The night was already thick as ink.
The path within the valley was not easy to follow. Even if it was empty and not covered by any trees, the terrain was naturally complex, with winding and branching routes everywhere, and the slightest inattention could lead to getting lost.
Those strange hissing noises in his ears were increasing, and Bai Wushang could not distinguish what they were for a while, so in the spirit of being more cautious, he planned to find a low cave and settle down for the night first.
If he could make it through the night, he would be able to find a way out during daytime with a little more openness.
"Brother Wushang, the floating shipwreck, and the ones sitting on it are all reserve masters who have already passed the initial screening. The Mountain and Sea Academy will do something about it, right?"
Mu Xiaoxiao subconsciously wanted to find some topic to chat with Bai Wushang. It was the first time she had been on a long journey, and it was late at this time, with low visibility, so she was inevitably a little scared.
"Well, the reserve masters are a strategic-level resource everywhere. With so many people dead this time, the Mountain and Sea Academy will definitely send someone to find out what happened. I just don't know if this matter will be discovered in time… In theory, the floating ship has a location signal…"
After thinking about it, Bai Wushang continued, "Still, we have to be prepared for both. We can't pin all our hopes on a rescue from the academy, and we have to try to figure out how to get out of it ourselves."
Mu Xiaoxiao pouted, looking as if she were about to say something.
It had taken her a lot of effort to trick the pestering personal guard into leaving to sneak out, but she hadn't expected to find herself in this situation in the blink of an eye.
Have I been too willful… Mu Xiaoxiao reflected silently as she scolded herself inwardly.
Pata… pata…
There was the sudden sound of someone walking from far to near around the corner ahead. It was abrupt on this silent night.
Bai Wuyou stopped in his tracks, and quickly pressed the fire extinguisher, pulling Mu Xiao Xiao against the side of the mountain wall as the two held their breath.
Could there be survivors?
Bai Wushang's thoughts churned, and after listening carefully, he didn't think that was the case. The other party sounded too strange, walking like a limp, wobbling aimlessly, and occasionally hitting the wall.
However, the direction he was moving forward remained unchanged, getting closer and closer to the position of Bai Wushang Mu Xiaoxiao.
Bai Wushang raised the metal rod in his hand quietly, veins bulging on his wrist, ready to smash down forcefully.
In the darkness, a tall and thin figure caught Bai Wushang's eye.
He looked somewhat awkward in his tattered ancient-style garb, while his arms were tucked into his fat sleeves.
Disgustingly, it was as if he had never bathed. His stained face was unclear, and his body reeked of dead fish.
A message suddenly popped up before his eyes.
[Name]: Hungry Zombie (Wild)
[Race]: Underworld Zombie-type Corpse
[Life Level]: Early youth form
[Bloodline Quality]: Mortal bone level 1
[Status]: Hungry
[Wisdom]: Very low
[Characteristics]: Dark Adaptation/Infection
[Skills]: Corpse Claw, Gnawing
[Gourmet Cell]: 1
"What is this?!"
Bai Wushang's eyes widened. His expression was one of shock.
Seeming to catch a whiff of something, the figure in the darkness paused, and jerked its head around.
"Ah!" Mu Xiaoxiao let out a scream, and was scared out of her wits.
The dim moonlight exposed a horrible human face stained with blood, with badly decayed skin and extremely distorted features. A few fat white maggots were vaguely visible crawling in and out of it, playing merrily.
"Zo-zo-zombie…" Mu Xiaoxiao pointed at the creature. Her hand was shaking, and she couldn't hold the metal rod at all.
"Roar!"
The zombie's glowing green eyes almost fell out in delight. It hadn't touched such a fine-skinned ingredient in a long time, and with a low roar of excitement, it opened its bloody mouth with long thin fangs and pounced.
Dang!
Bai Wushang no longer hesitated, and smashed fiercely into the hungry zombie's head, splashing white and red all over the ground.
Bai Wushang's power now was like a different person's compared to a day ago.
The unrelenting blow directly smashed the zombie to the ground, and after its legs and feet twitched, it stopped moving completely.
[Hunting success, +1 Gourmet Cell]
A line of tiny red letters swept by his eyes as if it were a pop-up.
Bai Wushang shook his head to make sure it wasn't an illusion, forcing down the confusion in his mind as his gaze turned to Mu Xiaoxiao.
"You're not hurt, are you?"
"I'm fine…"
Mu Xiaoxiao shook her head, a little shocked and more than a little ashamed.
She was at least a disciple of a large family, and when she came back to her senses, she naturally understood that this was the lowest and trashiest hungry zombie. Even if she was only a preparatory master, she could easily win in a one-on-one encounter, and she shouldn't have been scared like this, not even having the courage to face it directly.
Bai Wushang was vaguely able to detect Mu Xiao's thoughts. He had experienced life and death many times. He was considered deeply experienced, so he would be more relaxed in the face of unknown dangers, and wouldn't fall into confusion.
Mu Xiaoxiao was different from him. She grew up with half a silver spoon; before this, it was difficult to experience this kind of fear and despair between life and death, and it was inevitable that she would be shocked for a while.
Bai Wushang rubbed Mu Xiaoxiao's head, and didn't say much. He couldn't shelter Mu Xiaoxiao forever, and she, too, needed to grow on her own.
***
They relit the torches, and continued on their way.
This time, Bai Wushang wasn't going to put it out.
He was uninformed earlier, and mistook the zombie for a real person. In the spirit of caution, he extinguished the torch first.
While walking all the way and killing a few more zombies here and there, Bai Wushang began to conceive an idea in his heart. This valley was most likely a zombie valley—nothing flying or walking, only zombies—so it was no wonder the whole way was deathly still, and nothing living could be found.
Transcendent creatures like zombies, especially the lowest class of hungry zombies, had no vision despite their creepy green pupils, and they relied on smell and hearing for their activities.
They feared the sun as much as they feared fire, so they only came out at night, and the darker the night, the more active they were. When it was daylight, they hid underground or in caves to sleep until they came out again the next night to feed.
Finally, Bai Wushang found a suitable cave, and the two of them moved a few large stones to block the mouth of the cave, leaving only a slight gap for air and observation of the outside world.
"Phew, it's almost midnight. That's the point in time when zombies are most active. Thankfully, we found shelter, or we'd have to face hordes of hungry zombies, and maybe even higher-level powerful zombies. It's too dangerous and full of unknowns out there!"
Bai Wushang straightened up and stretched, lying down slightly lazily on the dry ground next to two specially made simple torches, and felt warm and comfortable.
"Yeah, it's been a surreal day…"
Mu Xiaoxiao lay down next to Bai Wushang, looking blankly at the stone wall above her head, her small face filled with a weary look.
"Get some sleep. Don't push yourself. I'll keep watch." Bai Wushang rested just a little before sitting up again, and said, "You're not a master yet. You're not as fit as I am, and you've been emotionally tense all day, so you're awfully tired, right?"
Mu Xiaoxiao opened her mouth, but could not retort, so she could only respond, and turn her head to sleep.
Bai Wushang drifted away in thought as he seriously considered some questions, sitting cross-legged next to the flames.
That attribute panel, what exactly is it?