The previous monster was a Venom Spitter; it wasn't very strong, but its skills were truly disgusting.
Back then, dealing with this fellow involved immediately blasting its main body from a distance.
Otherwise, no matter how you fought, you'd easily get injured, especially by the poison insects it spat out, which became more numerous and troublesome.
However, Zhang Chen didn't have time to grapple with such a monster. He took advantage of its self-destruction and slipped through the portal.
Since the opponent had thrown a Venom Spitter through the portal, it meant the real enemy had to be at the portal's entrance.
No matter what, Zhang Chen had to see this person.
After charging into the portal, Zhang Chen rolled on the ground a few times before steadying himself.
He found himself in a spacious laboratory, standing in an open area.
The ground was still covered in the sticky residue of the Venom Spitter.
Around him were large coffin-shaped cultivation pods. One of them was open, and a middle-aged man with thick glasses stood beside it.
"Hm? You actually came through the portal?"
"But it's no use. The Master said your mission failed, and failure must be met with due punishment!"
"You've all been professionally trained. I shouldn't need to elaborate on what needs to be done!"
The man pushed his glasses up his nose and spoke to Zhang Chen.
Of course, in his view, the person before him was a spy, specifically a combat operative disguised as a palace maid planted in the Valen Empire's royal palace.
"I can die, but I wish to see the Master one last time before I do!"
Zhang Chen adopted a submissive posture and spoke softly.
"The Master is very busy and doesn't have time to see you. After you die, I will dig out your eyes and bring them to the Master, so you can see him one last time!"
The man said this while adjusting the cultivation pod.
These pods, filled with green liquid, contained various high-level zombies.
Many other pods held humans who looked almost identical, yet to be infected.
It was likely they were using clones to cultivate infected individuals; this method would arouse the least suspicion and leave no trace.
After all, the zombies themselves had no identity, making any investigation futile.
"What if... I refuse?"
As Zhang Chen spoke, he lunged towards the man.
In this situation, there was no need for more talk; he just needed to put a knife to the man's throat to see if he dared to remain arrogant.
*Bang!*
Zhang Chen, controlling the palace maid's body, swung her palm towards the man's chest.
However, just as his palm was about to make contact, a large hand blocked all of Zhang Chen's attack.
It was the middle-aged man's hand!
In an instant, his body mutated. His ordinary arm suddenly grew several times its size, transforming into a powerful, rough monstrous limb.
"I have a lot of work to do and no time for games with you!"
"If you don't have the courage to end yourself, then I'll make that decision for you!"
The man said, reaching for a controller with his left hand and pressing a few buttons rapidly.
Soon, the liquid in the surrounding cultivation pods was quickly drained. Then, the glass covers opened, and Crawlers began to slowly climb out from the pods.
"Cackle, cackle..."
Four or five Crawlers surrounded Zhang Chen, emitting terrifying cackling sounds.
"Just these things? You think too little of me!"
Zhang Chen chuckled helplessly, his speed exploding. He quickly leaped onto the back of the first Crawler and broke its spine with a palm strike.
*Crack!*
The Crawler collapsed to the ground, motionless.
This palm strike sent a stinging pain through Zhang Chen's own hand.
It wasn't that the Crawlers were powerful, but that this body was too weak.
The reason the opponent had only released Crawlers, and not Behemoths or Wailers, was because the palace maid's strength was insufficient to even defeat one Crawler.
Facing four or five Crawlers was a sure victory for the opponent.
If Zhang Chen's consciousness hadn't been within the palace maid's body, she would have likely been torn to shreds by the Crawlers by now.
"This body is too weak, I can't exert much strength at all!"
After dispatching a Crawler, Zhang Chen landed, only to see two more Crawlers rushing towards him.
His mind was already commanding the body to move, but the body's muscles and energy mobilization lagged far behind Zhang Chen's pace.
Although he managed to dodge the attack, his left leg was still sliced open.
"Damn it!"
Zhang Chen frowned.
With such a weak body, it was impossible to resist the mutated zombie virus. Corpse transformation was only a matter of time.
He had already lost.
In that case, he stopped resisting, looked at the Crawlers surging towards him, and slowly closed his eyes...