestimated. There’s no need to scare them off right away by making a reckless move just because we’ve seen one of them.”
To Yuwen Xuan and Mu Chen, this sounded like pure speculation, but Ling Mo was certain he was stating facts. Anyone capable of capturing the Zombie Huahua and repeatedly harassing the Rosen Company’s Zombies couldn’t possibly be weak.
Reluctantly, Mu Chen lowered his weapon and asked, “So what do we do now?”
“Yeah…” Yuwen Xuan chimed in, nodding in agreement.
No wonder the two of them couldn’t come up with a plan. Ever since Ling Mo woke up, they had been bombarded with one information overload after another.
They listened closely, appearing to grasp the situation, but every time Mu Chen and Yuwen Xuan exchanged glances, all they saw in each other’s eyes was the same unspoken phrase: every word makes sense, but I don’t fully get it. Ling Mo analyzed the situation, so naturally, the solution would have to come from him as well. As for them? All they had to do was follow his lead.
“You two are giving up way too quickly! Especially you, Mad Xuan! You’re the leader of Miracle Base, for crying out loud. Couldn’t you at least try to show some shred of dignity as a leader?” Ling Mo gave them an exasperated look before continuing, “They’re watching us, aren’t they? Fine, we’ll just turn the tables and give them a taste of their own medicine.”
“Sounds good!” Yuwen Xuan slapped his thigh approvingly before sheepishly adding, “Uh… how do we do that?”
Ling Mo rubbed his temples, clearly exhausted by their helplessness. “Leave that to me. By the way, have Ye Kai and the others been informed about this?”
“Not yet. We’ve been keeping watch here as backup for you,” Mu Chen replied.
“Go tell them, but make sure they don’t act rashly. They need to stay where they are for now. Once I’ve figured out the situation, we’ll be able to move accordingly,” Ling Mo instructed.
“Got it!”
Yuwen Xuan perked up with excitement. Despite only having rested for a short while, it was clear he was already itching for action.
Ling Mo found this enthusiasm a bit surprising. Ever since they set out, Yuwen Xuan had been unusually energized-especially when it came to exploring certain buildings. His anticipation and eagerness felt strikingly different from his usual behavior.
“Has being a leader for a while just made him crazier…?”
On second thought, Ling Mo realized that everyone in the squad had their own private motivations. Xu Shuhan, Ye Kai, Gu Shuangshuang… even Ling Mo himself carried the constant desire to see Ye Lian and the others evolve and recover.
“Ugh, I’ll focus on this situation first.”
As Ling Mo listened to Yuwen Xuan and Mu Chen’s footsteps retreating downstairs, his expression turned grim. His eyes grew colder, fixed on the figure outside.
Whatever that group’s ultimate goal was, one thing was certain-they meant no good for Ling Mo and his team.
“If that’s the case, there’s no need for me to go easy on them. Humans… when it comes to protecting their own interests, they’re no different from Zombies tearing at each other’s throats. Like Fang Ying once said, everything anyone does… it’s all just to survive.”
As Ling Mo mused, the figure popped his head out again, nervously scanning his surroundings.
After glancing around for a moment, the man suddenly froze, as though sensing something, and sharply looked up at Ling Mo’s window.
Whoosh…
A light breeze stirred, subtly swaying the curtain at the window. Yet through the faint gap, no trace of a figure could be seen.
The man’s brows furrowed tightly, his expression shifting subtly. “Did I imagine it?”
After a few seconds, the man turned his gaze back toward the building. A glint of desperation flashed in his eyes as he clenched his fists tightly. His expression grew heated, filled with determination.
“No matter what, this is our chance… This time, we have to succeed. Even if it means turning all of them into decoys!”
Taking a deep breath to steady himself, the flushed color on his face gradually faded as his fists loosened slightly.
“We will succeed!”