C20 Tahn and Rona

Sure enough, after Fei Liang had sprinted for over a kilometer, the scattered zombies were no longer in sight, thanks largely to the unbroken stretch of buildings that obstructed the view between Fei Liang and the undead.

It was, of course, impossible to avoid them entirely. Even though the initial zombies had vanished, Fei Liang still occasionally encountered some hapless ones along the way, which he dispatched with ease, inadvertently absorbing them into his own power.

"Hmm? What's happening?" After running for over twenty minutes, Fei Liang reached a broad highway. To his surprise, several kilometers ahead, he saw dozens of zombies congregating near a small building, doing something he couldn't quite discern.

"Meier, what are those zombies up to?" Fei Liang paused and inquired telepathically. He wasn't intimidated by the zombies; after more than twenty minutes, he was nearly back to full strength. But charging in without a clear understanding of the situation would be foolish.

"Mr. Fei, those zombies are attacking a man and a woman," Meier informed him.

"People? Meier, there are still survivors on this zombie-infested planet?" Fei Liang exclaimed, astonished. He had assumed the planet was devoid of life.

"Yes, Mr. Fei. On the Apocalyptic Civilization 002 planet, which is 3.127 times larger than Earth, the original population was over 130 billion. Now, more than 99% have turned into zombies, leaving fewer than 30 million humans, and that number is dwindling," Meier explained.

"Hiss, 130 billion zombies!" Fei Liang sucked in a breath, a shiver running down his spine. Twenty million humans might seem significant, but they paled in comparison to 130 billion zombies.

"But imagine if I could eliminate all 130 billion zombies—how much power would that yield? Two hundred billion? Three hundred billion, or more?" Fei Liang's thoughts quickly shifted from shock to ambition as he began to dream of the possibilities.

"…" Meier was at a loss for words. Was this eccentric man really the proud brother she knew, or had his personality shifted so drastically?

"Right, focus on the task at hand." Regaining his composure, Fei Liang hastened toward the mass of zombies. After all, this was the first time he had encountered other humans on the Zombie Planet.

As Fei Liang drew nearer, he slowly realized that the structure before him was, in fact, a gas station.

"Tahn, I think someone's approaching," said the woman, trapped amidst a horde of Zombies, calling out to the man.

Fei Liang would have been astounded had he heard her. Despite being a couple of kilometers away and amidst the cacophony of dozens of Zombies, she could detect someone's approach—a feat not even Fei Liang could manage.

With a mighty shout, "Ha!" Tahn, a towering figure with extraordinary strength, wielded an iron rod weighing over 150 pounds. A single sweep sent three or four Zombies flying, their bodies smashing to the ground in tatters.

"Panting heavily, "Rona, are you sure you heard right?" Tahn, still catching his breath after dispatching several more Zombies, asked the woman. Yet, he harbored little doubt, knowing Rona was an Evolver with enhanced senses of both smell and hearing.

"Yes, the footsteps are quick. It must be another Evolver," Rona confidently replied while her twin blades decapitated two advancing Zombies. Temporarily, the undead could not overcome the duo.

"An Evolver!" Tahn's alertness spiked. On this planet, not just Zombies, but humans—especially Evolvers—posed a great threat.

Unaware of Tahn and the others' heightened wariness, Fei Liang had already arrived at the scene.

"Hey!" Tahn bellowed, knocking down several more Zombies, but found himself face-to-face with a K2, locked in a standoff.

"Die!" Fei Liang cut through the Zombie crowd in a flash, sending five or six heads soaring. He had just translated his language to align with this world's, a necessity for communication.

"A second-generation Evolver!" Tahn exclaimed, his brow furrowed, his caution escalating. He and Rona were merely first-generation Evolvers.

As Zombies evolved, humans had to evolve to survive. A first-generation Evolver matched a K2, a second-generation a K3, and a third-generation a K4, and so on.

"Hmm? An intelligent zombie?" Fei Liang hadn't picked up on Tahn's expression, as he was preoccupied with a zombie whose eyes glowed with an eerie red light, and he was swiftly moving to engage it.

