As Shen Feng struck the bell, zombies continuously poured in from the temple gates, relentlessly attacking him. After each chime, Shen Feng was forced to fight them. While a single strike could decapitate a normal zombie, their sheer numbers compelled him to proceed with caution.
The most perilous moment occurred when a speed-type zombie appeared behind Shen Feng. This small zombie had been hidden beneath the platform and launched a surprise attack as Shen Feng was ringing the bell. Fortunately, Shen Feng heard the rustling of movement and dodged the fatal blow, though he was still viciously scratched on his waist.
Shen Feng then turned and dispatched the speed-type zombie with a single strike. In normal times, he might have taken its head as a trophy, but now, he had no time for such things. He had to continue ringing the bell while fending off the zombies. The temple gate's threshold was already being broken by the sheer mass of the undead.
"Dong!" Shen Feng struck the bronze bell again, the deafening sound echoing. He knew he couldn't stop; otherwise, the zombies would disperse, and the construction site would be in danger.
As the number of zombies grew, even strong-type zombies began to surge into the temple, pursuing Shen Feng. He found himself locked in a struggle with one of them, finally managing to kill it after half an hour. However, this meant the bell had been silent for a period, and Shen Feng quickly resumed ringing it.
Zombies kept appearing, relentlessly climbing onto the platform. These were no longer the shambling corpses that couldn't climb stairs. Their control over their bodies had improved, and their attacks had become much faster. It seemed zombies were capable of learning and evolving. If they remained mindless shamblers, they wouldn't pose such a threat, but if they continued to mutate, the consequences would be dire.
Unbeknownst to him, the ground beneath the platform was already covered in zombies. Shen Feng had kicked down those he killed. He roughly estimated he had killed nearly two hundred zombies, but compared to the tide of the undead stretching into the distance, these two hundred were but a drop in the ocean.
Shen Feng stole a glance at his watch to check the time. Only two hours had passed. If this continued, more and more powerful zombies would flood into Shi Fo Temple, and Shen Feng was beginning to feel fatigued.
Unconsciously, Shen Feng's eyes became bloodshot, and his breathing grew heavy. He felt a strange energy stirring within him, on the verge of erupting, causing a dull ache in his head. He sensed that something was wrong.
"Could it be that killing so many zombies is affecting my mind? That shouldn't be happening!" Shen Feng had to stop, fearing a mental breakdown. Ever since becoming an evolved human, Shen Feng had felt something amiss within his body, but he couldn't quite articulate it.
Now, after killing so many zombies, Shen Feng felt he was becoming increasingly violent. If he continued like this, he might indeed become mentally unstable, just as his senior had warned.
At that moment, a strange sound emanated from outside the temple. Shen Feng quickly looked over. He saw that a section of the temple's wall was gradually collapsing. Through the gap, Shen Feng could now see the dense masses of zombies outside the temple!
"Boom," the wall fell with a heavy thud. The zombies behind the wall revealed their true forms. The front rank of zombies were not ordinary ones, but a group of bloated figures. What was most striking was their distended bellies, as if they were diseased. They continuously spewed a pale green liquid, and the bricks on the wall seemed to have been corroded, explaining why the wall had fallen so easily.
"Mutated zombies!" Shen Feng felt a sense of dread. He hadn't expected new mutated zombies to appear at this time. While these zombies themselves weren't strong fighters, their acidic spray could undoubtedly corrode walls.
Even the wall had succumbed to the acidic spray and collapsed. Shen Feng had no doubt about the potency of this acid. If it sprayed onto the face, it would cause immediate disfigurement. If it got into the eyes, it could lead to blindness!
"It seems these mutated zombies have a large amount of stomach acid in their bodies, and its acidity has been enhanced, allowing them to spew so much liquid. But this is too much," Shen Feng began to speculate about the cause of these zombies' condition, but regardless, his situation was becoming increasingly perilous.
The collapse of the wall made it easier for the zombies outside to enter. In an instant, hundreds of zombies surged into the temple. Now, Shen Feng couldn't even think about ringing the bell; self-preservation itself was becoming a challenge.
Shen Feng surveyed his surroundings. He had to prioritize his own safety.
Just then, Shen Feng spotted the main hall not far away, and an idea struck him. Perhaps the bell didn't necessarily need to be struck with the wooden beam. Shen Feng killed two blocking zombies and climbed onto the roof of the main hall from a pillar. The zombies pursued him but couldn't climb walls, so they milled about below the hall.
