Sunshine District, seventh-floor bedroom.
"Heâs been out for so long, why isnât Dad back yet?"
"Could something have happened?"
Ji Ruxue stood on the balcony with binoculars, looking into the distance, her brows furrowed with worry.
The gas station caught fire, and even though Sunshine Home was some distance away, it was still visible.
Staring at the blazing flames and the billowing black smoke, Ji Ruxue instinctively thought of her zombie father.
Could the sudden fire at the gas station be related to Dad?
The thought barely surfaced when Ji Ruxue quickly shook her head.
Her zombie father always handled things steadily. Even under orders from the Corpse King, he would hide in the back and never be the cannon fodder; it shouldnât be a problem.
Gurgle!
Lu Chuan hadnât returned for so long that Ji Ruxueâs stomach began to rumble with hunger.
As she continued to grow, her ability to move had improved, but the energy consumption was also increasing.
Seeing that her zombie father still hadnât come back, Ji Ruxue reluctantly went downstairs to scavenge for supplies.
Fortunately, her zombie father had stocked up quite a bit, and Ji Ruxue took out some biscuits to munch on.
Ji Ruxue couldnât help but think about her agreement with the Nine Deaths Demon Police last night.
That silly woman isnât exactly bright. I hope she doesnât bail on me this time...
"Hmm? Back already?!"
At that moment, Ji Ruxue noticed her zombie father and some Corpse Puppets returning to the complex.
Seeing her zombie father safe, Ji Ruxue finally breathed a sigh of relief.
Now successfully obtaining a second-tier Crystal Core, Lu Chuan was delighted. While cooking for Little Qiqi, he even added an extra fried egg for her.
After all, just as he needed to devour Crystal Cores to evolve as a zombie, the little one needed energy to grow.
Watching the little one gobble up her food, Lu Chuan then grabbed the paper and pen Ji Ruxue used to practice writing.
"Dad has something to do this afternoon, so you stay home and do your homework."
Seeing the words her zombie father had written, Ji Ruxue wasnât surprised anymore.
She had already accepted that her zombie father, though transformed, still retained his human consciousness.
"Got it, Dad. You go ahead with your work."
Ji Ruxue swallowed a bite of rice, looked up, and flashed a cute smile at Lu Chuan.
She felt secretly pleased, as she still needed to prepare for her meeting with the Nine Deaths Demon Police that night, and her zombie father unknowingly facilitated her plan.
After Little Qiqi finished eating, Lu Chuan turned and left.
This time, he intended to devour a Crystal Core from a second-tier Tyrant zombie, something he hadnât done before, so he wasnât sure what transformation it would bring.
Concerned that any commotion might disturb Little Qiqiâs studies, Lu Chuan relocated to the fourth building next door.
âLightning Twoâ was stationed below the fifth building to safeguard Little Qiqi.
âDa Pang,â still wielding dual hammers, stood guard at the entrance of Sunshine District like a Gate God, valiantly holding the fort.
âLightning Oneâ accompanied Lu Chuan to the fourth building.
He anticipated that after devouring the Crystal Core, he might fall into a coma and would rely on âLightning Oneâ for protection.
The enigmatic lady cop who had previously escaped had shouted a warning, making Lu Chuan aware that capable Evolvers might be lurking around his district.
Standing on the balcony, Lu Chuan looked outside a few times, ensuring all doors and windows were tightly closed to avoid detection by these Evolvers.
Taking the red-orange Crystal Core from âLightning Oneâsâ hand, Lu Chuan was thrilled.
It had been a while since he last consumed a Crystal Core, and he was eager to become stronger.
The Crystal Core was an entire blood-red color, mostly surrounded by an orange aura.
Lu Chuan speculated that when he reached the third tier, the Crystal Core might turn orange.
The Crystal Core looked exquisite, almost like a real crystal.
Holding it in his hand, his blood-red eyes seemed to bleed, filled with desire for the Crystal Core.
Without a second thought, Lu Chuan swallowed the red-orange Crystal Core.
Instantly, a vast power exploded within him.
This terrifying power surpassed all the Crystal Cores Lu Chuan had previously devoured, so intense that his body trembled uncontrollably.
Simultaneously, an invisible pressure emanated from Lu Chuan, causing âLightning Oneâsâ body, which was supposed to ensure safety, to shudder under this power.
Although Lu Chuan knew the Crystal Core from a second-tier Tyrant zombie would carry incredible energy, he underestimated the magnitude of its power!
Abundant energy surged into his body, filling every part with a terrifying force.
Lu Chuan, as a non-physically evolved zombie, had devoured numerous Crystal Cores with little change to his body.
Yet, once he ingested the second-tier Core, the monstrous power made his meridians swell, his bones felt reforged like ingots of steel.
Lu Chuan felt an intense heat radiating from his body, a sensation he missed as a long-deceased zombie.
Under this scorching heat, his flesh seemed to reorganize, with his muscles becoming more solid.
If Lu Chuan removed his clothes now, he would find his already angular muscles had swelled dramatically.
His frame became robust, muscles sharply defined, exuding an incredible explosive power.
Even his visible tendons were distinct, his body looked like a meticulously crafted work of art!
The most profound change wasnât physical, but the sudden surge in terrifying Spiritual Power!
About seventy percent of the potent energy from the second-tier Core streamed into Lu Chuanâs mind.
The sudden boost in Spiritual Telekinesis felt overwhelming, as if his brain was about to explode.
Under this terrifying mental impact, Lu Chuan barely held consciousness before slipping into a haze.
The rapid surge in Telekinesis was astonishing, exceeding any previous evolutionary scale for Lu Chuan.
Meanwhile, in the bedroom of the fifth building, Ji Ruxue, who was writing something, froze and quickly ran to the window.
Looking out in astonishment, Ji Ruxue felt like she had just heard the voice of her zombie father!