Chapter 54: Oneself Is the True Way

"So tense?"

Chester Pearson chuckled and continued directing everyone to clear the obstacles from the road.

Nina Jacobs saw Ian Chandler get out of the car as well to help clear the way.

Something seemed to flash past in the car’s rearview mirror.

"You guys stay in the car."

With that, Nina Jacobs got out and headed straight for Ian Chandler.

’I’m not sure if my eyes were playing tricks on me,’ she thought. ’After all, it was just a shadow in the rearview mirror.’

’It’d be fine if it was just my imagination, but if not, this could be trouble.’

"Nina, we’re almost done."

Ian Chandler walked to the side of the road and, with a RUMBLE, dumped a pile of rocks out of his space.

He had noticed that the other Space Superpower Users had to physically touch objects to store them. He’d tried to demonstrate his own method, but it seemed he was the only one who could do it without contact.

"Okay. As fast as you can."

Nina Jacobs scanned their surroundings. Chester Pearson had actually done a good job; a circle of his team members was on high alert, able to eliminate any zombies that might rush out from any direction.

"Where did you get that blade?"

Chester Pearson, who had lit a cigarette at some point, walked over when he saw the long blade in Nina Jacobs’s hand.

The blade had a long hilt, but it looked surprisingly suitable in her grasp.

It gave her a dashing, heroic air, reminiscent of classical Chinese aesthetics.

"Found it."

’I really wanted to say it was my reward for killing Keaton Sloan.’

"Can I take a look?"

"No."

Nina Jacobs took two steps back. The Fire Roaring Blade was a system reward; she couldn’t just let anyone examine it.

"Sorry."

Chester Pearson thought Nina Jacobs was put off by the cigarette in his hand.

He tossed away the cigarette butt and ground it out with the toe of his boot.

He didn’t actually smoke very often.

But cigarettes could mask the smell of decay.

"Can I see it now?"

Chester Pearson looked up, only to see Nina Jacobs staring intently in a specific direction.

Immediately after, a scream echoed from not far away.

It was one of the guards he had posted!

A guard was clutching his mangled throat as he slowly fell backward.

The people around him had no idea what had happened.

"What was that?"

Chester Pearson immediately drew his sidearm. He thought he could see a dark shadow, but he wasn’t entirely sure.

Soon, a second scream rang out.

Everyone finally got a clear look. It was a tall, skinny zombie, and it was currently chewing on a chunk of flesh it had just bitten off a guard’s shoulder.

BANG!

Gunshots erupted from all around, but the zombie was too fast. It dodged the attacks and vanished in an instant.

"Where did it go?"

Russell Abbott’s eyes widened as he looked around in bewildered shock.

"A mutated zombie?

Damn it, why is it so fast?"

Chester Pearson kept shifting his aim, but he couldn’t get a lock on the target at all.

Just then, Nina Jacobs, who had been standing beside him, sprinted off in one direction.

It was toward Ian Chandler!

SCHLICK!

Nina Jacobs raised her long blade high overhead. As it came down, a zombie roared, blocking the blade with its sharp claws.

"It’s that mutated zombie from before!" someone shouted.

"Nina!"

Ian Chandler just then realized Nina Jacobs had blocked the attack for him.

"Get back," Nina Jacobs said.

The Fire Roaring Blade was already starting to slice through the zombie’s palm, but the creature felt no pain and was incredibly strong.

BANG!

Chester Pearson reacted quickly, but the mutated zombie was faster. Fortunately, his shot made it stumble back a few steps.

ROAR!

The mutated zombie roared and charged at Nina Jacobs, the closest person to it. Chester Pearson found he couldn’t get a clear shot.

Just as he thought Nina Jacobs was about to be devoured, she swiftly circled around behind it!

A Fireball struck the mutated zombie’s leg, preventing it from dodging so quickly.

SCHLICK!

Nina Jacobs seized the opportunity and lopped off its head.

The area fell dead silent, until Vera Coleman, worried, made a move to get out of the car.

"I’m fine."

Nina Jacobs gave Vera Coleman a reassuring gesture from a distance.

’Actually, I spotted this zombie the moment it appeared on the group’s perimeter.’

’I could have ignored it and left it to Captain Pearson and his men, but it just had to go after Ian Chandler.’

"Nina, you saved me again."

If it hadn’t been for Nina Jacobs just now, he would be dead for sure.

"It’s nothing. Luckily, Captain Pearson hit it just now, which gave me an opening."

’This was a Basic Level Speed Element mutated zombie. My Fireball combined with my own Speed Element Superpower could have killed it in one hit.’

’But I deliberately held back, trying not to look too experienced. I even let everyone think I was about to die.’

Chester Pearson heard Nina Jacobs’s words from a distance.

"Thanks for that," Nina Jacobs said to Chester Pearson as he walked toward them.

"You’re welcome..."

Chester Pearson hesitated, a little uncertain.

’Did I actually hit it?’ he wondered.

"Captain Pearson, the broadcast mentioned this before. I think this must be a Speed Element mutated zombie," Ian Chandler said. "Your methods for dealing with them don’t seem to be working too well."

The team members who had been bitten by the mutated zombie were already infected.

Trembling, they unstrapped their weapons and handed them to their comrades, giving Chester Pearson one final military salute.

After a few gunshots, they willingly fell beside their comrades.

At least they were still human when they died.

There wasn’t a single person present who wasn’t moved by the sight.

"You’re right. We can’t go on like this."

Chester Pearson stared at the weapon in his hand, but the image that filled his mind was of Nina Jacobs killing the zombie.

’If I could have reacted faster, would what just happened have been avoided?’

"Let’s go."

Nina Jacobs quietly returned to the car.

Inside, Chelsea Walsh was sobbing uncontrollably.

She was reminded of her brother, Forrest Walsh, and automatically put herself in the shoes of the team members who had just died.

"Was that a mutated zombie?

They can dodge and attack... How can they do that?"

It was Leo Hale’s first time seeing such a powerful mutated zombie.

A few days ago, they had encountered a Water Element mutated zombie in an alley, but that one could only splash some water around and wasn’t hard to kill.

But the behavior of the zombie just now completely overturned his understanding.

’Mutated zombies... they’re sentient?!’

"I suppose so. They might even surpass human Superpower Users," Nina Jacobs replied.

’It was true. That’s how it was in my past life. Mutated zombies could almost be called humanity’s greatest enemy.’

’They don’t fear injury or death. Sometimes, a single mutated zombie could wipe out an entire army...’

"That’s terrifying..."

Leo Hale shuddered.

"If Nina Jacobs hadn’t gone out there, more people would have died."

Chelsea Walsh had already dried her tears.

Just a moment ago, she thought having weapons meant they were prepared for anything.

But so many trained soldiers with guns couldn’t even hit a single mutated zombie.

"Don’t think weapons are the ultimate answer anymore?" Nina Jacobs asked with a smile.

Firearms certainly played an important role in the apocalypse, but this was a long-term battle.

Relying on yourself—that was the ultimate answer.

Not weapons.

"Yeah. I’ve made up my mind."

"Once we get to the shelter, we’ll have to go out and kill zombies just the same."