Chapter 158 - 94: Corpse Love
"Hss..."
Chen Zhenguo retracted his foot.
The fury on his face was replaced by profound shock and disbelief.
Even with all his worldly experience, the scene before him left him utterly stunned.
He squatted down.
He closely examined the Corpse General, whose behavior completely defied all common sense.
Then he looked over at Luo Qian, whose eyes were rolling back in his head as he was being crushed.
His brow furrowed into a tight knot.
’What in the world is the origin of that filthy thing inside Luo Qian? How can it have such a bizarre power? Even a Fifth-Grade zombie this violent and bloodthirsty becomes so docile after being drawn to it?’
’This is practically a major discovery in the history of zombie research—or rather, a major mystery!’
When Luo Qian heard the Headmaster’s tone seemingly soften, he immediately seized the opportunity, wailing and pleading:
"Headmaster, you’re brilliant! Headmaster, you’re mighty! Please don’t kill my baby! I’m begging you! Look how well-behaved it is now!"
Chen Zhenguo stood up, brushed the dust from his pant legs, glanced at Luo Qian, and said with a cold snort,
"Hmph. A living zombie is naturally more valuable for research than a pile of dead meat. If it can be captured alive, of course we won’t waste the opportunity."
Upon hearing this, a look of ecstatic relief spread across Luo Qian’s face.
But then Chen Zhenguo’s tone shifted, suddenly becoming incredibly serious, even grave.
"However, Luo Qian! You’re celebrating too soon, kid! Your trouble... is only just beginning! And it’s big trouble! Huge trouble!"
"Huh?" The smile on Luo Qian’s face froze instantly. He stared blankly at the Headmaster. "Wha... What do you mean?"
Chen Zhenguo said coldly,
"If word gets out that you can attract zombies—and even make them docile—do you have any idea what the consequences will be? Your old man won’t be able to protect you! The school won’t be able to protect you! Not even the entire Yangcheng Base will be able to protect you!"
Luo Qian’s expression went completely blank.
Lin Yi’s expression also became incredibly grave in an instant.
No one present was a fool.
They all understood the terrifying implications of the Headmaster’s words.
Everyone’s face turned grim.
In this day and age, exploring the ancient tombs that held the legacies of Pre-Qin Qi Cultivators was the single most important path for all Martial Artists to pursue power and seek breakthroughs.
There was no other.
And within these ancient tombs, aside from the mysterious arrays, deadly traps, and ferocious guardian Demon Beasts, the greatest threat, the one that made everyone’s blood run cold just to speak of it, were the powerful zombies formed from the corpses of Qi Cultivators!
They were impervious to weapons, possessed immense strength, and their corpse venom was fatal—a persistent nightmare for countless explorers.
And Luo Qian?
He possessed the bizarre ability to attract zombies, and even render them harmless!
What did this mean?
It meant that to the top-tier powerhouses and major factions, all desperate to delve deep into ancient tombs in search of opportunities, Luo Qian was a living, irreplaceable Divine Artifact!
A super Protective Talisman that could drastically reduce the death rate of tomb explorations and increase the chances of success!
His value was enough to drive any expert, any faction, into a frenzy!
When that time came, it would no longer be a matter of invitations.
It would be a scramble!
A fight!
They would resort to any and all means to get him under their control!
They would drag him into the tombs, even if they had to tie him up to do it!
But the problem was, because of that filthy thing inside him, Luo Qian couldn’t even break through to become a First-Grade Martial Artist!
A regular person, not even a Martial Artist, tagging along to explore those perilous Pre-Qin tombs where one could be annihilated without a trace at any moment?
What was that if not a death wish?
Even if the zombies in the tomb didn’t harm him, the lethal traps, terrifying arrays, and ferocious guardian Demon Beasts could take his life in an instant!
A sudden chill shot through Lin Yi’s heart.
He instantly made a connection to his own situation!
’Luo Qian’s value lies in attracting zombies, which is useful for tomb raiding.’
’And the Heart Fire Spiritual Essence inside my body has a natural restraining and incinerating effect on all things dark and evil. It’s also a Big Killing Artifact for dealing with zombies and ghosts during tomb explorations!’
’In a way...’
’...I’m a tomb-raiding mascot too!’
’If my secret gets out, I’ll also attract an unimaginable amount of greed and conflict!’
"You need to think clearly about the gravity of this situation!" Chen Zhenguo said in a low voice, looking at the ashen-faced Luo Qian. "As soon as we get back, you must—immediately! right away!—apply to the highest level of the government for the ’Special Talent Protection Program’! It’s your only way out of this alive!"
He took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing his worries. He waved his hand at the crowd, his voice laced with exhaustion.
"Alright, we shouldn’t linger here. Let’s go. Back to the ancient tomb! The zombies that escaped should have all been cleared out by now. It’s time to go back and collect our spoils."
𝙛𝒓𝓮𝙚𝔀𝒆𝒃𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝒐𝒎
Their entire reason for entering Wangwu Mountain was for the inheritance of its original master.
Naturally, they needed to retrieve it as soon as possible.
「Just then.」
Luo Qian’s muffled voice struggled out from beneath the Corpse General’s massive body:
"H-Headmaster... Have a heart! Can... can you help me roll this thing over first? It’s... it’s really about to crush me into a pancake! My bones... my bones are going to break!"
Chen Zhenguo sneered.
"Weren’t you going to be a summoner? Aren’t you so badass? Why don’t you make the zombie roll over for you!"
Luo Qian was on the verge of tears, his face flushed red with exertion.
"I... I can’t command it! All it knows how to do is pin me down and lick me! I want it to move, but it won’t listen!"
"Hmph! It’s just licking you, not fucking you. What are you so afraid of? Endure it!"
Chen Zhenguo grunted irritably. He was clearly not a man of great magnanimity and was still holding a grudge over Luo Qian’s earlier boasting.
With a grand wave of his hand, he ignored Luo Qian’s wails.
He turned and led the group of teachers—all of whom wore complicated expressions and kept glancing back—swiftly away from the ravaged forest, heading back towards the ancient tomb.