This encounter proved far easier than the last. In under ten rounds, Fei Liang had effortlessly dispatched K2. And in less than twenty minutes, he had eliminated all the zombies, leaving Tahn and his companions utterly astounded.

"What are you after?" Tahn asked, his voice laced with suspicion as Fei Liang approached him and Rona.

"I think she needs medical attention," Fei Liang replied calmly, gesturing towards Rona's wounds. He understood Tahn's caution; on this zombie-infested planet, humans could be just as perilous as the undead, sometimes even more so. And since Tahn's group was vulnerable, their animosity towards him was to be expected.

"There's no need! My sister can heal on her own!" Tahn exclaimed, his voice loud. Rona was quite attractive, and he couldn't help but worry. Water, food, resources, and women were always coveted by the powerful.

"Don't get the wrong idea; I mean you no harm," Fei Liang said with a slight smile. "If I had any malicious intent, do you really think you could stop me? Your sister is seriously injured; she needs care."

Tahn glanced at Fei Liang, then at his sister, who was clutching her wound, sweat beads the size of peas falling to the ground. He hesitated before finally nodding. Fei Liang was right—if someone with the capabilities of a second or even third-generation Evolver meant them harm, they would stand no chance.

Relieved, Fei Liang walked over and knelt beside Rona, gently helping her to sit upright. He placed a hand on her shoulder and said, "Meier, start the healing process."

Tahn stood by, his anxiety palpable. He was nervous about Fei Liang's potential threat and equally worried about Rona's injuries.

Then, a white light flashed, and before Tahn's eyes, Rona's wound began to close at a visibly rapid pace. In no time at all, she was completely healed.

"A healing Evolver!" The realization dawned on Tahn.

"Mr. Fei, the cost is just two crystals," Meier reported to Fei Liang.

"Thanks," Tahn replied, his surprise giving way to relief. He recounted the events to Fei Liang upon being asked.

The incident was much as Fei Liang had surmised: Tahn and Rona had been refueling at the gas station when they were ambushed by zombies, leading to the scene Fei Liang had witnessed earlier.

Regarding the car, it had been obscured by zombies before but was now visible.

"Why did you save us?" Tahn asked, his expression a mix of emotions.

"Because it's been a long time since I've seen one of my own kind. Is that reason enough?" Fei Liang responded with a light chuckle.

"It's not good. I've spotted a group of zombies about twenty kilometers ahead, and for some reason, they're heading this way. Quick, get in the car!" Tahn's face turned grave mid-sentence, and he hurriedly ushered Rona into the vehicle before turning to Fei Liang.

"No need for me; I have other matters to attend to. You go on ahead," Fei Liang said with a reassuring smile. Zombies? He was actually looking forward to another encounter.

"Alright then, good luck to you!" Tahn gave Fei Liang a long, meaningful look before starting the car and speeding off. Fei Liang watched them go, a smile on his face.

"Brother, but..." Rona voiced her concern from inside the car, realizing she didn't even know the name of the man who had saved her life.

"Don't worry, Rona. He's not just strong; he's a true Evolver!" Tahn, oblivious to Rona's concern, kept his eyes on the road as they vanished from Fei Liang's view.

"Meier, how many crystals do I have?" Fei Liang inquired casually while he waited.

"Before, you had 951 crystals. From killing zombies, you gained another 313. After spending 80 for Realm Energy, Mr. Fei, you now possess 1,184 crystals."

"313 crystals?" Fei Liang nodded in approval. That made sense; he had slain a couple of hundred zombies. On Earth, he would have been long dead.

"Mr. Fei, Meier advises against waiting here. With your current prowess, ordinary zombies pose no threat. However, your mental fortitude and grasp of human nature could use deepening. Thus, Meier suggests you travel to a new apocalyptic planet to further explore the depths of humanity." Meier's advice echoed in Fei Liang's mind, giving him pause to consider.

"Human nature, huh?" Fei Liang murmured, a spark of light flickering in his eyes. "Alright, let's set our sights on a new planet with an Apocalyptic Civilization!"

In a flash of white, Fei Liang vanished from sight.