"Thank you, Boss!"
Badao and Baojun could hardly contain their excitement as they drooled over the corpses.
With their leader's approval, they immediately cleaned the area, dragging the bodies outside. Together with their zombie minions, they indulged in a gruesome feast.
Meanwhile, Zhang Yang consumed the two nascent energy crystals. One granted him 9 energy points, while the other provided 7.
The difference was clearly tied to the degree of awakening.
During the Awakening Stage, an evolver is equivalent to a zero-tier mutant—a nascent phase not yet considered a formal level. True transformation only occurs upon ascending to Tier 1.
The leap from Tier 3 to Tier 4 represents another significant milestone.
As it stands, Zhang Yang, now at Tier 4, surpasses his contemporaries—both mutant creatures and human evolvers—by one or even two levels.
In other words, his strength is far beyond the current version of this world.
This extraordinary achievement, outpacing millions, was precisely what he had envisioned.
It also validated the effort of hoarding tens of thousands of tons of flesh.
"Now that I've reached Tier 4, there's no need to remain confined to Deep Lake Dragonview Community. It's time to expand my territory. There's a horde of zombies waiting to be subdued, and if I can find a few more human survivors, that would be ideal."
Zhang Yang elegantly drained the blood from his goblet as though it were fine wine.
In his deep-set eyes, a crimson, predatory gleam flickered briefly.
Two days later.
Rongfeng District.
The Shelter.
In the conference room, the upper management and evolvers were gathered for an urgent meeting. The shelter was facing a dire situation; the outlook was grim.
"How is the search team faring? Still no news on Team 9?"
A well-dressed man, exuding an air of authority, spoke with visible concern.
Beside him, another administrator replied in a somber tone:
"Of the thirteen search teams we assembled, the results have been mixed. Some have indeed brought back supplies and survivors, easing the pressure on the shelter.
But many encountered danger or complications during their missions."
"In recent days, Team 5 lost three members, Teams 6 and 11 each lost an evolver, and Team 13 returned with only their captain alive. But the worst-case scenario is Team 9."
"After Captain Wang Defa led his team northeast of Rongfeng District, they lost contact on the same day. Now, the entire team is presumed dead."
This grim revelation stirred whispers among the evolvers present:
"That's impossible! Wang Defa may not have reached Tier 1, but he's strong for the Awakening Stage. Plus, Ma Cheng was with him. How could such a capable team meet such a fate? What did they encounter?"
"If they were strong, it could only mean they faced a foe far beyond their abilities. Could there be a formidable mutant creature entrenched in the northeastern part of the city?"
"That's certainly possible..."
A light, flippant voice interrupted their musings.
The conference room door swung open, and a man clad in a standard white lab coat, silver-rimmed glasses perched on his nose, and a casual demeanor strolled in.
"Dr. Chen, you're here."
The crowd greeted him with respect. Not only was no one upset at his tardiness, but many even stood to greet him warmly.
This was Dr. Ming Chen, the shelter's most brilliant scientist.
Renowned for his in-depth research on mutant creatures and evolvers, he had provided invaluable insights and was even developing powerful energy weapons using energy crystals harvested from mutant creatures.
As a peak Tier 1 evolver on the verge of advancing to Tier 2, he commanded considerable respect among the leadership.
Taking the floor, Dr. Chen gestured toward the northeastern section of a projected map of Rongfeng District and began his analysis:
"As you all know, our scouting and search teams have identified approximately ten Tier 1 zombies in the northeast—commonly referred to as 'Zombie Kings.' These creatures command hundreds or even thousands of subordinates and have divided the area into distinct territories.
"I believe Team 9 likely met their end in one of these Zombie Kings' domains. To eliminate this threat, I propose a preemptive strike. While these Zombie Kings are still consolidating their power, we should eradicate them one by one. This would significantly benefit the shelter's long-term survival and development."
His proposal sparked heated discussion, but the group ultimately reached a consensus:
"Dr. Chen, as our leading expert on mutant creatures, your plan aligns perfectly with our goals."
Satisfied, Dr. Chen glanced at the military commander and asked, "Commander Tang, where do you suggest we strike first?"
Commander Tang Jianming rose and took the pointer from Dr. Chen, methodically analyzing the map.
"To achieve swift results, we should target the weakest area first."
He pointed to a region encompassing Deep Lake Dragonview Community and New World Shopping Mall—precisely where Team 9 had disappeared.
"Recent scouting indicates that this area has relatively few zombies of lower levels, with only two or three Zombie Kings. If we deploy our forces strategically, with evolvers leading the charge, we can secure an easy victory and establish a foothold."
Thus, the operational plan took shape. After a thorough discussion, the leadership agreed to commence the mission in the vicinity of Deep Lake Dragonview Community.
The operation was codenamed "Ladder Plan."
Detailed tasks would be finalized and executed in the coming days.
As the shelter prepared for major action, Zhang Yang had already begun his own expansion.
Having solidified his rule over Deep Lake Dragonview Community, he set his sights further afield, determined to either assimilate or annihilate the surrounding zombies.
His first target was the Zombie King entrenched in the nearby New World Shopping Mall, commanding a horde of 800 zombies and boasting Tier 2 strength.
True to his style, Zhang Yang refrained from acting personally. Instead, he dispatched his loyal subordinates, Badao and Baojun, to lead his forces in seizing the territory.