This fellow Xu Ruina likely discovered that nuclear radiation could temporarily suppress the zombie virus's control over her body.
Therefore, she planned to use this method to completely kill the zombie virus within her.
However, the problem is...
Xu Ruina's body was already a corpse.
Otherwise, the vaccine wouldn't have been ineffective.
Her consciousness and ability to move freely.
Were entirely dependent on the zombie virus's effects.
If the zombie virus was completely eradicated.
Wouldn't Xu Ruina's consciousness be destroyed along with it?
This woman was simply insane!
[Energy Barrier]!
A faint yellow halo appeared around Zhang Chen.
[Blink]!
Zhang Chen immediately appeared beside Xu Ruina.
He forcefully hoisted her onto his shoulder.
[Blink]!
Zhang Chen immediately flashed back to a distance of over ten meters from the crater.
Then he sprinted all the way to Er Pang's side.
He placed Xu Ruina on the ground.
Zhang Chen checked the remaining energy crystals in the bottom right corner.
Just that one flash there and back.
Consumed over 8,000 energy crystals!
It was evident how devastating nuclear radiation was to living organisms.
However, Er Pang seemed to like the radiation, extending its nose and sniffing the air.
As if something was attracting it.
Keep a close eye on Xiao Bai and Xu Ruina!
If I don't return for a long time, you'll be responsible for taking care of them!
Zhang Chen said as if making his final arrangements.
Speaking of which, Zhang Chen suddenly remembered something.
He directly pulled out four large boxes of beef canned goods, twenty 5L bottles of purified water, and some snacks like chocolate and potato chips from his space.
Then, Zhang Chen took out 500 units of [Rapid Fertilizer] and piled them under a distant tree.
These supplies were enough for Er Pang and Xiao Bai to eat for a month.
Even if Xu Ruina turned back into a human, although it felt theoretically illogical, it should be enough.
Er Pang and Xiao Bai were both like children in terms of their intellect.
They had no idea why Zhang Chen was suddenly so generous, bringing out so much food.
Er Pang instantly shrank to its small size, wagging its tail as it buried its head in the pile of fertilizer, chewing vigorously.
Xiao Bai grabbed a chocolate bar, mimicking Zhang Chen, peeled off the wrapper, sniffed it first, and then took a big bite.
Delicious!
Immediately, a carefree smile appeared on her face.
Zhang Chen took one last look at them.
As if to deeply etch their appearances into his memory.
Then he took off his protective suit, turned around, and slowly walked a few steps towards the crater.
[Soul Burn]! Level 5!
Boom!
Blue flames, over two feet high, engulfed his entire body. The gravel beneath his feet was swept up by this force, gradually turning into debris...
Eventually dissolving into dust and scattering into the air.
[Rage]!
Uh...
This was Zhang Chen's first time activating Rage under the buff of Soul Burn.
A surge of anger welled up from the bottom of his heart!
His forehead veins bulged, and his skin turned red.
His pupils contracted into tiny black dots!
Activating to this extent was sufficient.
[Berserk Slay] was for clearing negative status effects and improving self-healing and attack capabilities.
There was no need to activate it now.
He only needed to activate skills that significantly reduced damage.
He would save [Berserk Slay] in case he encountered any trouble upon waking up, so he could still hold on!
Ready!
Let's go!
[Blink]!
[Blink]!
Zhang Chen used two consecutive blinks, rapidly teleporting to the core of the meteor.
The moment his body appeared here!
The blue airflow enveloping him was instantly blown away.
All his energy was insignificant in the face of the meteor's core!
His [Energy Barrier] was also rapidly distorting and shattering.
And all of this happened in an instant.
Whoosh!
Zhang Chen had no time to think, reaching out and touching the meteor core, successfully storing it in his storage space.
At the same time, a surging, boundless energy instantly coursed through his fingertips.
Zhang Chen immediately lost the sensation in his fingers.
Soon, this feeling spread upwards to his forearm and upper arm.
The red color on his skin's surface rapidly faded.
Relying on his dual innate abilities, Stage 1 Advanced Awakener, and the additional strength bonus from [Body Transformation] to the power of 14 exponents...
With all his skills activated.
He was nothing compared to the meteor's energy core!
This energy instantly surged along his arm towards his heart, towards his brain.
Buzz!~
In a daze, Zhang Chen felt as if he were immersed in the vast cosmos, with infinite pure energy circulating throughout his body.
His body gradually began to dissipate, and his soul sank into an endless void.
These were all the sensations Zhang Chen experienced during his last moments of struggle before collapsing.
From an observer's perspective.
Zhang Chen had blinked twice to the vicinity of the meteor core. The instant he touched it.
All his skills and energy vanished into thin air.
His entire body stiffened like he had been electrocuted and collapsed straight onto the ground.
That was how it happened...
Meanwhile...
Outside the crater, at the edge of the dense forest.
Er Pang ate for a long time before managing to consume a tiny corner of the rapid fertilizer.
This made Er Pang feel a deep sense of frustration.
It had intended to eat a few more bites, but it simply couldn't eat anymore.
Mmm...
Er Pang, slightly disappointed, returned to Xiao Bai's side.
Xiao Bai, at this time, was gently patting her slightly bulging belly, looking very satisfied.
She had eaten all the chocolate and quite a few other snacks.
She had drunk one-fifth of a 5L bottle of water.
Now she lay lazily on the grass.
Muttering excitedly:
Daddy, Daddy, Daddy~ Hee hee!~
Er Pang grew a bit bored waiting by the edge of the meteor crater, yawned, and turned its head towards the crater.
Its eyelids began to droop.
Soon, it fell into a deep sleep.
Xiao Bai had stayed up all night watching "Big Head Daddy and Little Head Daughter."
The sleepiness had now caught up with her.
Hugging Er Pang, she also fell asleep.
After an unknown amount of time.
Er Pang was the first to stir.
The sun had begun to set, dyeing the forest a golden-red.
Xiao Bai was restless in her sleep; initially, she had been hugging Er Pang.
Now she had rolled around and was sleeping soundly, hugging Xu Ruina.
Er Pang shook its fur, waking itself up more thoroughly.
Master still hadn't returned?
Er Pang felt a vague sense of unease...
Could it be...
That there was a lot of delicious food in the crater?
So much that it couldn't finish it even after eating for so long?
The thought of delicious food made Er Pang's stomach feel a little hungry again.
It slowly walked to Xu Ruina's side and sniffed her with its nose.
The zombie smell was gone.
But there seemed to be a smell of a corpse.
A corpse that had not yet decayed.
Er Pang licked Xu Ruina's face.
She still showed no reaction.
Should I go see what Master is eating?
But... Master told me to look after Xiao Bai and this corpse...
Well... I won't go far, just standing at the edge of the crater and taking a peek from afar should be fine!
Yes, that's settled!
With this thought, Er Pang tried to tread as lightly as possible.
Step by step, it walked towards the crater...