Chapter 134: Run or Surrender?
The tent flap was thrown open.
Zombie soldiers immediately began pouring outside as more followed behind them until nearly forty had gathered around the tent.
Most were still Unranked, although their Levels were noticeably higher than the ordinary zombies Cain had encountered on Earth.
Then the stronger ones appeared.
A dozen 1st Echelon zombies stepped out among them.
Their equipment was noticeably better than that of the weaker soldiers. Several carried properly forged weapons, while pieces of dark metal armor protected their bodies.
Finally, a middle-aged man walked through the entrance.
From a distance, Cain might not have immediately recognized him as a zombie.
His skin possessed only a faint gray tint compared to the others. Short dark hair covered his head, while a neatly trimmed beard framed the lower half of his face.
The dull crimson color of his eyes was the clearest sign of what he was.
Heavy gauntlets covered both forearms.
Cain’s golden pupils narrowed faintly.
Information immediately appeared before him.
[Zombie Race]
[Level: 60]
[Echelon: 2nd Echelon]
Cain raised one hand and his group immediately slowed down.
The middle-aged zombie studied the approaching humans.
Instead of immediately becoming hostile, amusement gradually appeared on his face.
"Oh?"
His gaze settled on Cain.
"It has already been discovered?"
Cain raised an eyebrow as he found such an interesting reaction.
The zombie looked across the twelve humans standing before him before suddenly laughing.
"With only this many people, you actually dared to enter?"
Nobody answered his mockery.
The middle-aged zombie seemed even more amused by their silence.
"You really don’t understand where you’ve stepped into, don’t you?"
He spread one arm toward the surrounding ruins.
"Did you not see them on your way here?"
Cain’s gaze briefly shifted toward the enormous remains behind them.
"The giants?"
The zombie’s smile widened.
"Exactly."
The middle-aged zombie continued as he glanced toward the shattered structures scattered across the region.
"They entered this Corridor believing they could save their world too."
His voice carried obvious mockery.
"They failed, of course..."
Several people in Cain’s group became more serious.
Professor Irina looked toward the dozen 1st Echelon soldiers standing around the tent.
Cole tightened his grip on his bow.
Sonya’s earlier excitement had faded as she quietly observed the enemy force in front of them.
A 2nd Echelon zombie supported by twelve 1st Echelon soldiers was already enough to threaten most newly advanced human groups.
The middle-aged zombie clearly expected them to understand that.
"That race was not the first."
He looked toward the distant ruins with a vicious smile.
"And they certainly won’t be the last."
Cain’s interest immediately increased with such a story.
The zombie continued.
"Many worlds have attempted the same thing you’re doing now."
He continued as he slowly shook his head.
"But very few ever managed to succeed."
His gaze then returned to Cain.
"Naturally, your world won’t become one of them."
Instead of being discouraged, Cain’s eyes brightened.
"Can you tell me more?"
The zombie paused as he was being taken aback by the question.
"What?"
"About the worlds that succeeded. You said there were a few." Cain smiled calmly.
He tilted his head slightly.
"What happened?"
The middle-aged zombie stared at him.
For several seconds, genuine confusion appeared on his face.
He had clearly expected fear after showing them the fate of the giant race, or anger would have made sense too.
Even immediately retreating after seeing their numbers would have been a reasonable reaction.
Instead, the human standing in front of him looked genuinely curious about the history he had just mentioned.
The zombie suddenly laughed heartily.
"You humans really are interesting."
Cain waited for him to continue.
"Unfortunately..."
The amusement gradually disappeared from the zombie’s face as mana began spreading from his body.
"I don’t have time to entertain you."
The surrounding 1st Echelon soldiers immediately moved forward.
The weaker zombies drew their weapons and prepared themselves as well.
The middle-aged zombie looked directly at Cain.
"So?" His lips curved upward as he continued, "What are you going to do now?"
"Run?"
He paused briefly.
"Or surrender?"
Cain raised an eyebrow.
"Run? Surrender?"
The zombie’s smile widened at his reaction.
"How about a third option?" Cain chuckled softly.
The middle-aged zombie became slightly interested again.
"Third option?"
"Yes."
Cain raised his right hand.
Golden-white Fire gathered above his palm before rapidly stretching outward. The flames compressed around one another, growing brighter as more Solar energy was forced into an increasingly narrow shape.
Within moments, a blazing lance had formed in his grip.
The middle-aged zombie’s expression changed slightly when he felt the energy contained within it.
Cain smiled.
"We will just fight to the death."
The zombie released a slow sigh and shook his head.
"You’ve made a very large mistake."
Cain did not bother responding as the True Ruin Energy immediately circulated through his right arm. Dark-gray energy flowed beneath his skin and reinforced his muscles as he tightened his grip around the blazing lance.
The moment Cain shifted his body into a throwing stance, Piercing Momentum naturally took effect.
He glanced toward the others.
"Go."
Bluish-white Lightning flashed as Ron vanished from his position.
Elara drew her sword and rushed forward immediately after him, while Nathan had already pulled back his bowstring.
Cain stepped forward, his right arm snapped out and the golden-white lance disappeared from his hand.
The middle-aged zombie’s expression changed completely.
His arms crossed in front of his face as Mana surged into the heavy gauntlets protecting his forearms.
Boom!
The first gauntlet immediately shattered, and the second broke apart immediately afterward.
His reinforced forearms managed to endure for only another fraction of a second before the condensed Solar energy tore straight through flesh and bone.
The zombie’s eyes widened.
The lance continued without losing any noticeable momentum as it pierced directly through the center of his forehead.
His head snapped backward as a blazing hole opened through the back of his skull.
The remaining Solar energy continued past him before erupting against the ground several meters away, leaving the surrounding soil blackened from the heat.
For a brief moment, the zombie remained standing with both ruined arms still raised in front of him.
Then his body collapsed.
[Ding! You have killed a Level 60 2nd Echelon Zombie Race Soldier.]
[Ding! You have obtained Strength +3, Agility +5, Physique +4, and Sense +3]
[World-Class Mission Zone Bonus applied.]
[Experience gained: 200%.]
[Ding! You have leveled up to level 26, Obtaining 6 Free Stat Points.]
[Ding! You have leveled up to level 27, Obtaining 6 Free Stat Points.]
[Ding! You have leveled up to level 28, Obtaining 6 Free Stat Points.]
...
[Ding! You have leveled up to level 41, Obtaining 6 Free Stat Points.]
[Ding! You have obtained 300,000 System Points.]
Cain’s eyes remained on the notifications for several seconds.
Sixteen Levels.
Even though he had expected a huge amount of Experience from killing a Level 60 2nd Echelon being, jumping straight from Level 25 to Level 41 was still far more than he had anticipated.
Then he remembered where they were.
The World-Class Mission Zone doubled all Experience gained inside the Invasion Corridor.
"Right..."
That explained the ridiculous increase.
His gaze then shifted toward the final notification.
150,000 System Points.