Chapter 53: Donghai, Third Time
After opening the login panel, Lin Jiayao didn’t immediately choose a location.
She waited until her hair was slightly drier.
She didn’t want to experience a splitting headache or a cold upon returning from the login state.
Although her bones were strong, her body was still frail.
It was a pity she hadn’t encountered any more Sprinters and thus couldn’t choose the [Robust] evolution.
After drying her hair to the point of slight frizziness, Lin Jiayao wheeled herself to the bed and climbed back in.
Her sister could return at any time, and sleeping in bed seemed more natural than sleeping in a wheelchair.
Besides, sleeping for so long was strange enough already.
Closing her eyes, Lin Jiayao mentally selected the third zombie slot and chose Donghai City.
Her consciousness sank into darkness and then sensed light again.
But this time, besides the familiar jolt of fragmented memories, there was also a cacophony of noise.
Opening her eyes, Lin Jiayao found herself standing on a street.
The street was no longer as clean as it had been at noon, now covered in trash, rubble, and vegetable debris.
It seemed to have been affected by a massive shockwave.
Looking towards the government building, the five-story structure was now a pile of rubble. Countless people were rushing towards it, moving debris and searching for survivors.
But what they were digging out filled everyone with fear and confusion.
“Hiss…”
Lin Jiayao frowned, raising a hand to her forehead, feeling the chaotic memories swirling in her mind.
She could control this body, which meant its original owner was dead.
Soon, she had full access to this body’s information.
Her name was An Xiaoxi, 22 years old, an Awakened.
She had also awakened her ability shortly after the apocalypse began, and her ability… surprised even Lin Jiayao.
It wasn’t combat-related but targeted humans.
Those affected by her ability would subconsciously feel goodwill and friendliness towards her.
While seemingly useless in combat, it had helped her survive for two years and safely reach Donghai City three years ago.
Thanks to this ability, she had become something of a mascot in Donghai City and even hosted the Survivor’s Light radio program.
Unfortunately, this ability hadn’t protected her from the fungal infection. She was dead.
Knowing her current identity, Lin Jiayao turned and ran in the opposite direction of the explosion.
She had not only this body’s memories but also Xie Yi’s.
Controlling this body, she quickly reached the combat department building, ran up the stairs, and headed for the tenth floor.
Everyone in the combat department had been drawn to the explosion; the building was empty.
Reaching Xie Yi’s office, Lin Jiayao opened the door, went behind the desk, and crouched down beside the safe.
“Click, click, click, click, click,”
She expertly spun the dial and opened the safe.
Inside were two complete blood crystals.
Without Nest Zombies, two blood crystals were indeed a small fortune.
Lin Jiayao took the pistol from the safe and put the two blood crystals inside.
Most of the Blood Orb Fungus abilities required energy or blood crystals; she had to ensure she had a readily available supply.
Besides the blood crystals, there was also an apartment key, a car key, a broken cell phone, and a faded, dog-eared photo of Xie Yi with her parents.
Although she often complained about her parents’ strictness and forcing her to choose a major she didn’t like, she had kept this photo.
Lin Jiayao paused and relocked the safe.
If anything happened, at least the sturdy safe would protect these precious memories.
With the blood crystals, Lin Jiayao finally had some fighting power.
But if she encountered that white-haired girl again, she would likely still be no match for her and would have to rely on the pistol.
Ready, Lin Jiayao quickly went downstairs, left the building, and ran back towards the government building.
But by now, Awakened were maintaining order and dispersing the crowd.
“Don’t come any closer! Go back and wait for further instructions!”
“Please don’t proceed! Any information will be announced in tomorrow’s news bulletin.”
“Back! Back!”
The guards were struggling to control the crowd.
However, upon seeing Lin Jiayao, they exchanged glances and let her pass.
She was, after all, an Awakened.
Crossing the security perimeter, Lin Jiayao reached the site of the explosion.
But as soon as she arrived, she saw a familiar figure, his hands trembling as he knelt on the ground, trying to piece together a mangled corpse.
It was the bespectacled man who had invited Xie Yi to the hot pot gathering.
Bu Xiaolong, who had been playing PSP with him, stared at the ruins in horror, as if he had seen something unspeakable.
Lin Jiayao walked over and patted Bu Xiaolong’s shoulder.
He flinched violently, as if startled out of his wits.
“Come with me,” Lin Jiayao said, then looked at the other Awakened around them.
There were few Awakened without any visible signs of the fungal infection, but there were still some.
Bu Xiaolong, after a moment of dazed confusion, snapped out of it and followed Lin Jiayao.
“Where are you going?” the bespectacled man asked, standing up and wiping his bloodstained hands. “Didn’t they already find Captain Xie’s body?”
“I have some business,” Bu Xiaolong replied vaguely, continuing to follow Lin Jiayao.
He didn’t even know why he was following her.
Everything he had seen in the ruins defied logic.
The blood-red tendrils spreading across the debris, the grotesque, never-before-seen zombies being dug out…
And most importantly, his best friend seemed oblivious to the tendrils, as if only he could see them.
Lost and confused, he would have followed anyone who offered direction.
What had happened in the government building? Why had this place, once the residence and office of the leadership, become like this…?
Or… had he simply gone insane?
His gaze focused on the woman with the ponytail in front of him.
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