The roof of the Buddhist hall was constructed with old-fashioned tiles. Shen Feng casually picked up a roof tile and tossed it towards the bronze bell. "Dong," the bell continued to ring, though the sound was noticeably weaker. After all, the weight of a single tile couldn't compare to that of the striking beam.
Upon reaching the roof of the Buddhist hall, Shen Feng's situation became somewhat safer. Ordinary zombies couldn't reach him, and the mutated zombies hadn't appeared yet. However, the sound of the bell still attracted many zombies to the vicinity.
Zombies had low intelligence; they merely followed the direction of sounds. Shen Feng, standing on the roof of the main hall, continuously threw tiles, drawing the zombies towards the platform. They could only futilely gnaw at the bell, but it was clear they couldn't damage it.
While throwing tiles, Shen Feng began to consider his next move. The path he had taken was clearly impassable, as the road was teeming with zombies. These zombies wouldn't disperse anytime soon, so he needed to find a shortcut. Otherwise, if he fell into the horde, he would be torn to shreds instantly.
Shen Feng possessed great strength, capable of throwing tiles or bricks like baseballs with excellent accuracy. Every tile or brick he threw struck the bronze bell.
Soon, a large section of tiles from the Buddhist hall's roof was gone. From there, Shen Feng could see the golden Buddha statue inside the hall. From Shen Feng's perspective, the Buddha's eyes were closed, as if it couldn't bear to witness the suffering of the world, but in reality, this was a deliberate design choice.
Generally, Buddhas and Bodhisattvas are depicted with their eyebrows lowered. From a distance, it doesn't seem like much, but when one kneels and looks up, it appears as if the Buddha statue is staring at them. This is a psychological suggestion, indicating that the Buddha is watching from above.
Shen Feng didn't understand Buddhism, but he had, after all, dismantled part of the temple's roof. He muttered, "Buddha, please protect me. If I escape today, I will return your tiles!"
In reality, Shen Feng was seeking psychological comfort. He couldn't truly place his hope in a mythical Buddha. If the Buddha truly existed, why didn't it manifest divine power? Why didn't it simply kill all the zombies present? Therefore, fundamentally, survival depended on himself.
At this moment, Shen Feng noticed the buildings surrounding the Buddhist temple. On either side of the main hall were side halls, and their eaves were connected. Looking further, the gaps between buildings were not far apart. It seemed possible to move across the rooftops. However, after leaving the temple, there was a stretch of road without any street trees, meaning Shen Feng would inevitably have to descend, facing the dense zombie horde again.
"I'll take it one step at a time. For now, I still need to keep attracting the zombies here," Shen Feng muttered to himself.
The sheer number of zombies was overwhelming. Mutated zombies were not uncommon. Some strong-type zombies weren't even trying to catch Shen Feng on the roof; instead, they were killing ordinary zombies in the crowd and eating their brains. The acid-spewing zombies, unconcerned, began to consume the corpses of other zombies.
Shen Feng watched the zombies fight amongst themselves, feeling a sense of frustration. While ordinary zombies died, mutated zombies grew stronger. If ordinary zombies disappeared and were replaced by mutated ones, the situation would become dire.
Finally, as dusk approached, Shen Feng realized his task was complete. Attracting zombies for an entire day should have significantly boosted the construction progress at the site, and it was time for him to retreat. Speaking of retreat, the temple was now densely packed with zombies, not just ordinary ones, but mutated ones as well.
Shen Feng knew these mutated zombies possessed intelligence. The reason they hadn't attacked yet wasn't out of kindness or a desire to spare him, but because they were wary of his combat prowess and were waiting for him to show a weakness before striking.
However, Shen Feng no longer wished to linger here. He began to move across the temple rooftops. He could now temporarily traverse walls and roofs, as the buildings were spaced closely. With a strong leap, he could reach another rooftop. But once he left the temple, it would be different. Some of the buildings outside were more than ten meters apart, a distance only Spider-Man could traverse smoothly.
Afterward, Shen Feng reached the still-standing section of the wall, searching for his next foothold. Fortunately, although there were no street trees to land on, there were utility poles. Moreover, the city had lost power, so climbing a utility pole posed no risk of electrocution. He could use the power lines to reach the other side of the street.
Shen Feng immediately climbed the utility pole, grabbed the power line, and began to move along it. He silently prayed, "Please don't let the power line break. If it breaks, I'll fall into the zombie horde."
Perhaps Shen Feng's jinxing had come true. At that moment, he casually glanced back and saw a strong-type zombie holding onto an acid-spewing zombie. They were standing next to the utility pole. Soon, the acid-spewing zombie began to spew acid obediently, and the acid immediately began to corrode the utility pole.
Seeing this, Shen Feng was dumbfounded. Witnessing the actions of these two zombies, he blurted out, "Zombies actually cooperate now? What is this?"
Shen Feng then looked down at the zombie horde below, seeing only upturned heads. The mouths of those detestable zombies seemed to be waiting for Shen Feng to fall from the power line above. Shen Feng dared not linger any longer and quickly grabbed the power line to move forward.
It was now a race against time. If he fell into the zombie horde, he would undoubtedly be bitten to death, leaving no intact body behind.
However, at this moment, the strong-type zombie, seeing Shen Feng about to escape, grew impatient. It kicked the acid-spewing zombie away and then began to shake the utility pole. The utility pole was made of concrete with steel reinforcement, making it difficult to break immediately. But Shen Feng, clinging to the power line above, found his progress halted.
Yet, at this moment, the strong-type zombie, with fierce determination, began to ram its head against the utility pole. Instantly, the utility pole could no longer withstand the strain. Already weakened by the acid corrosion and then shaken violently, such a forceful impact immediately caused the utility pole to tilt to the side.
Caught off guard, Shen Feng lost his balance and began to fall. In an instant, he plunged into the zombie horde. The zombies immediately lunged at him, their teeth bared, ready for a feast. This scene was witnessed by nearby survivors. They had believed that someone as skilled as Shen Feng could escape successfully, but now, he was on the verge of death.
The surrounding area was a residential district, with buildings spaced far apart. The residents inside the buildings showed no inclination to help, as thousands of zombies were attacking. If they were surrounded, they would only meet the Buddha.
The moment he was surrounded by zombies, Shen Feng's survival instinct surged. Even in the midst of the horde, Shen Feng refused to give up. He unleashed a move called "Night Battle in All Directions, Hidden Blade Style." In reality, it was a wild, blind flailing of his weapon. However, this chaotic attack had a clear effect. In an instant, the number of zombies around Shen Feng was reduced. But then, the zombies surged forward again.
However, at this moment, a powerful figure broke through the zombie horde. This zombie had its sights set on Shen Feng's brain. After shaking the utility pole down, it charged directly at Shen Feng. Along the way, ordinary zombies blocking the strong-type zombie were knocked aside, and some were even sent flying.
"Boom," the strong-type zombie charged forward and landed a punch on Shen Feng's chest. Instantly, Shen Feng's body was sent flying. His physique was strong, so the strong-type zombie didn't break his bones, but Shen Feng found himself unable to breathe, his chest heaving, and he spat out blood.
Shen Feng's body flew through the air like a kite with a broken string, crashing heavily against a residential building. The strong zombie continued its pursuit, eager to enjoy its meal.
Shen Feng looked at the approaching strong zombie and the tide of ordinary zombies surrounding him. A powerful will to survive ignited within him. Then, an unknown force began to surge through Shen Feng's body. He slowly stood up, his clothes rustling as if a wind were blowing, yet there was no wind in the street at that moment!
The strong zombie reached Shen Feng and threw a punch, aiming for Shen Feng's head. If it hit, Shen Feng would surely die.
Just then, a gust of wind erupted outwards from Shen Feng, forming a whirlwind around him. The powerful air pressure instantly swept up the surrounding ordinary zombies, and the strong zombie's advance was also affected.
"Whoosh—" The whirlwind lasted only for a breath before disappearing. However, all the zombies within a five-meter radius of Shen Feng were gone, blown away!
At this point, the strong zombie had reached Shen Feng and threw a punch. Shen Feng dodged to the side and plunged his sword into the strong zombie's chest. Then, with a twist of his arm, he instantly shredded the strong zombie's internal organs.
The strong zombie collapsed. The remaining zombies continued to surround him, and Shen Feng felt utterly exhausted. After the whirlwind appeared, Shen Feng felt his body weaken. Having finally killed the strong zombie, he was at his limit.
"Am I going to die?" Shen Feng thought blankly.
However, at that moment, a rope dangled from above, and a female voice called out from above: "Hero, hurry up and come up!"
Shen Feng looked up and saw a young girl at the third-floor window of the residential building, shouting at him. The rope had been lowered by her. Shen Feng didn't have time to think; he grabbed the rope and climbed up rapidly. Upon reaching the window, he pulled himself inside and collapsed onto the floor, gasping for breath, having finally survived the zombie horde.
At this point, Shen Feng was extremely weak. The effort it took to climb up had already consumed a significant amount of his strength.